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Forbes
24-06-2025
- Forbes
Away In Dalmatia On Shore And into The Mountains
Milna village view from the Port, Brac Island, Dalmatia, Croatia. (Photo by Cristina ... More Arias/Cover/Getty Images) The Dalmatian coast on the Adriatic has seen a dramatic increase in tourism just in the last five years, not only for its historic cities of Dubrovnik and Split but for those smaller, quiet towns that line the coast and offer a more localized sense of Croatian culture. As a result of this interest, these towns have acquired a number of restaurants offering both traditional and modern cuisine on their menus at remarkably affordable prices. Brela has a rocky coast and sandy Punta Rata beach on the Adriatic Sea. Brela is a port city––called 'Champion of the Adriatic' for its attraction of tourism–– from whose pebbled Punta Rata beach (which Forbes in 2004 declared 'the most beautiful beach in Europe') and Vruja Cove are at the base of the pine-covered Biokovo mountain. BnBs abound, and though I found the Bluesun Hotel Berulia, which was packed with German bicyclists and trekkers when I visited, comfortable and convenient, but its dreary basement restaurant had all the charm of an institutional cafeteria. A rainbow arcs over the town of Brela Fortunately I found a splendid restaurant named Feral (Obala Kneza Domagoja 30) just down the beach (open just four days a week) that draws primarily on local organic provender, seafood and meats from small farms and purveyors. They also make their own bread, and the menu is vegetarian friendly. Gnocchi at the restaurant Feral in Brela. The décor is minimal, with a bar that does craft cocktails and has a very good wine list, with many Croatian and Dalmatian bottlings, and the very friendly owner-chefs come to every table to advise you on the night's best dishes, which, on my two visits included five varieties of fried seafood with potato salad; domaći njoki kozicamatender gnocchi with fresh shrimp; wild asparagus with a poached egg; perfectly cooked teleća jetra veal liver with shredded onions; penne pasta with a truffle cream and zucchini. Crni rižot risotto with cuttlefish in its purple ink; and for dessert, vanilla crêpes and apple pie. Prices are very moderate, with most main courses under 25 euros. MAKARSKA, CROATIE. (Photo by Jean-Denis JOUBERT/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images) Also along the coast is the town of Makarska, from which people take the ferries to the island of Brac, that is, if the powerful, cold wine called Bura is not churning up the waters. There is a wide walkway along the bay, bobbing with painted rowboats, and above the town is a nature preserve. In town Makarska's distinction is an odd, small museum, once a monastery, that now houses a collection of sea shells, which, if you are fascinated by bivalves, will keep you entranced for hours. Gastro Diva is a local favorite in the town of Makarska for hearty Croatian fare. I had a delightful lunch at Gastro Diva (Kalalarga 22) inside the old city. It's a rustic three-room affair much beloved by the locals and appreciated by those who go for hearty Croatian fare and housemade bread. Enjoy the charcuterie platter of cheese, bresaola and olives while enjoying a good wine from Brac. Then dive into the skradyvskog rice balls; grilled komarca (sea bream); telece pecenje lamb and gnocchi; or fuẑi jadranskim pasta with prawns, with everything on the menu under 30 euros. Farther inland the mid-size city of Sinj on the Cetina River gives you a sense of isolation within the mountains of Dalmatia, with fine open squares and its basilica of Our Lady of Sinj, who the locals say had a hand in the epic and decisive battle commemorated in the Alka of Sinj Mus The Alka of Sinj Museum is wholly devoted to the victory of 100 Croatians against a marauding ... More Ottoman army in 1715. when, in 1715, a force of 100 Croatians defeated a much larger Ottomans army. Each year its most important historic feast day is the tournament of mounted knights. The radiant Blue Lake at Imotski Imotski, is a crossroads city near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, with an appropriately impressive medieval fortress that looms over the valley. It is also adjacent to two beautiful lakes, one tinted red from the iron minerals in the surrounding wall of rocks, the other a very pure blue, both of which are said to connect through underground channels to the sea. They are excellent places to go hiking. Veal shank with mashed potatoes at Tri Sunca in the town of Imotski I enjoyed a superb lunch at a modern restaurant in Imotski named Tri Sunca (Ul Ante Starčevića 20)––Three Suns–– a pleasantly sunny room in the small Emotheo Heritage Hotel, which specializes on the recipes of old grandmothers' cookbooks, where my friends and I had a verdant juha od šparoga I kozica asparagus soup; žablji krakovi frogs' legs risotto; a hefty veal shoulder with mashed potatoes; braised well-spiced local beef with gnocchi like sauerbraten, ending off with a traditional almond cake. Main courses are about 15 euros. We toasted our friends with the Croatian form of 'cheers!' with a glass of Dalmatian wine named Katich Kujundzuša and saying, 'Ƶivili!'
