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Discover culture, history and cuisine in Croatia’s beautiful Istria peninsula

Rovinj at sunset (Getty Images)
Rovinj at sunset (Getty Images)

This heart-shaped peninsula off Croatia’s northern Adriatic coast has a rich culture and heritage and a distinctly Italian feel. There are also influences from its days under the Austro-Hungarian and Venetian empires.

The most famous beach resorts are Porec and Rovinj, with large-scale hotels and all the restaurants and bars you could wish for.

Not far away is Pula where you can soak up Roman history and visit a 1st Century amphitheatre. Inland you find pretty medieval villages in the tranquil green interior.

There are several low-cost carriers to Pula but you can also fly to Trieste, just to the west across the Italian border, or to Rijeka to the east of the Istrian peninsula.

I find the cuisine in this part of the world one of the biggest selling points. All my faves are here – quality olive oil, truffles, wine and pasta.

If you have a hire car follow some of the wine routes that dot the landscape and stop to try robust Teran reds, and crisp white Malvazija.

Porec is the largest beach resort in Istria and a good base if you’re the active type. It has a wide network of cycling and walking trails spreading out into the countryside.

Sandy beaches are rare in this area, but there are some in Medulin on the southernmost tip of the peninsula as well as Valalta in Rovinj and Koversada in Vrsar, just north of Rovinj.

If you like a small, intimate resort, head further up the western side to Novigrad, and pretty Umag, which also has a Venetian-style bell tower soaring over its old town.

Just before the peninsula reaches Italy, the small fishing village of Savudrija is a wee delight, with its unpretentious waterside restaurants serving fish caught that morning.

The eastern coast of Istria is quieter, less developed and decidedly more rugged. One of the loveliest resorts in this area is Rabac, which teeters on the edge of a beautiful forested hillside before tumbling down towards the harbour and the Adriatic sea.

Even if you don’t base yourself here, you’ve got to make the excursion inland to Motovun, with its glorious mixture of Venetian and Gothic architecture. It’s drop-dead gorgeous and the type of place that will make you vow to come back to Istria again and again.

Every summer, during the Motovun Film Festival, its streets become outdoor cinemas – one of the highlights of Croatia’s calendar.

From the town’s fortifications you get amazing views of the countryside and forests where delicious, highly-prized truffles grow.

Hilltop Buzet is known as ‘Truffle City’ for good reason, and in the restaurants here you’ll find all manner of truffle dishes.

Of all the pretty places in this area though, my favourite has to be Rovinj, with its attractive old town and Venetian architecture dating from the 14th to the 18th Centuries. Its colourful harbour is a delightful place to sit for lunch at one of the waterside restaurants and cafes.

Accommodation-wise Rovinj and Porec cater for all budgets, from luxurious five-star to small family-run hotels, and campsites.

The three-star Valamar Pinia Hotel in Porec gives holidaymakers the convenience of an outdoor pool with a Blue Flag beach 150 metres away.

Active holidaymakers can take advantage of the sporty activities on offer, as well as bicycle hire. Seven nights’ full board with Jet2holidays, including flights from Manchester, start from £651.

Porec’s quieter neighbour, Vrsar, a pretty fishing town overlooking 18 islands, offers a more relaxed holiday experience.

Perched on a cliff with views of the sea and marina, the Belvedere Apartments are part of a complex that includes an outdoor pool. Balkan Holidays offers a week’s self-catering here from £683, including flights and transfers.

Campsites and holiday parks are a popular choice with clients on a budget. Bi Village between Pula and Fazana has mobile homes in a park that borders a shingle beach. With two pools and a range of sporting activities, this is an ideal family base. Al Fresco Holidays has seven days’ self catering in a two-bed mobile home from £825 for four (excluding flights).

Further up the coast at Umag, the four-star Sol Umag offers a modern base with glorious sea views, private beach and outdoor pool. Selective Travel offers seven nights’ half board from £415, excluding flights.

Next to a pebbly beach, a 10-minute walk from Rabac’s centre, is the four-star Hotel Valamar Sanfior. It has a restaurant terrace and indoor pool with glass walls. There’s an outdoor pool too, and the complex is surrounded by pine woods and walking trails. Seven nights’ half board with Prestige Holidays costs from £499, including flights and transfers.

If you’re looking for luxury, the five-star Hotel Monte Mulini, backed by pine forests, has spacious contemporary rooms with balconies overlooking Rovinj’s Lone Bay.

It has three outdoor pools (including one for children), plus an indoor pool in the spa. Classic Collection Holidays offers seven nights with breakfast from £1,199 including flights and private transfers.


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