I hear Will downstairs exclaiming gleefully like a boy on Christmas, as would
any discerning traveller greeted by a fine breakfast spread in their large open plan
downstairs living space, brightened happily by the Croatian sun.
I pad down the modern, suspended platform stairs in eagerness. I find bold,
steaming coffee, eggs, yogurts, cereals, fresh local breads, fruits, juices, jams, cured
meats, cheeses and milk (including dairy alternatives, due to Will’s lactose intolerance). We look at each other, eyebrows raised, smile and tuck in.
Pure air, crystalline water, blazing sunsets, wine, seafood, cheeses, bakeries, sandy
stone buildings, old green shutters, red tile rooftops, ancient kitchens, motor
yachts, magical forests, dolphins and I might have even loved the sea urchins.
This was our first time to Croatia, and we did it right.
Golden Rays is a luxury villa resort overlooking a leafy, tree-laden peninsula,
behind which sits the main village of Primošten and its rustic old town. We were
housed in Villa 5, a spacious 3-bedroom abode with a large back patio, complete
with grill and plenty of lounge furniture, a private heated pool just beyond a private shower room and sauna and a large open plan living, dining and kitchen area.
The master bedroom and the larger of the two secondary rooms each have terraces
and ensuite bathrooms, which also benefit from floor-to-ceiling window walls.
The latter of course made for excellent showering and general morning business
experiences.
Golden Rays is a new establishment that aims to please and values exceptional
service and guest happiness. A variety of packages are offered that include area
excursions, private chefs for dinners in, in-villa massage and spa treatments and
pretty much anything else you could want.
A pathway hewn into the rocky beaches leads all the way from Golden Rays to
the town in just under a mile. We hired a car for our adventuring, but most often
walked or cycled to Primošten. Golden Rays provides bikes for guests, so we
pulled these out to explore the immediate area.
Primošten itself, a small, medieval village on the coast of Croatia about an hour
north of Split, is the embodiment of all things idyllic and quaint. The locals are
friendly, the small beach is beautiful and beachside bars and restaurants go well
with the intense, colourful sunsets and warm, balmy evenings. You enter the
Old Town through a stone wall and archway to the main square, the dominating
building being the St. George parish church.