Thinking of coming here on holiday? Then read on for lots of general information and practical advice.
For our third night at the Montraker rock festival, Natalija suggested we visit Monte Carlo. There’s been a Monte Carlo restaurant, on and off, for a long time – often of dubious quality – and the restaurant had been closed for several years. It re-opened this spring with a new dynamic team and Natalija’s...
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Vrsar is a seaside town with an active fishing port, so no visit would be complete without tasting the fruits of Istria’s sea – but where to go? “Srdela,” said local expert, Natalija. It was the second night of our visit to the Montraker rock festival (Director of Vrsar Tourism, Natalija, is one of...
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“Where should I eat in Vrsar?” I’d asked local, Natalija. “Fancita,” was the prompt reply. “They have a dynamic young chef, Paolo, and produce some of the best food in town. I’ll arrange you a table.” We were in town for the Montraker rock festival (Director of Vrsar Tourism, Natalija, is one of the...
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Holidays: not many of us get to try before we buy. But that’s exactly what journalist, Marianne did. On a short press visit, she loved Istria so much that she brought her family back on holiday and chose to stay in our house in Brnobici! Former deputy editor of Marie-Claire and Telegraph regular, Marianne...
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Istria has loads of history and folk tales, and each year Istra Inspirit brings these to life with a series of events. Running from pre-history to the 1920s, these interactive shows recreate key moments in Istria’s history and mythology. All are performed in the relevant locations and include a meal, tailored to the period....
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Venice and Istria make a perfect two-centre holiday. Only three hours apart by car, or a ferry ride across the Bay of Venice, it is easy to combine the magic and bustle of Venice with the tranquillity and seaside charm of Istria. I fell in love with Venice over thirty years ago. We were...
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Istria is a land full of history. Perhaps surprisingly, it was far more densely populated in the past than it is today, and the remains of vanished villages, Neolithic settlements, Stone Age caves and Roman ruins are dotted all over the landscape. You just need to know where – and how – to look....
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This gallery contains 24 photos.
Lying above the Draga valley, at the head of the Lim Fjord, is Dvigrad. An important settlement since pre-Roman times, it was abandoned in the 17th century and today is an atmospheric ruin – a wonderful place to while away a few hours and a great setting for a picnic. Although easily accessible, it’s...
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May is the perfect time for a sight-seeing holiday in Istria. Everything’s green, the tourists are few and the weather’s usually warm but not too hot. Possibly my favourite time of the year, it’s a time few people visit – fools! If you’re not tied to school holidays, it’s definitely worth thinking about, as...
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Just off the Porec-Pazin main road lies the cute, little village of Tinjan which has a strange electoral history. Elders would sit round a stone table with their beards spread in front: a flea was released in the middle and, whoever’s beard the flea jumped into, was elected mayor for the year. Centuries later,...
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November’s not a month you would automatically associate with festivals, but here in Istria, the feštas don’t stop just because the tourist season has ended. So long as the sun shines, most weekends you’ll find something happening somewhere in Istria. Pip went along to two festivals near Pula – one in Fažana, the other...
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On holiday it’s always great to try something really local. For a slice of real Istrian cooking, try Konoba Kaštel in Žbandaj, just outside Porec. Open all year, it’s one of Istria’s leading konobas and offers a great variety of traditional konoba fare Produced from fresh, locally-sourced produce, everything on the menu is ‘odlicno’...
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If you love good food, Istria is a great place to come on holiday. It’s long had a strong reputation for the quality of it’s konoba food, but how about fine dining? Most of our dining experiences here in Istria are of the local konoba variety – and excellent they’ve been too. But, as part of...
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