Sounds lovely - have a great time!

This brings back very happy memories, from two years ago, of our two weeks at Valalta. It is a gem, and would be a good choice for first-time naturist resort visitors (as it was for us) or any naturist whose partner is yet to be won over. Nearby Rovinj (which is an easy cycle ride away) is also charming, and there are day trip opportunities to Slovenia and Venice. We also flew with Jet2 to Pula, who are literally cheap and cheerful, and we have subsequently flown with them on our next two summer holidays, with similarly satisfactory results.

Weather continuing superb here and the restaurant prices in Rovinj remain very affordable for Brits on the whole. Fish picnic yesterday was fully booked but going on the extra one for Saturday tomorrow.

Loved going on the fish picnic when i stayed at Monsena years ago.Love Croatia!. 🙂

Just an update while back at Pula airport. (Have to cheer myself while waiting for delayed flight in a thunderstorm). Weather was absolutely fantastic for the most part. It is a bit of a concern when going during September as can go towards a slide downhill but we only had the last two days with some rain. The Friday we went to Porec which was a bit of a comedy at the end. Saw the Basilica again for the first time in quite a few years and then looked around the old town which doesn't take long with only three streets. It has sadly been blighted with every kind of tourist tat shop obliterating the buildings and has robbed it of the charm it once had. It is possible I might have felt more positive to it had the weather been better but there is no doubt that Rovinj is far more beautiful and interesting. Had no time to see what the tourist areas were like down the road with all the hotels and campsites. It does what it does well I expect. With a rainstorm imminent we had to duck into a very trappy restaurant on the square rather than a Lonely Planet  recommended pizzeria but the food though nondescript, was edible and wine helped. The heavens opened with accompanying noise but we had come prepared for it with light macs unlike some. It did lessen and we walked around some more but then a rain resurgence forced us to the bus station. Bus broke down a few miles outside Porec. It had to be us. We had a bus conk out on us in Rome as well. Had to wait in the bus for an hour before a rescue one showed up. Driver constantly on mobile while on the road as well. Elf and safety. Very little in the way of crash barriers going round the Lim Fjord as well. I actually drove round it myself three years ago. My nerves must have been better then. So plans we had of siesta with a bottle of chilled in the fridge dashed. But hey ho. Saturday started off wet but actually improved in the afternoon. We went back to Valalta with the plan of using the new sauna area as better than sitting in apartment all day. Rovinj's streets are lethal when wet. They can be lethal dry come to that. Anyway, had a rather nice sauna, steam, pool session on repeat and then the sun came out. Utilised the sunbed area. Pretty nice. You still have to say sowna by the way when getting a ticket at the reception. Else they don't know what you are talking about.

Fish picnic was as expected. That is all I am admitting to. Party of BNers on board who had actually come on the same flight as us, saw the BN tshirt a few rows in front but didn't see them after baggage reclaim. One of the male contingent did the Kate Winslet impression. He was very good.

Recommended restaurants: Santa Croce (more than once as was Mali Raj) Neptun, Sergio, Balbi though the menu was far less extensive than before. Prices very good for us. Large risotto with veg under a tenner. Sea bass £17. Rumpsteak about £12. All excellent quality on the whole. Town packed on the last week of August but not a huge problem to get tables thankfully. Fireworks on the 31st impressive, seen from the beautiful shoreline bar Mediterraneo in the old town.

As for Valalta? Absolutely fabulous. I am not sure you could find anywhere better in Europe. Exemplary facilities, bars, pools, sunbeds, landscaping, supermarket where you can fill your own bottle with wine for £1.80 for beach (very important) and acres of space. We spent most days on the paved beach areas near the sit in bar or swim up bar. If only the protestors could have seen the hundreds of enthusiastic children and have their prejudices removed. Then again, maybe they don't want them to.

Weather up to the nineties in August, in the eighties early September.  Bus to Valalta five quid return at 9.15, coming back at 6.30. About £9 admission August, £7 Sept.

Is the £9 entry just for day visitors? I assume you don't pay this if you're staying on-site?

No of course you don't pay if staying.

