Istria is my favourite region in Croatia, and I love spending my summer holidays there. It has a perfect combination of lovely beaches, beautiful nature, friendly people, and so many amazing cultural sights. A few days ago I visited Bi Village holiday centre in Fažana with my family. And we had a perfect weekend in Istria at one of Al Fresco mobile homes there.
Weekend in Istria at Al Fresco mobile homes
Disclaimer: My stay at Al Fresco mobile homes was complimentary as a part of a press trip. However, as always, all opinions are my own.
Why Istria
OK, let’s start with the location first. Istria is the biggest Croatian peninsula and the westernmost part of the country. It shares the border with Slovenia and Italy (on the sea). However, because of its turbulent history, you’ll see many different influences there. From some fantastic Roman ruins in Pula, Byzantine architecture on the Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč, to the Mediterranean coastal towns like Rovinj or Novigrad, you’ll find them all in Istria.
I love exploring new places when there. Usually, we just get in a car, pick any local road and visit some little villages along the way. More often than not, they’re located on the top of the small hills. By the local legend, those villages were built by giants centuries ago. Usually, you’ll find a small fort, a church with some fantastic wall paintings in its interior, and a few lovely restaurants and wineries in each one of them.
Everything is close-by, and during a few days in Istria, you can easily visit many places. Throughout our weekend in Istria at Al Fresco mobile homes, we have visited Fažana, Pula and Vodnjan.
⤷ TIP: When in Istria, try some local food and wine. The region is famous for its pasta, seafood, truffles and some local wine sorts, such as Teran and Malvasia.
⤷ Read more: Istria Travel Guide
How to get there
Istria is well connected with the rest of Croatia, roads are quite good, and it’s easy to get around.
We drove from the capital of Croatia, Zagreb, and it took us around two hours to get to Bi Village holiday centre. Most of the time you’ll drive on a highway and will pass by some beautiful sceneries.
An airport is located in the largest town in Istria – Pula, and it’s located only around 20 minutes drive from Bi Village. The airport in Pula is well connected with many destinations in Europe, especially in the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and France.
⤷ TIP: I strongly recommend you to rent a car while in Istria, so you can explore more of the peninsula.
⤷ Read more: What to do & visit in Croatia
Bi Village holiday centre
Since I got a child, I love spending my summer holidays at campsites in Istria. We started staying at mobile homes a few years ago and quickly fallen in love with them. They offer the comfort of a hotel room while being connected with nature. They are very popular among families, so it’s nice for kids to make new friends.
I’ve been to quite a few campsites in Istria, but the Bi Village holiday centre is absolutely one of the best. It’s rather big and located in a beautiful pine forest, so it’s never too hot, and you can spend the whole day outside. It also has so many facilities, from the supermarket, shops with everything you need for a beach and speciality stores.
We especially liked the cafes and restaurants there, too. Our favourite was Al Mare that had great food, service and, in the evening, live music, too. It’s located just next to the beach, so we enjoyed in some beautiful sunsets while having dinner there.
Bi Village holiday centre also has a great children program, two swimming pools, adrenaline park and a huge kids area. So, definitely, a lot to do for families. When comparing it to other campsites I visited in Istria, it definitely stands out with its entertainment program and facilities.
Another thing I loved in Bi Village Holiday centre is how it’s filled with flowers. Beautiful flower arrangements are everywhere, next to the sidewalks, restaurants and the common areas at the campsite. They just made everything look even more appealing.
⤷ TIP: Bi Village campsite is located at the beach, just across one of the most amazing Croatian national parks – Brijuni Islands. Besides enjoying in a beautiful view on them, you can get on a ferry in Fažana and spend a day on that fantastic archipelago.
⤷ Read more: Day trip to Brijuni Islands
Al Fresco Mobile Homes
This campsite has many different types of mobile homes to choose from. We stayed in one of Al Fresco’s mobile homes at Bi Village holiday centre.
It’s a typical mobile home with a living room, kitchen, bathroom and two bedrooms. Although it can accommodate six people, there were only three of us, so we had plenty of space. Our Al Fresco mobile home had an AC unit, but since it was located in the pine forest, there was no need for turning it on at all.
