Pical Family Hotel, Valamar Collection 5*

The closest airport is Pula (PUY), with direct flights from the UK taking just around 2 hours 15 minutes-2 hours 25 minutes. easyJet, Jet2 and Ryanair all operate direct routes from London airports, depending on the season 

Pula Airport is around a 45-50 minute drive from Pical Resort, while Trieste Airport takes approximately 1 hour 30 minutes by car. Valamar can arrange private airport transfers on request, with prices starting from €230 return from Pula Airport and €440 from Trieste. Child car seats are available and provided according to your child’s weight

Pical is a brilliant option beyond the traditional summer holidays, thanks to its heated pools and huge choice of indoor family facilities. Easter, May and October are all great for a family break, particularly if you want plenty to do even when the weather isn’t quite beach-perfect. For guaranteed summer weather and the full outdoor experience, June to September is your sweet spot, with July and August bringing the hottest weather and busiest atmosphere. June and September are our picks if you want sunshine, warmth and brilliant value for money 

January: Average highs of 9°C
February: Average highs of 10°C
March: Average highs of 13°C
April: Average highs of 17°C
May: Average highs of 22°C
June: Average highs of 26°C
July: Average highs of 29°C
August: Average highs of 29°C
September: Average highs of 25°C
October: Average highs of 20°C
November: Average highs of 15°C
December: Average highs of 10°C

Pical is actually three hotels on one resort. The clever bit is that they all share the same brilliant family facilities, including the pools, beach, kids’ clubs, entertainment and sports facilities. So you can choose the style of stay that suits your family and still have access to the same holiday playground

Pical Suites: The one for a little more luxury. Pical Suites is the most indulgent option, with beautiful swim-up suites and a more boutique feel. It’s available on bed & breakfast or half board rather than All-Inclusive, making it a good choice if you fancy spending some evenings exploring Poreč’s restaurants. All guests here get access to the V Level perks (which we’ll drop below!). If you’re travelling with a bigger or multi-generational gang, there are some seriously roomy options here, including the Panoramic Grand Suite for up to 8 and the Beach House for up to 12

Pical Hotel: The middle price point, Pical Hotel offers half board meal plans and both standard and V Level rooms. It has room choices for up to 12 in the Penthouse 

Pical Family Hotel: The one we’d point most families towards. This is the best-value option and the only one of the three that’s All-Inclusive. You won’t get a swim-up suite here, but there are some with direct access to a shared pool. We particularly love the private gardens, with slides and kids toys ready and waiting. Only the V Level Suites fit families of 5 here 

One detail worth knowing when choosing your room: at Pical Family Hotel, the ‘second bedrooms’ are separated by sliding doors. If proper separation is a must-have (hello, light sleepers), look instead at the two-bedroom options at Pical Hotel or Pical Suites, where you’ll get fully separate bedrooms 

There are no private pools at Pical, but there are swim up suites at Pical Suites and terrace access to a communal pool at Pical Family Hotel 

V Level Perks: Think the resort’s best rooms and suites, private pool and beach areas with reserved loungers, premium lounge with drinks and snacks, elevated dining and Dine Around perks, a private concierge, and a personalised arrival with welcome refreshments, valet parking and luggage escort

One of Pical’s biggest selling points is the dining choice, but exactly where you can eat depends on which part of the resort you book. Across Pical Resort there are 11 restaurants, 9 bars and a beach club, ranging from family-friendly buffets and relaxed beachside grills to seriously impressive restaurants with Michelin-starred chefs. There’s also a Dine Around programme, giving eligible guests the chance to swap included meals for dining experiences elsewhere around the resort and at selected Valamar properties.

Pical Family Hotel, All Inclusive

Quattro Terre is your main dining hub, with breakfast, lunch and dinner served buffet-style, plus an afternoon snack. Expect Mediterranean and Istrian flavours, live cooking and plenty of choice for little and big appetites. Drinks from dispensers are included during meals, with wine and beer also included at lunch and dinner.

• Buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Afternoon snacks
• Soft drinks from dispensers during meals
• Wine and beer included during lunch and dinner
• Access to the family-friendly Famea Bar, with selected All Inclusive drinks, ice cream, flavoured water, soft drinks and coffee available throughout the day

Upgrade to V Level and dining gets a little more special. You’ll have access to the V Level buffet, plus à la carte breakfast and dinner at Parenzana, where the menu celebrates Istrian, Croatian, Italian and Slovenian flavours and has been created with input from Michelin-starred chefs

Pical Hotel, Half Board

Guests staying at Pical Hotel have breakfast and dinner at More Restaurant, a premium buffet with a strong focus on seafood, local ingredients and regional flavours, including fish show cooking

• Buffet breakfast
• Buffet dinner
• Drinks not included with dinner

V Level guests can upgrade their dining experience, with access to the V Level buffet and à la carte breakfast and dinner at Parenzana

Pical Suites, Breakfast or Half Board

All Pical Suites are V Level, so you’re automatically getting the resort’s most premium dining experience. Breakfast is served at Parenzana, with both a V Level buffet and à la carte options. On Half Board, dinner is also at Parenzana

• V Level buffet and à la carte breakfast at Parenzana
• V Level dinner at Parenzana on Half Board
• Drinks not included with dinner

Then there’s the Dine Around offer. Eligible guests can swap an included buffet meal for a meal at selected restaurants around Pical Resort and nearby Valamar properties

There are currently eight Dine Around restaurants, including options such as Fogo by Bekal, Purobeach Poreč, Oliva Grill Pical and Oliva Grill Isabella. Some experiences allow you to choose a starter, main and dessert from the menu, while the exact exchange depends on your board basis

Our tip: book your Dine Around restaurants early. Reservations are recommended and some of the more popular experiences can fill up, particularly in peak summer.

There’s also a Credit Option for Pical guests wanting to venture into the resort’s more serious foodie territory. The credit can be used at Harry’s Piccolo Poreč, Miramare by Fratelli Cerea, Spinnaker and JAZ by Ana Roš Poreč:

• Pical All Inclusive: €50 credit per adult per stay
• Pical V Level: €70 credit per adult per stay

Don’t worry if this feels like a lot to take in, our Tiny Travel Agency can expertly walk you through the options and help find the best hotel and board basis for your family!

The prices below are for the Pical Family Hotel 

From £303 p/night in low season and £568 p/night in high season for a family of three

From £397 p/night in low season and £712 p/night in high season for a family of four

From £1,127 p/night in low season and £2,269 p/night in high season for a family of 5 in Pical Suites (not all inclusive)