Apartment and mobile home accommodation on site averaged between £80-100 a night at this time, our apartment was a shade under £50. You are of course paying for the very very good facilities. We actually prefer staying in Rovinj to be honest as we are not hung up on staying in a resort as such and like being in the town. It is only 10 minutes on the bus and the bus service makes an evening in Rovinj easy for a change of scene though if staying in the resort. There are a couple of restaurants within walking distance outside the main entrance as well.

One note. I can't believe how many of the continentals still smoke. The only small blot  is when sitting outside and the likelihood of somebody smoking nearby. Either they don't  have the same health warnings as us on the packets or it is much cheaper, or they just don't care.

Great review! Thank you!

Thank you very much!

The number plates on the cars parked there were German, Austrian, Dutch, Slovenian and Czech in the main. However, we did get some friendly hellos through the two weeks on the beach. There was also some communal giggling on the loungers watching an inflatable unicorn in the sea continually throwing off a teenager and turning turtle. Reminiscent of Bernie Clifton and his emu.

I'm trying to find my way to a naturist vacation in Europe one day, but it seems daunting from where I sit here in the states. You, and others, make it sound easy. Thus your review is very helpful.

Was thinking Heliopolis, but Valata sounds easier to get to, and equally "clothes free." I'm hoping to get away from "clothing optional," if possible. My experiences in the states with "clothing optional" choices seem to pit naturists against textiles in certain situations.

Naturism is the usual mode of dress at Valalta weather permitting of course which was the case during most of our days.

The only provisos I will make is that the supermarket and reception require clothes and there is a small area near the marina side where teens at a difficult stage are in swimwear but they do their own thing in their own space. Otherwise on the site, beach areas and pool I saw nobody in swimwear. In the restaurants in the day time, most people were nude with some that had something on. At night time I think the policy is to be dressed in restaurants. Kneecapping would not be employed if you chose to be nude around the resort at night but the Continentals are not as obsessed as we might be on being naked all the time because they have spas at home as a matter of course. Also it can get a bit nippy at night anyway, well it was in Sept. The last week of August had temperatures in Rovinj at night the same as the day time which was a bit crazy.

I'm trying to find my way to a naturist vacation in Europe one day, but it seems daunting from where I sit here in the states... I'm hoping to get away from "clothing optional," if possible. My experiences in the states with "clothing optional" choices seem to pit naturists against textiles in certain situations.

Please don't be daunted. It sounds like 'clothing optional' might mean something else in the States, but here in Europe, if a resort is 'clothing optional', that effectively means that naturism is the norm, apart from most places have a silly rule about having to dress to shop or eat in a restaurant (don't ask me why).

For some reason, many European naturists also develop an urge to dress (and even dress up) in the evenings, but apart from in shops and restaurants, whether you are nude elsewhere depends on whether you are comfortable with being in the minority. I was.

We have been to three different naturist resorts in mainland Europe. At Valalta I decided I would be naked wherever and whenever allowed (ie, most of the time). At Costa Natura (which is much smaller), everybody is nude in the daytime, including in the bar/restaurant, but when the sun goes down, most people go off, get dressed and return to the bar/restaurant, so the nudies become slowly outnumbered and are usually eventually non-existent. However, one evening I found myself the last naked person left, but nobody cared, least of all me. At El Templo Del Sol, apart from in the shop and restaurant (again), people were much less inclined to dress in the evenings, so the atmosphere could not be more relaxed. However, I would not hesitate to recommend Valalta or Costa Natura, either.

I am sure you would find people on this forum who have already been to whichever specific location(s) you have in mind, so you could check with them before booking, but in our experience, staying at European naturist locations is a wonderful experience that I very much doubt you would ever regret.

Koversada in Croatia could be another option. 🙂

Koversada in Croatia could be another option. 🙂

Koversada is directly across a river estuary from Valalta. We didn't go inside  there, but felt we made the right choice in going to Valalta because it is within easy (even easy cycling) reach of the charming town of Rovinj, which we visited many times. Because of the estuary, Koversada is a significantly longer car journey away from Roving, or a long and hilly cycle ride.