Have you dreamed of quitting the big smoke and escaping abroad to the sun – but wonder what it’s really like? Well we did, and I started the ‘Living Istria’ section of Live Istria to show the realities of living and working in a sunnier climate – and a surprisingly different Mediterranean culture. ...
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A sort of pork and beans, this quintessential Istrian soup, is a meal in itself. Made in every Istrian restaurant and home, everyone has their own family recipe which varies according to what’s in season. Any restaurant’s recipes are a well-guarded secret. This isn’t quite Katica’s maneštra recipe but it’s very close. She says you...
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As a small peninsula, the sea’s a vital part of Istria. We come on holiday to sit by it, swim in it and take boat trips across it: but how much do we know about the watery world, hidden beneath? Opened in 2002, Aquarium Pula is a fascinating place, where education is as important...
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Looking for good wine in the Porec area? Why not follow my footsteps and visit the Damjanic winery in Fuškulin, where Ivan Damjanic is producing six award-winning wines: four white and two red. Professionally-trained and with a passion for wine, Ivan is a classic example of why Istria is beginning to make a name...
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One of the more unusual things you can do in Istria is visit Višnjan Observatory, near Porec. For the scientifically-minded, it’s a chance to look behind the scenes in some hot topics in astronomy, while for the rest of us, it is an unusual and entertainingly educational experience – even the building itself is...
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Top of my list of things to do in Istria is explore its beautiful inland villages, with their old stone houses. Most are still unspoilt by tourism: you’ll often have them almost to yourselves, and visiting is like stepping back in time to a sleepier world and a slower pace of life. There are...
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Situated on the seafront in Porec, facing its island namesake, Sv. Nikola is a wonderful restaurant, my favourite place for a treat. It’s where we go to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries (and when we need a touch of luxury), so it was one of the restaurants I was most looking forward to reviewing for...
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Trip Adviser’s top Istrian attraction is Glavani Park. Opened in 2011, it is listed ahead of standard tourist attractions like Rovinj old town and Pula amphitheatre. We wanted to see what all the excitement was about and if it lived up to its billing, so went for a day of high-wires and zip-lines. ...
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In my hectic expat life in Istria a quiet, relatively uneventful week makes a nice change: I managed to spend quite a bit of it in bed. When I finally got moving, I pottered in the garden, clattered at the typeface and pondered ‘The Arrival of the Two Poles’. Monday 14 November The...
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Looking for a property in Istria? Buying property abroad is far harder than buying at home. You don’t know the area, you don’t know the ‘rules’ and local customs, and you’re heavily dependent on, probably biased, outside advice. I can’t cover everything about the Istrian property market in one article, so here’s an overview, to...
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Thinking of buying a property in Istria – here’s some information about the key documentation needed here and throughout Croatia. When you buy a house in Croatia, the key documents you need fall broadly into the three categories listed below. Usually, they should all be provided by your estate agent as proof the property...
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Far more than just an attractive seaside destination, Istria is full of gorgeous old towns and villages. These atmospheric places come with local tales and legends, brought to life each summer through a series of outdoor performances. Held in nine different locations across the whole of Istria, the stories are all different and specific...
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Istria’s dotted with fig trees and all summer long they’ve been steadily growing, soaking up the Istrian sun. Come early September, they’re fat and juicy and ready for harvest. With none yet of my own, I went fig scrumping with Marija and we picked loads! (OK, I admit that in fact we had permission to...
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Revisiting one from the archives, with a trip back two years which shows very little has changed! Tired after our UK trip and, with a few guest-free days, our plan was for a lazy week. As usual, played ‘catch-up’ instead. But did get time for dinner with friends, the Porec ‘end-of-season’ party and a...
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Here’s an idea for the ‘little ‘uns’: Dinopark, a theme park aimed squarely at the junior market, based around dinosaurs. While obviously not intended for me, I thought it sounded rather horrendous (plastic dinosaurs in what looks like a concrete jungle?). So I was stunned when mother-of-two, Petra, said it was the best day...
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