I arrived with a simple plan: eat well, sleep well, slow down, see a little of Poreč, have a sparkling drink at sunset, and let the weekend unfold without rushing. Pical Suites 5*, part of Pical Resort 5*, Valamar Collection made that very easy.
Morning Rituals: Breakfast and Coffee
The day began the way all good hotel days should: with a long breakfast and no immediate reason to leave the table.
I lingered over coffee at Nota Piano Bar, letting the morning settle in slowly. There is something wonderfully luxurious about breakfast when it is not squeezed between alarms and obligations. Fresh pastries, fruit, something savoury, another coffee “just because” – it all felt like the proper beginning to a weekend designed around pleasure.
From there, the mood was set. No frantic sightseeing checklist. No racing from one activity to the next. Just a gentle rhythm: sea air, good food, spa time, and the occasional glass raised to the view.
ESPA at Pical: Spa and Pool Time
By late morning, I had slipped fully into holiday mode at ESPA at Pical. The spa felt like the heart of the weekend: calm, cocooning, and made for lingering.
I spent time moving between the pool, quiet corners, and that delicious post-spa state where time seems to soften around the edges. It was the kind of place where you stop checking your phone without even deciding to. My shoulders dropped. My breathing slowed. The weekend had officially begun.
A swim, a rest, a little steam, another dip in the pool – suddenly the morning had turned into noon, and I had no complaints at all.
A Stroll Through Poreč
After a slow start, I was ready to step outside the resort bubble and into Poreč.
The sightseeing tour with a private guide was just enough to remind me why this part of Istria is so easy to love. Poreč has that irresistible Adriatic combination of history, stone streets, sea views, and a pace that encourages wandering. I let myself drift through the old town, taking in the texture of the place: polished cobbles, warm façades, little corners made for photographs, and glimpses of blue between buildings.
It was sightseeing at its best – not rushed, not over-planned, simply a chance to walk, look, and absorb.
Lunch at JAZ by Ana Roš
By the time lunch came around, I was more than ready for JAZ by Ana Roš, a casual seaside dining spot. Lunch there felt bright, easy, and perfectly matched to the mood of the day. After the spa and a walk through town, I wanted something that felt stylish but relaxed – the kind of meal where you can talk for too long, order another drink, and let the afternoon stretch out ahead of you.
It was a reminder that a grown-up weekend does not need to be complicated. Sometimes the perfect itinerary is simply: coffee, spa, stroll, lunch, pool, wine, sunset, dinner.
Afternoon by the Pools
The afternoon was reserved for pool time, and I treated it with the seriousness it deserved.
I found my spot, settled in, and let the day become wonderfully repetitive: swim, sun, read, doze, repeat. The pools at Pical Resort 5* gave the afternoon that resort-holiday feeling I always hope for – unhurried, glossy, and just indulgent enough.
There was no need to fill the hours. The best part of the afternoon was the absence of an agenda. I watched the light change, ordered something refreshing, and enjoyed the rare pleasure of being exactly where I wanted to be.
Rooftop Sunset Views
Then came the moment every coastal weekend hopes for: sunset from the Pical rooftop bar by Laurent Perrier.
With a glass in hand and the sky turning golden, I had one of those travel-writer moments that sounds almost too polished to be real – but there it was. The rooftops, the sea, the fading light, the soft clink of glasses. It was cinematic in the best possible way.
Dinner at Harry’s Piccolo Poreč
Dinner at Harry’s Piccolo Poreč was the perfect final note. After a day of spa rituals, old-town wandering, poolside lounging, and rooftop views, dinner felt less like a separate event and more like the natural conclusion to the entire experience. The atmosphere was elegant but warm, the kind of place where the evening unfolds slowly, and nobody is in a hurry to ask for the bill.
A Stylish Weekend by the Sea
I love travel days that build like this – from coffee to calm, from sightseeing to sunset, from spa robe to dinner table. By the end of the night, I felt completely restored, a little spoiled, and already quietly planning when I might come back.
Pical Resort 5* gave me exactly what I had hoped for: a weekend with grown-up pleasures, beautiful pacing, and just the right amount of sparkle. Spa days, Istrian wine, rooftop sunsets, and dinner in Poreč – sometimes that is all it takes to feel like you have truly gone away.
