Camp Rehut

How about some lung-clearing adventure to start? This part of Croatia is home to four different national parks, each equally worth an explore. Start though with Krka, 40 minutes’ drive from base (the island is joined to the mainland by bridge), for spectacularly scenic hikes and bikes among waterfalls, canyons, monasteries and fortresses – and don’t forget to stop by the famous island-bound Visovac Monastery either (it’s a stunner). If that’s not enough time spent in the great wide open, make a stop at Lake Vrana on the way back to base (it’s 25 minutes from the site) for birdwatching, cycling, kayaking and fishing, or head in to Murter and take to the sea for some diving. Croatia is full of fab historical sites, so make a beeline. Zadar is an hour away, and is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the country – it’s full of Roman and Venetian ruins, as well as an Old Town, an 11th-century convent and a 12th-century cathedral. Split is a must-visit too, an hour and a half from base, with palaces and fortresses, museums and historical centre, a zoo and breweries (maybe don’t mix those last two), and – for the TV fans – a whole host of Game of Thrones filming locations to explore. Not so into celluloid? The Dalmatia Aquapark waterpark is just outside the city.