Istria, a beautiful green peninsula in the Adriatic with stunning beaches,
crystal clear blue sea, charming old coastal towns, green rolling hills and an amazing
heritage spanning over more than two millennia. Different empires, cultures and nations shaped
Istria and made it home of Croatian, Italian and Slovenian language. The land of olive groves,
vineyards and forests is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the Adriatic. Hi guys,
my name is Rok and I am a tour guide and I can’t wait to show you the top ten places in Istria.
We will start on the southern tip of Istria where sits its biggest town, Pula.
Due to its diverse history Pula is a unique town filled with ancient Roman monuments,
Venetian palaces and a huge number of Austrian fortresses. Austrians left impressive military
heritage as Pula served as a major naval port of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. The
main holiday attraction of Pula is its beautiful coastline. Countless bays and coves hide rocky,
sandy and pebble beaches with beautiful crystal clear sea. But the most impressive landmark of
Pula is its Roman Amphitheater, popularly called the Arena of Pula. It was built in the 1st century
AD to serve as the site of gladiator fights and is among world's six largest surviving Roman arenas.
North of Pula, on the western coast of Istria is a small seaside town of Vrsar or Orsera in Italian.
In Istria all towns and villages bear two names, its Croatian or Slovenian and its Italian name.
The medieval old town of Vrsar lies on a hill overlooking the sea.
Town offers numerous viewpoints with great views to the archipelago of 18 islets. Even the most
famous Italian lover Casanova was attracted by Vrsar and his legend is still alive around town.
Small fishing town expanded down the hill to the sea and has become a popular summer destination
with a modern marina and large campsites and resorts within walking distance from the old town.
In the North eastern corner of Istria is Opatija, one of the most elegant and the
oldest seaside resorts on the Croatian coast. With the arrival of the railway in the nearby Rijeka,
Opatija was developed in the 19th century as a health and tourist resort for rich and
powerful Austrian and Hungarian nobility. It has beautiful parks, magnificent villas and hotels
and a long enchanting seafront promenade named after the Austrian emperor Franz Joseph I st.
The promenade passes different beaches, you can spot Croatian walk of fame
and pass by the most beautiful landmark, the statue of the Girl with the Seagull.
Back on the West coast of Istria, next to the mouth of the Mirna River, is a small peninsula
with an impressive history spanning over two millennia. The Romans occupied the peninsula
and built their military fort that later developed into a town known today as Novigrad. Around a well
protected natural harbour sits a small fishermen town that has become a popular summer holiday
destination with a beautiful modern marina. Town streets along with remaining town walls reflect
its Venetian history, but the most recognizable landmark is its free standing bell tower. But the
main reason why Novigrad is popular in summer are its rocky, concrete and pebble beaches.
They are famous for their crystal clear water and numerous pine trees providing nice shade.
Novigrad is also a beloved spot for outdoor lovers offering popular campgrounds covered with thick
oak and pine forests. Istria
is also famous for its green rolling hills covered with hilltop villages and towns. One of them
is a beautiful medieval town of Grožnjan, the town of artists and music. Its artistic revival began
when artists from all over the world inhabited the empty houses abandoned by Italians after WWII.
In May, the otherwise sleeping town hosts actors, musicians, painters,
sculptors and art lovers and in summer there is the annual Art exhibition and a Jazz festival.
For centuries Grožnjan was part of Venetian Republic. Winding stone paved alleys are lined
by charming Venetian influenced stone houses, but the most beautiful piece of architecture
is the town's loggia. This gallery opens up to a small square and still serves as a covered
exterior public space. Around town are small shops with regional art, handmade products, excellent
olive oil and truffle products. Of course there are plenty of great restaurants and many small,
charming hidden places waiting to be discovered. Another beautiful old hill top town is Motovun.
Steep cobblestone streets lead to the top of the town where you can enjoy a spectacular 360 view
of a beautiful Istria interior. Motovun is still encircled by double town walls that are separating
the town in three parts. Entrance to the old town is still through the main town gate guarded by the
winged lion of St. Mark, the symbol of Venetian Republic that ruled Motovun for over 500 years.
