Some holidays are remembered through photographs. Others become a part of who we are.
For Ákos from Debrecen, Hungary, summers in Rabac belong to the second category. His first visit to what is now Oliva Camping happened more than 50 years ago, when he was only three years old. Since then, he has returned almost every year — first with his parents, later with his own family, and today he is here with his wife and sister-in-law. What began as a childhood holiday has grown into a lifelong tradition.
A holiday tradition spanning generations
Ákos first came to Rabac in the 1970s. His grandparents had friends who were already spending their holidays here and recommended the destination to the family. Soon, Rabac became their regular summer escape. “I came here for the first time when I was three years old,” he recalls. “Since then, I have returned almost every year, except during the war.”
Although he was too young to remember his very first stay, his later childhood memories remain vivid. He remembers playing with friends, spending time at the playground and basketball court, swimming in the sea and walking through the village. At that time, a summer holiday was simple: long days outdoors, new friendships and plenty of time by the sea. “I remember playing here with friends and enjoying the whole camping experience,” he says. “We always enjoyed the beautiful sea and the village. It was very nice.”
From a tent to a caravan
Over the years, the way Ákos and his family stayed at the campsite changed, but the feeling of returning remained the same. During his earliest holidays, the family stayed in a tent. Later, his father bought a caravan, which became their new summer home. There were also years when some family members stayed in nearby apartments, but part of the family was always at the campsite.
Today, camping is more organized and comfortable than it was during his childhood. Ákos particularly notices the improved pitches, electricity connections and higher standards of the sanitary facilities. “The bathrooms and toilets have become much better over the years,” he explains. “There is enough capacity, and everything is always clean. That is very important.”
He also appreciates that the campsite and the nearby harbour are now more organized. Still, while the campsite has changed and improved over the years, the things that made him fall in love with it in the first place are still very much the same. And perhaps that is exactly why the place still feels so familiar.
The memories that bring him back
When asked if there is one particular summer that stands out, Ákos finds it difficult to choose. There was no single extraordinary year or one defining moment. Instead, his connection to Rabac was built slowly, through decades of happy holidays. “I enjoyed it as a child, and I enjoy it now as an adult with my family,” he says. “There is no one special year. There are simply too many good memories.”
For him, the reason for returning is not complicated. It is the combination of familiar places, positive experiences and the memories created here over the years. The campsite has followed him through different stages of life — from childhood and teenage years to holidays with his own children. Each generation has experienced Rabac in its own way, while continuing the same family tradition.
A special place by the sea
Every family has its favourite holiday spot, and Ákos’s family is no exception. About two kilometres along the coast, there is a small natural pond among the rocks, where seawater flows in from the sea. The family often reaches it by a small rubber boat and spends part of the day there. It has become both a favourite place and a holiday tradition. “We go there by boat from the beach and spend some time there together,” Ákos explains. It is not a famous landmark or a place found in every travel guide. Its value comes from something more personal: the moments shared there year after year.
His perfect day in Rabac
Ákos’s perfect holiday day begins slowly. Ideally, he sleeps until around nine, enjoys breakfast and then gets into the boat. The family spends the morning and part of the afternoon by the sea before returning to the campsite. The evening is reserved for dinner, either at the campsite or in Rabac, followed by a walk through the village. A stop for ice cream or a cocktail in the harbour completes the day. For many visitors, that may sound like a simple summer routine. For Ákos, it is exactly what makes it perfect. No busy schedule. No rushing. Just the sea, family, good food and an evening walk by the coast.
More than a campsite
After more than 50 years, Rabac is no longer simply a destination Ákos visits. It has become part of his family’s history. It is the place where he spent his childhood summers, where he returned as a teenager, and where he later brought his own children. The campsite has changed, improved and developed, but the most important things have stayed the same. The sea is still there. The family traditions continue. And the memories keep growing.
Some guests arrive for a week and leave with beautiful photographs. Others return year after year until the destination begins to feel almost like home. For Ákos and his family, Oliva Camping is one of those places. And after more than half a century of summers in Rabac, the story is still not over.
At the end of our conversation, we asked him to describe Oliva Camping and Rabac in just three words. After more than 50 years of summers here, his answer was simple: “Vacation, joy and happiness.”
Three words that perhaps explain better than anything else why, after all these years, he keeps coming back.
