Istria, Croatia

State guide with cities, regions, and key information.

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Introduction
Istria, the heart-shaped peninsula at Croatia's north-western tip, is the country's most refined and gastronomic region — a sun-warmed land of Venetian-Italian coastal towns, hilltop villages, truffle forests, vineyards and olive groves, often called the 'Croatian Tuscany'. For travellers it pairs the beautiful port of Rovinj and the great Roman amphitheatre of Pula with an inland of medieval hill towns, white and black truffles, award-winning wines and olive oils, and an Italian-influenced food culture.

Discover Istria

Rovinj is the jewel of the Istrian coast and one of the most beautiful towns on the Adriatic — a former Venetian fishing port set on a small peninsula, where pastel houses rise straight from the sea in a tight cluster of steep, cobbled lanes, all crowned by the soaring baroque campanile of the church of St Euphemia. The harbour, the artists' street of Grisia, the waterfront cafés and the labyrinthine old town make it irresistibly photogenic, especially at sunset, and the wooded Zlatni Rt (Golden Cape) park and offshore islets add swimming and walking. Up and down the west coast lie more gems: Poreč, with the extraordinary, glittering 6th-century Byzantine mosaics of its Euphrasian Basilica (a UNESCO World Heritage Site); the resort areas around Vrsar and the Lim fjord; and a coastline of pebbly coves, pine-backed beaches and clear water. Just off Pula, the Brijuni Islands form a national park of manicured parkland, Roman and Byzantine ruins, dinosaur footprints and a safari park, once Tito's summer retreat. The Istrian coast combines historic towns with relaxed Adriatic bathing.

Travel Types

Rovinj & the Coast

The romantic Venetian port of Rovinj, the mosaics of Poreč and the coves and Brijuni Islands.

Roman Pula

One of the world's best-preserved Roman amphitheatres and the classical monuments of Pula.

Hill Towns & Truffles

The 'Croatian Tuscany' of Motovun, Grožnjan and Hum and the prized white and black truffles.

Wine, Oil & Food

Malvazija and Teran wines, world-class olive oils and an Italian-influenced cuisine of fuži and seafood.

Frequently asked questions

Because its interior — a rolling green landscape of vineyards, olive groves and medieval hilltop towns like Motovun and Grožnjan — closely resembles Tuscany, and like Tuscany it's a gourmet destination of fine wine, award-winning olive oil and, above all, truffles. Add the Italian-influenced food and bilingual Venetian heritage, and the comparison fits. The label captures the region's combination of beautiful, unhurried countryside and outstanding food and wine, away from the busier Dalmatian coast.

Yes — the forests of the Mirna valley around Motovun and Buzet are among the world's great truffle grounds, producing prized white truffles (in autumn) and black truffles (much of the year). Several family operations offer truffle-hunting experiences with their trained dogs, usually followed by a tasting of truffle dishes and local wine. Autumn is the peak white-truffle season and a festive time in the hill towns, but truffle experiences and dishes are available across much of the year.

Very much — the Pula Arena is one of the six largest and best-preserved Roman amphitheatres in the world, with its complete outer walls still standing, and it's the highlight of southern Istria. Built in the 1st century to seat over twenty thousand, it still hosts summer concerts, opera and the Pula Film Festival in a spectacular setting. Combined with Pula's other Roman monuments and its beaches and the Brijuni Islands nearby, it makes the city a rewarding base.