The inner town gates lead to the very top with the oldest part still encircled by completely
preserved inner town walls from the 13th and 14th centuries. You can take a walk on the walls and
get stunning views. Most people come here on a day trip in summer to escape crowded coastal towns.
Here are nice restaurants and small shops selling local products, including famous Istria truffles,
as Motovun is the most famous area for these underground mushrooms.
Brijuni are a group of fourteen small islands about 2 kilometres off the western coast of the
Istria peninsula. Its cultural and historical heritage include archeological sites from the
Bronze Age, Roman remains, monastery with church from the middle ages and museum collections. In
Venetian times there was a settlement with a tower, castle and the churches. After becoming
part of the Austrian Empire Brijuni were turned into a prestigious summer vacation resort of
Austria's Habsburg royal family. You can still stay in the Austrian era hotels that reflect
the holiday spirit of the early 1900s. After WWII Brijuni became a summer residence of Yugoslavian
communist leader Josip Broz Tito as he built villas to host heads of states and movie stars.
Today Brijuni are a popular national park with Safari which holds animals given to Tito.
Here is also a Dino park as more than 200 dinosaur footprints have been discovered.
Most people visit Brijuni as a half day or full day trip.
One of the most popular summer destinations in Istria is Poreč, located on its western coast.
It offers campgrounds, boutique hotels, big resorts and even a luxury island resort. Poreč
offers many nice coves and beaches and has one of the most beautiful sea promenades called Lungomare
shaded by pine trees. Along the promenade are numerous paved, rocky and pebble beaches awarded
with the Blue Flag, an international symbol of high beach standards and the crystal-clear sea.
Charming old town on a small peninsula with stone-paved streets has a rich heritage spanning
over 2 millennia. You can explore heritage from Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and Austrian eras.
The most important landmark is Euphrasian basilica from the 6th century,
part of UNESCO world heritage Sites. It was built in the time when Poreč was part of
Byzantine Empire and thus it is ornamented with one of the finest Byzantine mosaics.
Charming streets are full of life offering great restaurants and nice small shops.
Although a big part of Istria belongs to Croatia, its northern part is in Slovenia.
Here you can find a picturesque seaside town of Piran. Charming old town on a small peninsula is
partially surrounded by medieval town walls. Town has an impressive maze of charming windy stone
streets with stone passageways, cobbled alleys and small squares, surrounded by beautiful Venetian
architecture. The heart of the town is a large square named after famous violinist and composer
Giuseppe Tartini. Right above the square rises a small hill with the most prominent landmark,
the Roman catholic church. It is named after St George, the town's patron saint who is thought to
have saved Piran when it was hit by a violent storm. Church has a free-standing bell tower,
a replica of St. Mark's bell tower in Venice and shows a strong Venetian influence as for
more than half a millennia Piran was part of the Republic of Venice. Today Piran is one
of the major tourist attractions in Slovenia. But the most beloved and picturesque place in
Istria is Rovinj. Town sits on a narrow peninsula surrounded by an archipelago of beautiful islets.
Like other towns in Istria, Rovinj was home of the Romans, then it was ruled by the Byzantine
Empire and for 500 years it was part of the powerful Venetian Republic. Centuries of
different cultures and nations contributed to the creation of a beautiful town with charming winding
stone paved streets. Old stone houses have wooden window shutters and if you look up you can often
spot a laundry hanging out to dry. Due to the exceptional microclimate, flora and fauna Rovinj
was used as a health resort. But its various beautiful beaches and crystal clear Adriatic sea
are its main attractions. Rocky, sandy, pebble and concrete beaches scattered around beautiful coves
make Rovinj one of the most beloved and beautiful holiday destinations. To learn more about these
stunning places in Istria check out my playlist in the top right corner. As there is plenty more
to see and do in Istria I also prepared a list of my favourite tours and experiences
in the description below. Super Thanks for your support and for watching, and see you next time.