Rabac Croatia is an attractive tourist resort on the eastern coast of the Istria peninsula, 40 km north of Pula capital, facing Kvarner Bay.
Thanks to its location, nested under the slopes of high rising mountain, enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate but it’s also one of the drawbacks of this small town. Being set below high mountain, the only entrance and exit of the town is a twisting mountainous road you have to take each time.
But just because of this unusual geography where mountains rise steeply up from the sea level and where houses are all built on a hill, makes Rabac seaside promenade irresistible.
Once only a small fishermen village, it turned to be a developed tourist resort with about 15 hotels and apartment villages and several campsites.
Rabac is a rather small village with little more than 1000 inhabitants but thanks to its rich accommodation capacity, it can host over 10.000 visitors in a single day. If you add the fact that Rabac offers lots of little bars and cafes, as well as restaurants than nice holidays are guaranteed.
Rabac Croatia Beaches
When I say that Rabac beaches are the most beautiful in Istria, many tourists visiting this small village are the best witnesses. While in Istria the coast is mostly rocky, beaches in Rabac are naturally pebbly beaches.
Beaches here are really the best part of natural environment, very similar to beautiful pebble beaches along the Makarska Riviera (Brela Croatia beaches ) but you don’t need to travel that south to enjoy them.
The beaches in Rabac are alone the reason to visit this Istria seaside town. They are almost all located in town or in surrounding villages. All beaches are something you’ll wish to came back year after year.
If you add to them crystal clear turquoise sea, great underwater visibility, variety of water sports they offer and all attributes for a perfect beach holidays, beaches in Rabac are top attraction. The only inconvenience they can be too overcrowded in July and August.
Family Holidays
Rabac Croatia is a perfect destination for family holidays with children, young couples and seniors. Rabac is safe, tourist infrastructure is excellent, and all hotels & resorts are within walking distance to the center of a village, and many bars, cafes, and restaurants.
Among Rabac beaches, three of them are the most attractive, Lanterna beach, Maslinica beach and Girandella beach.
Lanterna Beach
Lanterna is a beautiful pebble beach with a nice entrance into the sea that attracts many visitors, especially families with children.
The beach is located in the tourist zone in which there are situated tourist resort and hotels, and you can reach it by walking paths through a lovely wood where you can find shelter from the sun.
Because of the cleanliness and other qualities such as exceptional water quality, it has been awarded the Blue Flag. This beach offers a variety of activities.
Maslinica Beach
The beach Maslinica is a 500 meter long pebbly beach where you can have fun with many different water sports, and for its qualities it is awarded with a Blue flag.
It is surrounded by many hotels and magnificent Mediterranean forest. There are three hotels close to this beach run by Italian owned company. Hotel Narcis, Mimosa and Hedera offers a quiet good deal in these hotels even in high season.
Girandella Beach
A beautiful pebbly beach with some rocky and paved parts is located beneath the Girandella tourist village. It is also awarded with a Blue flag. Here you can relax and enjoy the summer pleasures all day long.
There are many restaurants, bars, shops, and a well-known diving center within the tourist village. A traditional Summer festival in Rabac Croatia on which you can hear sounds of well know electronic music is organized at this attractive seaside location and it attracts a large number of young people.
Valamar Sanfior Hotel is a four-star hotel (run by Croatian company Valamar Hotels & Resorts ) close to this beach with 150 rooms, an outdoor and indoor swimming pool, small wellness area and nice courtyard terrace.
Tui Family Life Bellevue Resort in Rabac Croatia, is a family hotel with 174 rooms. Hotel has an activity and entertainment program for children and adults. There is an outdoor swimming pool.
What To Do in Rabac Croatia
Beach holidays are not restricted to just swimming or sunbathing. There are a lot of different activities you can practice during your stay in Rabac. The most popular are hiking and mountain biking.
Rabac is set at foothills offering plentiful opportunities for hiking enriched with breathtaking panoramas. You can start hiking from Rabac to Labin or vice versa.
Among numerous hiking paths on the Labin and Rabac area, the Sentona trail is one of the most beautiful. It stretches from the foot of the old town along the main road to Rabac and the Maslinica Cove in the Rabac Bay.
The 2.5 km long path has a mild ascend or descend, as it can be taken in both directions. The trail has numerous streams and torrents crossed by seven bridges creating a magic experience.
Visit Labin
Labin, a picturesque town situated on a 320 meters high hill, is only three kilometers from the seaside. Labin is one of many hilltop towns in Istria.