Deep red soil and a heart-shaped coast define Istria. This peninsula is famous for the Istria hilltop village loop. Stone towns like Motovun and Grožnjan sit on top of the hills like crowns. They look out over forests where people hunt for expensive truffles. You can join a local guide and a trained dog to look for these treats in the damp earth. The view from the town walls covers the whole valley and the olive groves. The streets are narrow and made of stone and the houses are painted in warm colors. It is a very romantic place to explore.
The roads are narrow and lined with rows of olive trees and vineyards. Visit the Arena in Pula to see a giant Roman stadium that is still used for concerts today. Gladiators once fought there for their lives. The coastal towns like Rovinj have bright houses and narrow streets that lead to the sea. The mix of Italian style and local soul is seen in every balcony and window. You can find small ports where the water is clear and the boats are painted in bright reds and blues. The seafood here is fresh from the morning catch.
Visit Hum which is officially the smallest town in the world and try the local "biska" mistletoe brandy. For a nature escape drive to the Cape Kamenjak nature reserve to jump from white cliffs into the sea and visit the "Safari Bar." Explore the Baredine Cave near Poreč to see the human fish (Proteus anguinus) in its underground lake. Eat at a stancija (rural farm) for handmade fuži pasta with truffles and a glass of Malvazija wine. If you follow the Mirna river valley you will find the best artisanal olive oil mills in the country.
Istria highlights
- Motovun Hilltop Walls Walk the stone walls of the city that sits on top of a very high hill. The view covers the forest where people find expensive truffles in the ground. The streets are paved with smooth stones and the houses are very colorful.
- Hum Smallest Town Visit the tiny stone village that is known as the smallest town in the world. It has only two streets but a very big history and great brandy. You can walk the path of the glagolitic alphabet to see the stone letters.
- Cape Kamenjak Cliffs Drive to the southern tip of the land to jump from white cliffs into the sea. The park has hidden caves and a bar made of driftwood and plants. You can see the tracks of dinosaurs in the flat rocks by the water.
- Grožnjan Artist Village Walk the narrow stone streets filled with art galleries and the sound of music. The town sits on a hill and looks out over the green valleys. In summer the town is filled with students from all over the world.
- Baredine Cave Hall Go deep underground to see the giant stone spikes and the rare white fish. The cave has five halls that lead you to a quiet lake in the dark. It is a very cool place to escape the heat of the summer sun.
- Rovinj Old Port See the colorful houses that rise straight out of the sea in the old part of town. The church on the hill has a tall tower with a great view. The streets are very narrow and lead you past many small art shops.
- Lim Fjord Bay Drive to the deep bay that looks like a river between two high green mountains. You can eat fresh oysters and mussels right from the water there. The bay is a protected area and the water is very clean and calm.
- Pula Roman Arena Visit the giant stone stadium where gladiators once fought for their lives. It is one of the best preserved Roman sites in the whole world. You can walk the underground halls where the wild animals were once kept.
- Kotli Water Holes See the natural pools in the stone river bed where the water is bright blue. The village nearby has an old water mill and stone houses. It is a magical place where the river has carved deep holes into the rock.
- Vodnjan Mummy Church Visit the church that holds very old and mysterious bodies that have not decayed. The town also has many murals and very old stone streets. It is a strange and interesting stop for people who like mystery and history.
The local Four
History of Istria
Istria is a stone heart that has been fought over by the Romans, Venetians, and Austrians. The Pula Arena is the most complete Roman stadium in existence, once home to gladiators and now home to movie stars. Its unique underground tunnels, once used to move lions and prisoners, now house exhibitions about the ancient production of olive oil and wine. The coast is a line of colorful Venetian towns that look like they belong on a postcard from Italy.
The interior is a world of truffles and giant legends. Motovun sits on a hill overlooking a forest where dogs hunt for white gold—the world’s most expensive truffles. The truffle industry here is a multi-million dollar business, with a secretive network of hunters who only work under the cover of night. Local stories say the city was built by a giant named Veli Jože, who still protects the hill. The village of Hum is the Smallest Town in the World, holding only twenty people and a thousand years of history.
Istria is also home to the Glagolitic Alley, a path of stone monuments dedicated to the oldest Slavic alphabet. This seven-kilometer trail connects the towns of Roč and Hum, telling the story of the medieval monks who preserved the Slavic language through calligraphy. The roads here wind through olive groves that produce the world’s best oil and vineyards that make the famous Malvasia wine. It is the most European feeling road trip in Croatia, blending mountain fog with sea sun.