Oceans surround South Africa. We, therefore, associate summer holidays with white beaches and crashing waves. While Switzerland offers stunning natural beauty, we sometimes long for the sea. We miss walking barefoot on the sand, building sandcastles, and playing in the waves. Our family loves the water, and the beach is our idea of a Happy Place.

For a long time, we’ve searched for a beach holiday destination in Europe. Availability and affordability of the beautiful locations along the Mediterranean Sea have posed challenges. After a long and harsh winter, people across Europe also yearn for sun and sea.

When Zander had to select a location for his exchange experience, his top priority was a country with a coastline and waves. His dream came true when he found an exchange opportunity in Perth. They could head to the beach after school, and despite the winter in Australia, they spent a lot of time in the ocean, enjoying various activities. He even had the chance to learn how to surf.

Campsite in Croatia

In our search, we focused on Croatia and discovered a campsite called Mont Perin, located by the sea near Rovinj in the Istria region of northern Croatia. It turned out to be the perfect choice for us. The campsite provides a range of accommodation options, such as campsites, mobile homes, and villas.

We stayed in a house near the sea and enjoyed morning swims in the ocean. The pebbly beaches led us to buy water shoes for comfort, but one benefit of sandy beaches was that the house remained sand-free. The calm, turquoise-blue water was so clear that we could see to the bottom

Entertainment

The campground provided a variety of entertainment options for families. The bay area had designated spots for swimming, rowing, or paddleboarding (SUPs). Other areas were more rocky, perfect for exploring the underwater wonderland with diving goggles. During the day, families enjoyed the inflatable play area in the sea. In the evening, they showed animation films on a big screen erected in the seawater.

The campground also featured tennis, volleyball, and soccer courts and a dinosaur-themed water park for families with younger children.

Transport

The campground is quite large, so to make it easy for everyone to get around, they offer a little train that runs throughout the site. For those who didn’t bring their own, bicycles are also available for rent. We were delighted to discover that each villa had a small electric or golf cart.

Our villa’s Twingo made a driving lesson in Croatia for Zander possible. We played tennis a few times, and afterwards, Zander drove us back home. Charl gave instructions from the front while I sat in the back, nervously watching. Fortunately, he managed very well. It’s much easier to learn to drive an electric car. His older brothers had to learn on a manual one.

Bakery and fresh garden vegetables

The campsite features a bakery, where people eagerly line up early in the morning to grab a fresh bun or croissant to enjoy with their coffee. Every morning, after Zander and I took a quick swim in the sea, Charl would treat us to warm, freshly baked croissants.

We were delighted to discover that Mont Perin has vegetable gardens. The campsite provides guests with a complimentary bag of fresh Mediterranean vegetables twice a week. The bag included giant tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, and marrow pumpkins. Along with the vegetables, we also received a melon and watermelon.  We used the fruit and vegetables in our salads, pasta sauces, and prepared ratatouille.

As evening approached, delicious cooking aromas filled the campsite. Campers prepared their meals on gas grills since open fires were not allowed.

Dinosaur bones found in the area

We noticed that many water parks in the Istria region had a dinosaur theme. It made perfect sense when we learned that Istria is the only region in the Mediterranean where divers found dinosaur bones. In 1992, a diver discovered a site with bones on the seabed near Bale-Valle, marking the first discovery of dinosaur remains in the Mediterranean.

The bones revealed the existence of at least ten groups of dinosaurs, including the plant-eating Brachiosaurus, one of the largest and heaviest dinosaurs ever. This massive creature was 20 to 25 meters long, with a neck about 10 meters long.

We all agreed that this was one of our most enjoyable holidays in Europe. We lost track of time, indulged in good food, stayed healthy, and slept well. Mother Nature took good care of us.

Our memories in a video:

Regards

Emsia