In 2010 we visited BRELA on our DALMATIAN ROAD TRIP, but only stayed shortly. So when we were deciding on where to go this summer, we remembered the nice beaches around here and thought it would be great for Lu also – and we were off. Brela is surrounded by ADRIATIC SEA on one side and the mighty BIOKOVO MOUNTAINS on the other – a really spectacular combination.
Visited: Brela, Baska voda
How: with our car
Stayed in: apartment
WE VISITED BRELA WHEN LU WAS 1 YEAR OLD. THERE IS A SECTION ABOUT BRELA WITH KIDS AT THE END OF THIS POST.
USEFUL INFORMATION FOR TRAVELLING TO BRELA, CROATIA
GETTING TO 6 AROUND BRELA
Brela is a smaller town with less than 2000 inhabitants in Makarska region, Dalmatia. This southern part of Croatia is great for summer holidays, just expect some crowds in the high season. By car it takes you 5 hrs from LJUBLJANA, 2 hrs from ZADAR, 1 hr from SPLIT, 20min from MAKARSKA town or 2,5hrs from Dubrovnik.
It makes a great spot for a couple of days of rest if you are on the way anywhere south along the Mediterranean as its beaches are known to be the best in the area. Usually we prefer the Dalmatian islands, but this was a good alternative.
WHAT TO SEE & DO IN BRELA, CROATIA
We rented an apartment and basically stayed in the area for the whole time. Swimming, eating good and just getting some fresh air and long walks was the deal for that week. Because the mountains are close, usually the APARTMENTS ARE A BIT UPHILL and you will have to walk a steep way back home in the afternoon/evening, but you know, you can always tell yourself that it´s good for your fitness ;). Back to the beaches – there are many pine trees which serve as the perfect shade provider plus there is this amazing smell mixed with salty air that always reminds me of childhood.
Make sure you have a balcony big enough to have breakfast & dinner on! What a VIEW! And so great that there were many bakeries around and we could get fresh burek in the morning 😉 Yummy!
All the way along the coastline there is a wonderful WALKING PATH which to our luck was easy to manage also with a stroller and it is hidden in the pine trees most of its way so it´s perfect for walking in the hottest hours of the day.
On the beach you can buy doughnuts, grilled corn and different FRESH FRUITS from one of the vendors that walk up and down. You can also find fruits and vegetables along the walking path, they make a nice refreshing snack.
SWIMMING in the clear waters here is fantastic! Also, the water is not too cold, which makes it great for the little ones. Sometimes there can be much wind (see the trees on previous picture and you´ll know what I´m talking about) and there are waves, but nothing to be really scared about.
And you know what is the best here? A MORNING WALK. When everyone is still asleep and the bars are still closed, the sun is coming up and all the chairs are nicely lined up the beach. You can walk all the way to Baska Voda and further. Even all the way to Makarska town if you want – but going back could be a bit tricky then as it gets very hot.
Isn´t this just the perfect SPOT FOR A PHOTO? I have one of us sitting on this tree, but I´m not sharing that one ;). And as i said, the wind can be strong.
FISH PICNIC BOAT TRIPS are very popular here – must be nice to have a whole day of great views on the coastline with BIOKOVO at the back, while eating fresh fish.
The beast thing about having a balcony is watching SUNSETS while eating a bbq dinner isn´t it? And they are simply beautiful here, aren´t they?
BRELA WITH KIDS | BRELA, CROATIA
Brela is great for the little ones! They can play with LITTLE STONES on the beach, there is enough shade everywhere, fruits and vegetables as well as supermarkets are available everywhere, they can run around freely and enjoy the healthy fresh air. In case you need MEDICAL CARE Makarska town is really close. If your kids are already a bit older and are searching for somekind of entertainment, there are many companies offering water sports and similar activities. It´s also great because there are really many walking paths suitable for a STROLLER.
All in all, Brela is GREAT FOR THE LITTLE ONES! The only thing what I missed a bit compared to spending holidays on one of the islands is the exploring factor. Usually we do our best to see as much as we can, drive off to some other part of the island and so on. Here, we mostly stayed in Brela. Which was kind of relaxing on one side, but 1 week was enough for us, I think we could get bored soon, had we spent more time here ;).
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