Istria is the largest peninsula of Croatia and the westernmost region of the country. Due to the abundance of pine and deciduous trees, doctors recommend this place to people suffering from respiratory diseases, and the calm atmosphere of the peninsula allows guests to thoroughly relax and relieves the “syndrome of a large metropolis”. In addition, there is a fairly extensive and interesting “excursion”. Check topschoolsintheusa to learn more about Croatia.
Istria has long been positioned as a great place for eco-tourism, and this is true. There are many cycling and hiking trails (all maps and brochures can be found at the information desks in each resort). Moreover, the purest olive oil in Europe is produced here, and local wines have long been considered worthy competition to their neighbor Italy. And, finally, it is here that professional tennis players train, if not from all over the world, then from all over Europe for sure. The quality of the surfaces is beyond praise, and the price they ask for renting a court is simply ridiculous.
Istria is famous for its picturesque (rocky) coast, amazingly beautiful hills, pine forests and grapes from which excellent wine is produced, the most famous brands of which are Pinot, Malvazija and Teran. On the peninsula is the smallest city in the world Hum, which is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Brijuni National Park is also located here, which is an archipelago of two large and twelve small islands. Another of the attractions of Istria is the Lim Bay near Vrsar, which stretches inland for several kilometers.
Main resorts: Umag, Novigrad, Poreč, Vrsar, Rovinj, Pula, Medulin, Rabac, Opatija, Lovran, the islands of Brijuni in the west and Krk in the east.
How to get there
Flight to Pula, time in the air – 2 hours 40 minutes.
Istrian beaches
The beaches of Istria (with rare exceptions) are artificial concrete platforms, natural stones, plateaus and small pebble lagoons. Istria has received and continues to receive so many “blue flags” for the cleanliness of its coastline that it is no longer interesting to count. A separate line in the pebble-sea heritage are nudist beaches, which are annually visited by lovers of naturalism from all over the world to shake.
Cuisine and restaurants of Istria
The most popular restaurants are: Porec – Barilla, Dvi Murve, Peterokutna Kula. Rovinj – Giannino, Orca, Amfora. Between the cities of Poreč and Rovinj, in the famous Lim Canal, there is the Fjord restaurant, famous for its variety of seafood dishes. Umag – Allegro, Novigrad – Mandrac, Sidro, Giovanni. Pula – Borghese, Milan, Scaletta, Miramare.
There are wonderful establishments in Croatia – “konoba”. These are small home restaurants with very tasty cuisine, where any dish of Croatian and Mediterranean cuisine can be tasted at reasonable prices. There are “konobs” in every town in Istria.
Entertainment and attractions of Istria
Attractions: the ancient Roman amphitheater of Pula, the medieval basilicas of Poreč and the Venetian fortresses. Truffle plantations near Motovun and dinosaur bones in the deep sea near Rovinj.
From the peninsula, you can go on day trips to the Italian cities of Venice and Trieste (you need a visa for this), and if you have a Slovenian visa, you can go to the Alps (only two hours away by car). From here you can visit two of the seven national parks in Croatia – Plitvice Lakes (full day trip ~ 70 EUR) and the Brijuni archipelago (half day ~ 35 EUR).
A trip to Venice for the whole day will cost 65-75 EUR. A day trip to the Italian city of Trieste will cost about 65 EUR (Croatians never buy clothes in their homeland, but go to Trieste for them). A day in Zagreb will cost 55 EUR. Zagreb is called “Little Vienna” for its resemblance to the capital of Austria).
The peninsula is home to the smallest city in the world, Hum, which is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
Sea cruise Rovinj Fjord Lim for half a day: ~ 20 EUR, tour to Istria for a full day: ~ 40 EUR, “village party”: ~ 30 EUR, including dinner with Istrian merlo and malvasia tasting. Baredine Cave, Poreč, Lim Canal: ~ 25 EUR, fish picnic (full day): ~ 25 EUR, river rafting in a kayak: ~ 60 EUR.
Sports-minded tourists should go to the town of Ravna Gora – a real paradise for lovers of mountaineering and rock climbing, cycling and just nature.
Excursion to Plitvice Lakes. The Plitvice Lakes have been declared a national park and included in the UNESCO list of world natural monuments. The territory of the park covers more than 200 square meters. km. This is a cascade of 16 lakes connected by 92 terraced waterfalls. The lakes are surrounded by dense untouched forest, and the water in them has an amazing turquoise color (this is due to the high content of copper salts). All lakes are open to the public: tourists can take a tour around the entire park on a small train or motor boat. The program is designed for the whole day and includes a stop for lunch. The one-way trip takes more than four hours.
The prices on the page are for August 2021.
