Autumn in Istria | Fly to Croatia

The Plava Laguna resort complex in Umag, home to beautiful scenery and striking beaches, will be your home away from home during October’s long weekend. Set in a tranquil pine forest along the coast, this beach front complex has indoor and outdoor pools, a wellness center, sports facilities and direct access to seven beaches. The nearby city of Umag is most well known for tennis, but the city also contains a protected harbor and marina offering boat cruises, a long promenade packed with restaurants who specialize in fresh seafood and westward facing views of the water. A tour of Pula will allow you to stroll the streets of the ancient Roman city enjoying its intact Roman amphitheater and several gates and temples, and you will be impressed with the natural beauty of Lim Fjord; 12 kilometers long with surrounding hills up to 200 meters high. The waters in and around Umag maintain a temperature in the upper 60s in October.  That’s too cold for bikinis, but it’s perfect for wetsuits and Istria is a well known destination for year round diving. 

Army Outdoor Recreation makes it easy for you to fly to Croatia. Our included airport shuttle will pick you up at your choice of Pulaski or Smith Barracks and take you directly to Frankfurt Airport. Both locations have plenty of free, on-post parking, eliminating expensive parking fees, train transfers or multiple stops along the way in a shared airport shuttle van. After a short flight you will find yourself in Umag, ready to start enjoying the four-star resort complex which will be your home away from home.

Warm up your October in Croatia! Airlines have limited capacity and early deadlines. Contact Army Outdoor Recreation today to reserve your flight to Croatia!

Price, on or prior to Monday, June 30:

• Double Occupancy: $1649 per person
• Single Occupancy: $1849

Price, on or after Tuesday, July 1:

• Double Occupancy: $1829 per person
• Single Occupancy: $2029
   
• Additional airline price supplements may apply to all registrations made on or after Friday, August 1
   
• Rates for older children or family rooms upon request based on personalized requirements
• Infants under 2 on existing bedding in single or double room: $299

Trip Includes: 

• Round trip air transportation from Frankfurt to Trieste including local shuttle to Umag
• Round trip airport shuttle bus from your choice of Pulaski or Smith Barracks to Frankfurt Airport
• Free on-post parking
• 4 overnights at Residence Garden Istra Plava Laguna**** or equivalent
• Daily Breakfast
• Daily Dinner
• Guided Istrian Excursion including:
  • City tour of Pula
  • Visit to Lim Fjord

What to Bring: 

• Comfortable, weather appropriate shoes and clothing
• Credit/Debit Card or Euro
• Military ID and Passport

Departure: 

• 7:30 a.m. from Wagon Wheel Theater, Smith Barracks to Pulaski Barracks
• 9 a.m. from Kaiserslautern Outdoor Recreation to Frankfurt Airport

Return: Late Monday Evening

Estimated Itinerary

Thursday: Fly to Croatia

Theres no need to pay for parking at the airport or take an expensive airport shuttle to Frankfurt when you fly with Army Outdoor Recreation. Our included airport shuttle will pick you up at your choice of either Pulaski or Smith barracks and take you directly to Frankfurt Airport. You will know you have arrived at a beach front paradise when you check into your four star hotel,  just steps away from both paved and sandy beaches and only a short distance from Umag. Breakfast and dinner are included in your package, but you may want to sample the fresh seafood the area is known for in town.  Other than that difficult decision, all you need to worry about is how to spend your free time! If the beaches, pools, sports facilities, and entertainment programs inside the resort footprint don’t keep you busy, the Residence Garden by Plava Laguna will happily share information about countless activities in and around Umag which make up the Istrian experience.

Friday: Pula and Lim Fjord

Pula, the main city in Istria offers you the chance to see an ancient Roman city, including architectural treasures like the Temple of Augustus and the Gate of Hercules.  Pula Arena is one of the worlds best preserved Roman amphitheaters, remaining in use to this day as a location for major concerts. This ancient venue has hosted Luciano Pavarotti, Elton John, Foo Fighters and Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, among others.  You will also be able to visit Lim Fjord, which while technically a submerged karst canyon and not a fjord, was forever associated with Ragnar Lodbrok and his sons after the channel was used as a film site for the hit 1958 movie “The Vikings”, starring Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis. A cave at the far end of the fjord is associated with St Romuald and is home to protected species of bats and beetles which are only found in Istria.

Saturday/Sunday: Free Days

Some of the best beaches in Istria can be found in and around Umag! If you would rather not take the resort complex’s tourist train connecting the seven beaches in its footprint, you can reach the city of Umag in just 15 pedal powered minutes or take a calming 45 minute walk along the coast. Even though bikini season will be over, the waters around Umag are still warm enough for diving and snorkeling with a wetsuit. At least 6 dive sites are located near Umag. In the resort complex, you will find tennis, mini-golf, bowling and many other activities, while apps like Getyourguide and Viator will allow you to book your own excursions into the Istrian countryside. Umag’s westward facing beaches will give you unobstructed views of the sun sinking into the Adriatic sea every evening. You will only be bored at Plava Laguna if you choose to be.

Monday: Return to Germany

Your return flight doesn't take off until this afternoon, so you won't have to rush to check out of your hotel room at the break of dawn.  Two short flights which connect Croatia to Germany in Rome, will give you the chance for a relaxed final morning. Once you land in Frankfurt, our airport shuttle will return you promptly to your starting point.