Holidays in Istria Peninsula: Exploring Croatia's Hidden Gem Through Personal Experience — Prices, Historic Sights, Beautiful Beaches and Must-Try Local Food
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Istria is the largest peninsula in Croatia and the westernmost region of the country. Because of 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 relax thoroughly and gets rid of the “big metropolis syndrome”.
In this article I will tell you about Istria peninsula in Croatia, what sights it can show you, how to get to the peninsula and what transportation there is, what food to try, what beaches to visit and what excursions to go on. And of course I will give you a selection of hotels where you can stay.
What are some of the things to see in Istria?
Istria has long been positioned as a great place for eco-tourism, and this is indeed the case. There are many bicycle routes and hiking trails (all maps and leaflets can be found at the information offices in each resort).
Moreover, the purest olive oil in Europe is produced here, and local wines have long been considered a worthy competitor to their neighbor Italy.
And, last but not least, this is the place where professional tennis players train, if not from all over the world, then from all over Europe. The quality of the surfaces is above all praise, and the price for renting a court is ridiculous.
Picturesque views of landscapes on the Istria Peninsula (photo: Rovinj)
Istria is famous for its picturesque (rocky) coastline, amazingly beautiful hills, pine forests and grapes that produce excellent wine, the most famous brands being Pinot, Malvazija and Teran.
The peninsula is home to the world’s smallest town, Hum, which is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
There is also the Brijuni National Park, which is an archipelago of two large and twelve small islands.
Another of Istria’s attractions is the Gulf of Lima near Vrsar, which stretches inland for several kilometers.
How to reach the Istrian peninsula
The Istrian peninsula has its own international airport, which is very convenient for tourists, as there is no need to travel from other regions of Croatia. The airport is located in the vicinity of Pula.
At the moment you can get to Pula in the following ways:
- Direct flight to Pula (performed by Croatian Airlines);
- Direct flight to Zagreb airport and then by domestic flight or ground transportation to Pula;
- By connecting flight in one of the European cities.
Then you can get from the airport to Pula or other Istrian resorts by public transportation, cab or rented car.
Map of the Istria Peninsula in Croatia
Public transportation in Istria
Pula Airport is located 8 km from the city center, 60 km from Poreč and 35 km from Rovinj. Public transportation is available from Pula Airport to the resorts of Istria:
- Various shuttle buses run from Pula Airport to the Pula city bus station. The stop is located at the exit of the arrival terminal. Then from the bus station you can leave by shuttle bus in any direction on the coast of Istria;
- There are direct shuttle buses from Pula Airport to Poreč. Travel time by bus usually takes about 2 hours;
- From Pula Airport to Rovinj, there are four shuttle buses a day at 11.15, 14.35, 15.15 and 18.15. You can buy tickets at the ticket office or from the driver.
Rent a car in Istria
If you plan to move around the peninsula a lot or travel outside the peninsula (for example, to national parks or other cities in Croatia), one of the best means of transportation is a rented car.
To rent a car, you will need a passport, an international driver’s license and a bank card. You can find rental offices at Pula airport on arrival or in the city center. You can book the desired
class of car in advance through online services.
It may be useful: I have an extensive article on my website about renting a car in Croatia, where I told about all the intricacies of this service in the country. If you, like me, like to be independent from the schedule and routes of public transportation during travel, I advise you to allocate a few minutes and read it.
For those who are going to visit the Istrian peninsula on their own: in order to find a great option for renting a car at the airport in Pula and in Istria in general, based on the “price/quality” ratio, I recommend using the following three services to compare the offers of different car rental companies: DiscoverCars, EconomyBbooking, Rentalcars.
Cities of Istria
Pula is the administrative center of the Istria peninsula in Croatia. It is here that the international airport of arrival is located, which is the “gateway” to all the beach resorts of the peninsula. Pula is considered to be the most beautiful Croatian city, as many historical sights have been preserved here. Highlighted, of course, the ancient Roman Amphitheater, as well as temples, cathedrals, squares, triumphal arch and much more.
Porec is a popular beach resort. The city itself is located 60 km from the arrival airport in Pula. Poreč has preserved the features of the Old Town, here you can stroll along the ancient streets and see such sights as Euphrasian Basilica, Romanesque House, Neptune’s Palace, Decumanus Street, Marafor Square and other objects. The island of St. Nicholas is also in close proximity to Poreč, where you can go on a boat trip. There is a ferry service between Poreč and the island.
