Winter Garden in Preko

If you would like to experience Advent in a slightly different way, here is an idea: choose destinations close to large cities, bustle, and glitter, yet hidden in the peace and beauty of nature and carefully chosen company. Welcome to Ugljan Island—the green pearl of the Zadar archipelago and an ideal year-round escape. Even now, during the coldest part of the year, when fog and low temperatures dominate the mainland, the island offers contemporary travellers a mild climate, excellent connections with Zadar (just a 20-minute ferry ride away), and easy access to the rest of Croatia and Europe.

As the ferry approaches the island, your attention is drawn to the heart of Preko, where Hotel Preko, Curio Collection by Hilton—the new star of island luxury—sits right on the shoreline. Its inviting terrace, dressed in festive décor and transformed into a fairytale “Winter Garden”, attracts many locals who come here to enjoy a fine coffee, combine it with a business lunch, or savour a relaxed brunch at the Terra restaurant. Elegance and luxury—available to all who wish to enjoy a weekend escape throughout the year or a longer holiday on an island that does not fall into winter hibernation—are evident in the interior as well. The hotel features 65 elegantly designed rooms that instantly promote relaxation, as well as its standout feature: a heated pool with a wellness oasis that harmoniously blends modern design with nature. Green oases along the sides of the hotel are easily accessible from the wellness area, and thanks to movable glass walls, they offer a seamless connection to the sea and the sun.

“This hotel is open all year round and offers everything modern travellers desire—a wonderful retreat where Mediterranean charm meets Hilton service. We always strive to be different and original, which is why we begin our winter magic with Advent in Preko, offering an alternative to the programmes of larger cities. Here, the Advent season is filled with a variety of activities that everyone can enjoy, but in a distinctly island way. Each guest chooses what suits them best, and even though we are a larger hotel, we remain fully focused on the individuality of every guest,” says Davor Kovčalija, the hotel’s director, describing the magical Advent in Preko. The hotel enhances the experience with themed weekends to ensure that both the destination and the festive season are enjoyed to the fullest.

The first weekend of December (6–7 December) is dedicated to children, who can search for gifts in St Nicholas’ boots, enjoy a disco, and take part in a sweet cooking class. A week later comes the Wine & Music Weekend, headlined by the “Smallest Wine & Food Festival”, taking place on 13–14 December. The final Advent weekend, which also marks the official start of winter (19–21 December), features numerous children’s programmes as well as an Asian evening with sushi master Sharma Tika, who will prepare sushi using Adriatic bluefin tuna.

“The Advent programme in Preko is further enriched by a beautiful Christmas lunch on 25 December, followed by social gatherings, festive programmes, and workshops throughout the weekend after Christmas, when we begin preparations for our New Year’s celebration. New Year’s Eve here includes a special programme centred around a gala menu, with two dinner options—an early and a formal sitting—as well as full access to the hotel’s facilities. Guests can even welcome 2026 with a glass of sparkling wine in our pool, which will remain open until 1 a.m.,” adds Kovčalija, highlighting another hotel speciality: unique Sunday buffet lunches (from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.) offered at a special price of €35 per adult.

Once you unpack your bags at this hotel, what will further impress you is the seamless blend of signature Hilton luxury and a deep connection with the local community. When choosing your meals, you may hear the chef recommending fresh sea bass, Adriatic squid, or suggesting you try bluefin tuna—served both in classic and modern interpretations—accompanied by vegetables from the hotel’s own island garden. Local olive oil graces the table, alongside a special selection of vinegars made from figs and marasca cherries, produced by the Matulić family farm on the neighbouring island. These artisans from Pašman also create exquisite blends of salts and spices, as well as a fascinating range of cosmetic products that guests can sample during various treatments. Products crafted by Ana and Krste Matulić often become souvenirs, carrying their passion for nature and local heritage around the world.

“At the heart of the hotel is the Terra Restaurant, open to all guests. This has been recognised by the local community, so alongside visitors from around the globe, you will often see familiar island faces dining here. For us as chefs, this is a great motivation to creatively combine different flavours. Guests can enjoy à la carte dishes such as a popular roasted tomato soup, tuna steak, monkfish with polenta, and finish the meal with a lemon cream made from lemons grown on the island. For those who enjoy something unusual, we offer tailor-made dishes prepared in consultation with guests, as well as sushi, which we prepare daily using bluefin tuna. Sushi platters have become extremely popular with modern travellers and local food lovers alike—so much so that we often joke that we spend the whole day ‘rolling’,” says Chef Andrej Ivanšić, whose right-hand man in the kitchen is young chef Jan Parmać.

From the moment the hotel opened, its management knew what mattered most—connecting with the local community to offer contemporary travellers experiences that encourage them to stay on the island. When you arrive at Hotel Preko, start by exploring the village and learning how wealthy nobles once discovered the island, choosing it as a place of retreat and building beautiful summer residences. Listen to stories about how women once carried water, and how men later “brought water to the village” through a water supply system, making it accessible to all. Discover the secrets of the two islets visible from the hotel windows—Galevac (locally known as Školjić) and Ošljak—which you can explore by taking the Hilton boat available to guests. While staying at the hotel, set out on walks to discover the island’s beauty—from the highest viewpoint at Mihovil to the bridge connecting Ugljan with Pašman, which can be reached by bicycle.

You can also cross to Pašman Island, meet the Matulić couple in the village of the same name, and learn all about the popular fig vinegar during a workshop. There, you can also meet Alice Mazo, a Frenchwoman who has settled in Tkon on Pašman Island. She exclusively offers the Janzu Method at Hotel Preko, providing guests with a unique relaxation experience. The programme takes place in a heated pool, either individually or in groups, and aims to help the body enter a state of weightlessness through fluid movements (spirals, stretches, rotations) in warm water without gravity. The mind clears, the spirit releases blockages, muscles relax, and hormones rebalance. It is a wonderful experience that you can already enjoy through one of Hotel Preko’s winter wellness packages—an ideal opportunity to bid farewell to the old year and welcome 2026 with luxury accessible to all.

photo: Nikola Zoko