The Sun
17-06-2025
- The Sun
Our travel team's favourite TUI holidays from African beach resorts to European bucket list hotels
Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor Published: Invalid Date, THE SUN's Travel Team have certainly racked up the trips abroad, travelling everywhere from Europe to Africa. And as one of the UK's biggest tour operators, that means we've also done our fair share of TUI holidays. So here are some of our favourite hotels we've stayed at on a TUI holiday. Pickalbatros White Beach Resort Taghazout, Morocco Morocco is the best place for five star luxury on a budget - and one that I loved was the Pickalbatros White Beach Resort. Costing as little as £885 each for seven nights all-inclusive, you feel its grandeur when you walk in with the huge marble lobby and towering glass windows. It's adult-only, with six pools to choose from and a beautifully golden sandy beach to watch one of the many surfers. Stays include one free visit per stay to the speciality restaurant Azha, which offers up delicious authentic Moroccan cuisine. Otherwise there is the Sachi bar overlooking the rest of the resort, as well as the pink sunsets. - Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey Bluesun Hotel Jadran, Croatia The standout of this laid-back resort is not its jaw-dropping location (although waking up to panoramic views of Croatia's sundrenched coastline each morning is no tough feat), it's the breadth of wellness facilities. As much as flopping on a sun lounger and catching a tan is my priority on holiday, I hate having to completely sacrifice my gym routine - and luckily I didn't have to at Bluesun Hotel Jadran. There are health and fitness activities galore here, as well as water sports. And the best part is, they're all included in the price of a stay. When I wasn't practising my downward-facing dog under the shade of a palm tree or getting my heart racing on the tennis courts, I was swigging back a spritz on the pebble beach and tucking into the freshest seafood – after all, the hotel does occupy a prime spot on the Dalmatian coast. Think scorched octopus and garlicky, sizzling prawns. The village of Tucepi, in which the hotel sits, is quiet, so don't expect any wild parties, but the historic city of Split is just over an hour away by car, while the rugged mountains that back the hotel are great for exploring by bike (these can be hired at reception). For the more adventurous, there's also river rafting, canyoning and diving (all of which come at an additional charge). Any tired muscles can be soothed at the on-site spa, which is as lavish as you'd expect from a five-star resort. Both mountain-view and sea-view rooms are epic, but the sunsets over the ocean are some of the best I've ever seen. Visit in October this year and you can stay for less than £700 each for the week. - Assistant Travel Editor, Sophie Swietochowski 12 12 Hotel Riu Palace Tres Islas, Fuerteventura, Brits are very limited when it comes to sunshine breaks with short flight times in February half term. But after a very late booking last winter, where most of the big TUI family hotels were booked out, I lucked out with a lesser-known gem on the edge of Fuerteventura's Grandes Playas - at the Hotel Riu Palace Tres Islas. At first glance of the website, I might have opted for a different hotel as it had no kids activities. But this ended up being perfect for a relaxing holiday with my mum and five-year-old son. The 50-year-old hotel doesn't have all the bells and whistles of a more modern resort, but the hospitality was outstanding and the location on one of the island's best beaches was unbeatable. 12 Despite being fully booked, the hotel itself never felt crowded. And the small number of other young families meant all the kids in the resort instantly became friends - and were easily monitored throughout the hotel grounds. The food was great too, with no queues at the various restaurant stations, no matter what time you showed up - and some of the best all-inclusive dishes I've had. Shout outs also to the wonderful TUI rep Samuel, a born-and-bred Fuertaventurean who gave us all his best local recommendations for exploring the island, and the charming bar staff who loved inventing elaborate mocktails for the kids. - Head of Travel (Digital), Caroline McGuire 12 Riu Baobab, Senegal TUI launched the first direct flights to Senegal back in 2022, and I was the first to visit. And the Riu Baobab remains their only hotel in the country, lining the Pointe Sarane coastline. I was never bored at the resort despite staying there for seven days (and as a serial adventure-goer over a fly-and-flopper, that is saying something). There are the four huge pools overlooking the beach, the swim up pool bars and the copious amounts of sunloungers to choose from. The hotel buffet changed enough to keep you hooked, as well as having local Senegalese food. But I was seriously impressed by the specialty restaurants which can very often be a letdown. But the sushi at the Asian Dorayaki and the pasta dishes at Veneto were a highlight of the meals at the hotel. But even with the pools and unlimited free drinks it was the staff that made it, always happy to chat, dance by the beach or being cheeky in general. And if there is one thing you must do? Make sure you have a go or two on their on-site waterslides too... - Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey 12 Serena Beach Resort & Spa, Kenya I visited Kenya for the first time with TUI, as part of their beach-safari combination holidays. And while the safari itself was a fantastic experience (spotting baby lion cubs up close) the beach resort itself was a beautiful way to end the trip. The Serena Beach Resort & Spa is stunning as soon as you walk in, with bright pink flowers and bush palm trees lining the gardens. It has an intimately small swimming pool complete with a pool bar serving all the cocktails you could want. 12 We then hopped over to the beach bar, with cushions and blankets lying on the floor making it the perfect place to watch the sun go down. Trying the hammock after one too many drinks was certainly a challenge... Food options include the buffet Fountain restaurant, as well as the pizzeria, grill and ice cream shack. But you aren't coming here for the food, but for a good night sleep before an early morning safari - and its safe to say I passed straight out... I can also recommend the Baobab Beach Resort & Spa in Diani Beach - just beware of the monkeys! - Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey 4H Lapland Hotel Saaga, Finland A trip to see Santa in Lapland is the stuff bucket lists are made of, but they've always seemed as out of reach to me as a trip to Dubai. So I was pleasantly shocked by the four-night trip that my five year old and I took to Yllas in Finnish Lapland last December, which cost from £1,027pp on a B&B basis at the 4H Lapland Hotel Saaga, including flights. The package holiday also includes a trip to the Snow Village with Santa meet-and-greet, snowmobile ride, ice palace visit and gingerbread-making, as well as a three-course Christmas dinner with entertainment on the last night. The hotel itself was also great, especially for the price, with a decent breakfast and option to tag on evening meals, and a fantastic location next to Finland's largest ski resort meant we were able to squeeze in half a day's skiing too. Plus,for those able to stay awake long enough after the day's activities, there was also the chance to see the Northern Lights. - Head of Travel (Digital), Caroline McGuire 12 12