The beauty of Poreč, nature blooms and smells here
Rovinj, along with Poreč, is one of the most popular resorts on the Istrian peninsula in Croatia. A distinctive feature of Rovinj is its location – partly on the mainland, partly on the nearby islands. Rovinj is located 40 km from the nearest airport in Pula.
Rovinj is famous for its historical heritage. There are many architectural monuments in the city, such as St. Euphemia Cathedral, Balbi Arch, Kallifi Palace and other objects. If you wish, you can also take a ferry to the islands of St. Catherine and St. Nicholas, which are also part of Rovinj.
Rovinj looks more like an old town of medieval Europe
The Istrian peninsula is also home to smaller resort towns such as Umag, Motovun, Novigrad, Opatija, Fažana and some others. All of them have well-developed tourist infrastructure and are attractive to travelers and vacationers with their architecture, beaches and nature.
Sights of Istria
Istria is the westernmost province of Croatia, most of the territory is covered with rich coniferous forests. Beautiful nature along with mild climate made these places irresistible in the eyes of tourists.
Travelers come to admire the local beauty, enjoy the hot sun on the beaches and visit the most unusual notable places of the region.
Pula Amphitheatre
You may find it useful: a full article about the Amphitheatre in Pulacan be found at this link
From a historical and architectural point of view, the town of Pula will be interesting, the main attraction of which is the ancient Amphitheatre. It is 133 metres long and 105 metres wide.
In the warm season, the amphitheatre arena hosts colourful festivals and performances that will not leave any traveller indifferent.
You may find it useful: see tickets to the Pula Amphitheatre at this link
The Pula Amphitheatre, although similar to the Colosseum, still has its own distinctive features
Glagolitic Alley
Glagolitic Alley is one of the most popular attractions in Croatia. This monument commemorating the Slavic alphabet is located in the centre of the Istrian peninsula.
The alley is over 6 kilometres long and runs along the road that connects the town of Hum (considered the smallest in the world) with the village of Roč. On both sides of the alley are sculptures depicting the Glagolitic script.
There are a lot of sculptures here, it took a while to familiarise myself with all of them
- The first statue is the Chakava Parliament – a stone statue about two metres high, in shape repeats the Glagolitic letter C. In Old Slavonic, this letter stands for ‘Word’, semantic meaning is ‘reason’, ‘intellect’.
- The second statue is the table of Saints Methodius and Cyril. Next to the statue there used to be two cypresses, which symbolised these saints.
- The third statue symbolises the Slavic University and is dedicated to the pupil of Cyril and Methodius – Clement, the creator of the Slavic University.
The Lucidar Monument is a stone wall on which Glagolitic sayings found in the former territory of Yugoslavia are carved. The monument is dedicated to the famous Croatian encyclopaedia, and the statue symbolises a mountain with a stone (cloud) on top of it.
Although the sculptures look old and tired, it was interesting to study them
Hum City
Hum is one of the names of the ‘smallest town in the world’. It is indeed a very small town with beautifully preserved architecture. It is located in the northern part of the Istrian peninsula, near Buzet.
At present there are about twenty people living in Hum, while at the end of the 19th century there were about a hundred. A walk around the town makes you quickly realise why the town is called the smallest in the world. The reason is the miniature size of all the buildings in the city.
As you know, the city got its current form in the XI century, which means that since then nothing has been built on its territory. The city gates, from which you can start exploring the city, were erected in 1562.
The small town contains many interesting buildings
Among the sights of Hum are the Church of the Ascension of Mary, built in 1802, the city walls and St Jerome’s Chapel, built in the 12th century.
The Chapel of St Jerome is decorated with frescoes, graffiti from the Byzantine era and inscriptions in Glagolitic script. The city walls are well preserved, as is the castle, which was once located in the centre of the town square.
There is a parish church on the main square. There is a debate in scholarly circles as to which saint it was built in honour of. There are various variants: the Virgin Mary, St Peter and St Paul, St Jerome and St James.
It may be useful: see all excursions with a visit to the city of Hum on this link
Festivals and cultural events in Istria
Istria will pleasantly surprise fans of event tourism with a rich selection of interesting themed events. Summer is considered to be the festival season on the peninsula, with colourful festivals taking place literally one after another. A significant part of the most popular festivals take place in Poreč.
