March 20, 2026
NEW STANDARD OF YEAR-ROUND TOURISM IN CROATIA
After more than 18 months of intensive construction, Pical Resort 5* in Poreč has been officially opened, becoming Valamar’s new flagship and the most significant tourism project in Croatia in recent years.
The first guests already arrived at the hotel in mid-March as part of the ‘Be the First’ campaign, while a high occupancy rate is expected for the Easter holidays. Interest in the season is already strong, with particularly high demand in the pre-season and post-season thanks to the MICE offering and the Pical Event Center, the largest congress venue in Istria with a capacity of up to 1,200 participants.
By the beginning of summer, Pical will employ more than 800 staff, most of whom are already actively engaged in the hotel’s operations. Training and education for delivering five-star service standards began as early as a year ago, clearly confirming the project’s ambition to set the highest levels of service quality. Part of the facilities, including the beach, promenades, and Purobeach, are currently in the final stages of construction, with their opening planned for May. The official grand opening of the resort for partners and the public is scheduled for June.
The hotel features 514 accommodation units and already offers a comprehensive experience through attractive family-oriented facilities, wellness, top-tier gourmet cuisine, and congress tourism. For families, a rich and diverse range of amenities has been designed, including PlayLand, a family entertainment and learning center spanning 1,200 m², offering a variety of creative, educational, and fun activities for all ages. The offer is further enriched by the Fun Zone with children’s playgrounds, as well as Valamar’s Maro Club, featuring carefully designed programs for children, along with numerous additional amenities tailored to family holidays.
ESPA at Pical, the first spa concept of its kind in Croatia, opened with the hotel, while the gourmet offering is further rounded out through collaborations with renowned chefs and brands, alongside the hotel’s three main restaurants. Following the opening of the restaurant JAZ by Ana Roš on the Poreč waterfront in early March, Harry’s Piccolo Poreč, located within the Pical Resort itself, is also opening this week. The restaurant is the result of a collaboration with Matteo Metullio and Davide De Pra, chefs whose restaurant in Trieste holds two Michelin stars.
“Pical is the result of the work, dedication, and joint efforts of a large number of people. Behind this project stand our hardworking colleagues from Valamar, our partners, the local community, shareholders, investors, and many others who each contributed in their own way. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank everyone—for their support, trust, and the energy they invested in this project. I am confident that we will be proud for many years to have such a hotel and resort in Croatia,” said Željko Kukurin, President of the Management Board of Valamar.
Pical Resort represents an important step in the development of Poreč and Istria as year-round destinations and further confirms the role of tourism as one of the key drivers of Croatia’s economic growth.
Public Relations, Valamar