One of my favourite things about these kinds of mobile homes is the large terrace they have. With the cosy sitting areas, they are perfect for relaxing in the evenings (while drinking some Istrian wine).
Everything was clean and tidy. And I liked that the mobile homes weren’t too close to each other. Each of the mobile homes has a nice barbecue, as well. And although we haven’t used it, I saw some of our neighbours having a lot of fun with them.
There is a concierge who takes care of the Al Fresco mobile homes. He was super friendly and helped us with everything we needed. From explaining all things about the mobile home and a campsite to giving us recommendations for the things to do and see close-by.
What to see around?
Although we could spend our whole weekend in Istria at Al Fresco mobile home, wandering around Bi Village campsite or at the beach, we have visited some of the places close-by, as well. And that’s one of the reasons I love spending my summer holidays in Istria, Everything is so close, and there are so many places to explore.
Fažana
The first evening of our stay at Bi Village campsite we went to a cute little village of Fažana. It’s connected with Bi Village campsite by a lovely scenic path following the coastline. We walked next to the beach, passed by the olive’s park and after fifteen minutes of a slow walk, arrived at Fažana.
It’s a lovely fishermen village, with an old stone church on its main square, surrounded by some colourful buildings. It has a small port and many restaurants serving some great seafood.
We enjoyed so much wandering around it and getting lost in its narrow streets. The only ones we met there were some lazy cats enjoying in their afternoon nap.
Pula
It was a bit cloudy the next morning, so we decided to use that time and visit the old Roman town of Pula. It’s a place where I’ve spent all of my childhood summer vacations, so I know it quite well. But, still, each time I visit it, it surprises me with something new.
After a short, fifteen minutes long ride, we parked our car in the city centre. We went to see some of the ancient Roman architecture highlights – Amphitheatre, Triumphal arch and the Temple of Augustus at its central square.
We had a coffee at one of my favourite cafes located at the old Roman Forum in Pula, Kunstcafe Cvajner, then. After a nice and relaxing break, we went to see one of the newest attractions in Pula – Zerostrasse. It’s a net of tunnels built during the First World War to serve as a shelter for the citizens of Pula.
After all the sightseeing we met with our dear friends from the Netherlands, that were in Pula in the same time. We discovered a great local restaurant, located just behind the Temple of Augustus where we enjoyed in some seafood pasta. If you’re looking for a lovely restaurant to have lunch at during your weekend in Istria at Al Fresco mobile homes, check out Piazza Nove Restaurant.
What else to visit during your weekend in Istria
There are so many fantastic places you could visit in Istria, it’s impossible to include everything in a weekend. These are some other places you could visit if you’ll have some extra time when not enjoying in your Al Fresco mobile home during the weekend in Istria.
- Rovinj – Probably one of the most beautiful towns in Istria, Rovinj is a place you shouldn’t miss during your vacation on this lovely peninsula. You can read more about the things to do in Rovinj and Rovinj’s fishermen tradition and Batana boat on the links here.
- Motovun – Famous for its film festival, this small town is located on the top of the hill in the inland of Istria. A lovely place for a day trip during your stay at Al Fresco mobile homes in Istria.
- Poreč – Home to the UNESCO heritage Euphrasian Basilica, there is so much to explore in Poreč when it comes to art and culture. It’s a must-see place for all the history buffs.
With its beautiful setting and a great location, Bi Village holiday centre is a lovely place to spend your summer vacation in Istria. We had so much fun during our weekend in Istria at Al Fresco mobile homes that we decided to travel to that lovely region of Croatia tomorrow and spend two more weeks there again. Check out my Instagram for some photos and stories.
If looking for a great, family-friendly place in Istria, then I can’t recommend Bi Village and Al Fresco’s mobile homes enough. We’ll definitely be visiting again.
Many thanks to Al Fresco holidays for hosting us at one of their mobile homes. Our stay was complimentary and a part of the press trip. However, I truly enjoyed it and am definitely recommending a stay at Al Fresco mobile homes if you’re planning a weekend in Istria.