Istria is Croatia's largest peninsula and the westernmost part 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 get rid of the "big megalopolis syndrome". In addition, there is a fairly extensive and interesting "excursion".
Istria has long been positioned as a great place for eco-tourism, and it really is so .Many bike routes and hiking trails are laid here (all maps and brochures can be found in the information bureaus at each resort) .Moreover, they produce the purest olive oil in Europe, and local wines have long been considered worthy of competition to the neighbor-Italy .And, finally, it is here that professional tennis players train, if not from all over the world, then from all over Europe it is exactly .The quality of the coatings is above all praise, and the price that is asked for renting a court is simply ridiculous .
Istria is famous for its picturesque (rocky) coast, amazingly beautiful hills, pine forests and grapes, from which produce excellent wine, 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 .Here is the national park Briuni, which is an archipelago of two large and twelve small islands .Another of the landmarks of Istria is Lim Bay, near Vrsar, which extends into the land for several kilometers .
The main resorts are Umag, Novigrad, Porec, Vrsar, Rovinj, Pula, Medulin, Rabac, Opatija, Lovran, Brijuni Islands in the west and Krk in the east.
How to get here
Flight to Pula, time in the air - 2 hours 40 minutes.
Search for air tickets to the city of Pula (the nearest a / p to Istria)
Beaches of Istria
Beaches of Istria (with rare exception) - artificial concrete platforms, natural stones, plateaus and small pebbly lagoons. Istria has received and continues to receive so many "blue flags" for the cleanliness of its coastline, which is no longer considered interesting. A separate line in the pebble-sea area are nudist beaches, which every year come to shake whoever lovers of naturalism from around the world can.
Cuisine and restaurants of Istria
The most popular restaurants: Porec - Barilla, Dvi Murve, Peterokutna Kula. Rovinj - Giannino, Orca, Amfora. Between the cities of Porec and Rovinj, in the famous Lima canal, is the restaurant Fjord, known for its variety of seafood dishes. Umag - Allegro, Novigrad - Mandrac, Sidro, Giovanni. Pula - Borghese, Milan, Scaletta, Miramare.
In Croatia, there are wonderful institutions - "Cones". These are small homelike restaurants with very tasty cuisine, where any dish of Croatian and Mediterranean cuisine can be tasted at reasonable prices (10 EUR). "Cones" are available in every town of Istria.
Entertainment, excursions and attractions of Istria
Sightseeing: Ancient Roman amphitheater of Pula, medieval basilicas of Poreč and Venetian fortresses. Plantations of truffles near Motovun and bones of dinosaurs in the sea depths near Rovinj.
From the peninsula, you can go on one-day excursions 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 by car). From here you can visit two of the seven national parks in Croatia - Plitvice Lakes (full day trip ~ 70 EUR) and the Brioni Archipelago (half day ~ 35 EUR).
A trip to Venice for a whole day will cost about 65 EUR. A day trip to the Italian city of Trieste will cost about 60 EUR (Croatians never buy clothes in their homeland, they go to Trieste after it). The day in Zagreb will cost 55 EUR. Zagreb is called "Little Vienna" for its similarity with the capital of Austria.)
Sea cruise Rovinj-Fjord Lim for half day: ~ 20 EUR, tour to Istra for the whole day: ~ 35 EUR, "village party": ~ 25 EUR, including dinner with tasting Istrian mörlo and malvasia. Cave Baredine, Poreč, Limsk canal: ~ 25 EUR, fish picnic (all day): ~ 25 EUR, river rafting on canoe: ~ 55 EUR.
Sports-minded tourists should go to the town of Ravna Gora - a real paradise for fans of mountaineering and climbing, riding a bicycle and just nature.
Photos of Istria (101)