Our Croatia Trip With Myla... Split > Pula > Split
- traveltribe2
- Nov 26
- 4 min read
Our Croatia Road Trip With Myla: Split → Pula → Split
A couple of summers ago we took on one of our favourite types of adventures, a proper driving road trip, toddler in tow! Croatia has always been high on our list, and exploring the coastline from Split up to Pula (and all the surprises in between) turned out to be such a fun and memorable trip. Here’s everything we got up to, where we stayed, what we loved, and what we’d skip next time.
Arriving in Split
We flew into Split around 9pm and picked up our hire car with Argus Car Hire, highly recommend. Super easy, no faff.
Our first stop for the night was Best Location Rooms in the centre of Split. Ideal for a quick stopover: modern, clean, and genuinely great service.
We walked into Split that evening and grabbed breakfast the next morning at Lola. It was… fine. Nothing special.
From there we wandered inside the old city walls, still beautiful but definitely more expensive now.
A little highlight: we grabbed an ice cream and a gold hair clip, and because we didn’t have cash, the ice cream lady actually let us head off and come back to pay later. Love moments like that when travelling.
Lunch was simple, chicken, chips, and salad and then we hit the road.
Zadar – 2 Nights
We stayed at Apartments Maras which were great for a short stay.
Dinner one evening at Oh La La French Bistro, and a visit to Supernova Shopping Centre (which ended up being surprisingly good for a mooch around). There was even a bit of drama, we saw someone getting caught for shoplifting!
We stopped off at Pješke Beach on the way up too, worth a quick visit.
Lana Haus Huts
On Monday evening we stayed at Lana Haus Hostel, where we had one of the little wooden huts. It actually wasn’t too hot inside, which was my biggest concern, so it turned out to be a comfortable night.
⸻
Rijeka – A Quick Stop
Tuesday we arrived into Rijeka, which was very city-ish and honestly not what we expected. We stayed at Number 1 Apartments, fine, but we wouldn’t rush back to Rijeka. It just didn’t have that Croatian seaside charm.
⸻
Opatija – A Lovely Surprise
Just 20 minutes down the road was Opatija, and this place completely changed the mood. We absolutely loved it. The seafront is gorgeous, dotted with bars literally on the water where you can grab a drink, rent a sunbed, and swim straight into the sea.
Our favourite spot: Colluseum Beach Bar, you can reserve day beds and spend the whole day relaxing.
One evening we visited Lovran for dinner at Ulrika Lovran. It was raining, but I had the loveliest cocktail: prosecco, elderflower, mint, and lemon, so refreshing.
Back in Opatija we finished our night with a walk and an omelette back at the room while packing up for the next leg.
Driving to Pula And a LOT of Rain
Friday morning we left Rijeka and headed north to Pula. The rain on the way was so heavy we had to pull over several times, classic road-trip unpredictability!
We checked into Park Plaza Histria, which instantly became one of our favourite hotels of the whole trip. So good, in fact, that we extended our stay by three more nights and added half board for only £33 extra per night for the two of us, absolutely worth it.
The hotel has:
• Outdoor & indoor pools
• Activities for families
• Access straight to the sea
• A great spa area
Dinner at Bonaca one evening came with a surprise. We spotted dolphins right outside the window while it rained!
Exploring Pula & the Surrounding Area
Saturday
We took a relaxed walk around Pula and watched the recording Simply Red performing at Pula Arena ( the most gorgeous arena to visit, especially in the evening when it is all lit up. It is similar in appearance to the Colosseum).
Sunday
• Big buffet breakfast
• Morning yoga
• A beautiful bike ride around the island
• A visit to Brioni Beach — highly recommend
Monday
• Sea swim
• Gym & indoor swim
• Lunch and dinner at the Yacht Club, such a good spot
Tuesday
• Morning yoga
• Beach time and lunch
• Evening kayaking, Myla was an absolute star
• Indoor swimming + sauna/steam (with an interesting moment about “naked sauna etiquette” apparently you can go in with a white towel and cover yourself if someone else comes in!)
Wednesday
• 20km morning bike ride
• Painting & wine class at 5pm, Myla slept through the entire session so our paintings were actually quite good, and the wine!
• 7:45pm bus into Pula Old Town, the square and old town at night is gorgeous.
Imagine Dragons were playing in the arena which made the atmosphere incredible.
• Bus back was absolutely rammed, and Myla was not impressed. We got home around 11pm.
Heading Back to Split via Okrug Gornji
Thursday was checkout day, and it was meant to be a 5-hour drive back to Split… but with stops it became more like 9 hours. We arrived around 7:30pm.
We drove across Trogir island to Okrug Gornji, which turned out to be the perfect final stop, a lovely little island with a big pebble beach, lots of bars and restaurants all along the front, and such a nice atmosphere for families.
We stayed at Villa Okruk and ate locally. Leonardo’s Restaurant looked really good, but we didn’t eat there as there wasn’t any space.
Final Thoughts
This road trip was such a great mix of adventure, relaxation, unexpected gems, and a few “character-building” moments (mainly the rain and the 9-hour drive!). Croatia is an incredible place to explore by car, so many beautiful coastal towns, family-friendly beaches, and easy stops along the way.
If you’re thinking about doing a similar route, absolutely go for it. And feel free to message us, happy to help you plan and book your own Croatia adventure.