Poreč Open Air Festival (POAF)
There are many notable events taking place in Istria. One of them is the Poreč Open Air Festival (or POAF, as it is called for convenience). It takes place for three months (from the beginning of July to the end of September), offering visitors to Poreč a packed programme as they stroll through the city.
The colourful action unfolds in the main streets, including theatrical and circus performances (especially on Mondays), children’s shows and amusement rides (to be enjoyed on Thursday), musical concerts (all August), daily open-air film screenings and tastings of local cuisine (usually in September).
In addition to the main programme, tourists can learn a lot on themed excursions, which offer special activities during the festival.
Zigante Tartufi Danas
Starting at the end of September and ending in early November, the festival called Zigante Tartufi Danas offers an interesting gastronomic program. It is nothing but a celebration of truffles, the national product of Istria, which the locals have long collected in the picturesque Motovun forest.
The biggest events are held in the town of Livada, which is the “truffle capital of Istria”, located in the heart of the Motovun Forest in the valley of the Mirna River. At this time you can not only taste the wonderful truffles, but also take part in mushroom picking.
And this, it should be noted, is a very exciting entertainment. In addition to the main program, the guests of Levada will be able to enjoy an additional one, including fairs, culinary master classes, thematic excursions, and wine exhibitions.
Here are the Croatian truffles
Natural beauties of Istria
Most of Istria’s attractions are of natural origin. During an excursion to the Brioni archipelago you can see the most beautiful uninhabited islands with clean beaches and thickets of exotic plants.
The archipelago includes 14 small islands, each of which is characterized by unique landscapes.
The Lima Fjord, a narrow bay formed during the Ice Age, cannot be ignored. Today, its southern side is covered with deciduous forests, while the northern side is dominated by coniferous forests.
The Lima Canal, looks empty and quiet, it really is
Beaches and bays of Istria
Istria can offer quality beach vacations. Many hotels are located on the first beach line. The main beaches of Pula, for example, are the beaches of Ambrela and Valkana. Ambrela is a pebble beach located in the center of Pula, while Valkana is a concrete beach, awarded the Blue Flag for its cleanliness and infrastructure. Both beaches are equipped with everything you need for a beach vacation.
Also 4 km from the center of Pula is the sandy beach Pesčana Uvala, which is very rare for the Croatian coast. The beach is located in a bay, sheltered by rocks from the winds, so the place is considered ideal for vacation with children: there are almost no waves, and the entrance to the water is gentle, while the bottom is sandy and does not require protective footwear.
White pebble beaches predominate in Poreč, although there are other varieties. For example, in the city center there is a platform beach, but on the island of St. Nicholas you can find a fine pebble beach with “paradise” landscapes. The beaches of Poreč are equipped with all necessary facilities and are marked with the Blue Flag for cleanliness.
The beaches of Poreč have not been awarded the Blue Flag for nothing, it is one of the model beaches
The beach line of Rovinj has a pebble or stony surface. Local beaches are equipped with everything you need, including showers, toilets, deck chairs, umbrellas, etc. The entrance to the water is gentle, but the bottom, most often – large stones, so it is recommended to use rubber shoes.
In addition to the town line, you can also find beaches in the Zlatni Rt Nature Park and on the islands of St. Catherine and St. Nicholas.
Here is the pebble beach of Rovinj, not unlike the clean beaches of Porec
Cuisine on the Istrian peninsula
A significant part of travelers visiting the picturesque peninsula successfully combine exploring the local sights and relaxing in popular restaurants. The history of the region is very interesting, for hundreds of years Istria belonged to different nations, and all of them made their own adjustments to culinary traditions.
Olives are the heritage of the Greeks, and no feast is complete without them. Not everyone knows that Istria produces high quality olive oil, which is an indispensable component in the preparation of popular national dishes.
Olives are used to bake delicious bread, they are added to all salads, and the locals use the best olive oil to prepare the piquant cheese “pash”.
Bread, olives, cheese and salt are the basis of the locals’ diet – it’s the perfect breakfast. To many people this combination of products may seem quite simple, but in Istria this “peasant” breakfast is served even in fashionable restaurants.
The famous brodet – a stew of seafood or several types of fish with tomato paste
Istria’s culinary traditions also impress fans of meat dishes, as it is here that the well-known gourmet “prsut” is produced. This is a smoked pork ham, whose unique flavor depends directly on its ageing.
Some types of ham can be aged for up to two years, the meat is sliced thin and served with sheep cheese, herbs and olives.
From meat you can also try cevapi – Short sausages made of lamb, beef or chicken
Sheep cheese is also quite a colorful culinary symbol of Istria. It is a versatile product that is added to salads, to meat dishes and also served as a dessert with red wine and honey.
Seafood lovers will be delighted by the abundance of oysters and mussels, the fact that the Lima Canal is the largest center of their production. Large mussel farms are located here, they are accessible to the public and offer their guests a tasting of the best products too.
By the way, from desserts I advise you to try Zagora strrukli – a dessert based on the softest Croatian cheese. It is considered an intangible heritage of Croatia and you can taste real strrukli only here
Over the years, the way mussels are prepared in Istria has not changed at all. As many years ago, they are lightly sprinkled with lemon juice and eaten alive – a local culinary classic.
The choice of classic fish dishes in Istria is also very large. Sardines and dorada cooked over an open fire, fresh sea bass, delicious calamari and shrimp – these treats are offered to customers in every national restaurant.
Fine wines will be a perfect complement to the popular dishes.
Restaurants in Istria
One of the most famous regional restaurants is Parenzo 1910, located in Poreč. It is close to the coast and offers a wonderful view of the island of St. Nicholas from the restaurant’s dining room and open terraces.
You can taste specialties of fresh seafood, as well as the best meat delicacies. The restaurant has its own wine cellar with wines from all regions of the country.
Kastel Pansion & Restaurant is popular with those who like to relax in unusual places, and its location is a beautiful 18th century building. Now its interior is stylized as a natural grotto, and authentic antiques were used to decorate the restaurant.
Here you can also try popular Istrian dishes, the main feature of the restaurant is that many products and ingredients for the dishes are prepared by the chefs themselves. They make their own olive oil and fruit jams, and the restaurant also offers special homemade wines.
On one of the historic streets of Poreč is the Dvi Murve restaurant, which attracts visitors with its rich selection of traditional dishes and affordable prices. A significant part of its menu consists of fish dishes, here you can taste many original delicacies.
Here they prepare excellent carpacho from monkfish, and you can also try specialties from a rare kind of fish, which is called “sea wolf”. Another interesting feature of the restaurant is that it accepts visitors around the clock.
St. Nicholas Island has a unique restaurant called Fortuna Island. It serves visitors on a buffet basis, its visitors will be able to taste the best regional specialties as well as popular international dishes.
Like many other famous restaurants in Istria, it attracts visitors with a variety of seafood dishes. Here you can try dishes from rare varieties of fish, crustaceans and mollusks, and also enjoy the best Croatian cheeses, vegetables and fruits from local gardens.
This popular restaurant is equally well suited for a relaxed family vacation, as well as for organizing a romantic dinner. A large part of Istria’s restaurants are characterized by affordable prices.
Where to stay on the island of Istria
Istria offers an impressive room stock, and travelers can stay in hotels of various star categories, apartments, guest houses, bed and breakfasts, if desired. Some hotels are located on the coast, some are located in the historical centers of Istrian cities, and each of these options is attractive in its own way.
Hotel Modo 4* – the hotel is located on the first beach line in Pula. It offers a restaurant and a bar with a terrace. You can stay in rooms of different capacities. Some rooms have a balcony and sea view. Breakfast is included in the price. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel free of charge. Free private parking is available on site. The front desk is open 24 hours a day;
Park Plaza Arena Pula 3* – the hotel is located on the first beach line in Pula, surrounded by a pine grove. It offers a spa area with swimming pools and a sunbathing terrace. A gym is also available. Guests can stay in rooms of different capacities. Meals are either breakfast or half board. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel free of charge. Free public parking is available on site. The front desk is open 24 hours a day;
BO Hotel Palazzo 4* – The hotel is located in a historic building on the seafront in Poreč. It offers a wellness center with swimming pool, hydromassage and gym. A bar is also available on site. Guests can stay in rooms of different capacities. Meals are either breakfast or half board. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel free of charge. Private parking is available nearby at an additional cost. The front desk is open 24 hours a day;
Island Hotel Istra 4* – the hotel is located on the coast, on the first beach line of Rovinj. It offers several swimming pools (indoor, outdoor and children’s), spa area with sauna, gym, restaurant. Guests can stay in standard, superior and executive rooms. The type of meals is breakfast or half board. Internet is available in the hotel rooms free of charge. Free private parking is available nearby. The front desk is open 24 hours a day.
You may find it useful: You can view all hotels in Istria Peninsula by clicking here