Istria

A heart-shaped peninsula at the head of the Adriatic, shared by Croatia, Slovenia and Italy, with Rovinj, Piran and truffle hill towns.

Istria is a heart-shaped peninsula at the northern tip of the Adriatic. About 90% of it belongs to Croatia (roughly corresponding to Istria County), a northwestern corner belongs to Slovenia, and its northern edge lies close to Trieste in Italy. This entry covers the cross-border peninsula as a whole, not the Croatian county. Long ruled by the Republic of Venice, its coastal towns have a strong Venetian character. Highlights: Rovinj's peninsula old town and the Church of St. Euphemia; the Roman amphitheater in Pula; the Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč (a UNESCO World Heritage site); the inland hill towns of Motovun, Grožnjan and Hum (billed as the world's smallest town), known for white truffles and olive oil; on the Slovenian side, Tartini Square in Piran, plus Postojna Cave and the Škocjan Caves (not far from the peninsula); and Trieste in Italy. Classic itinerary: base yourself in Rovinj for 3–5 days by car, linking Pula, Poreč and the inland hill towns, then head north to Piran for 1 night. It is often combined with Ljubljana, Lake Bled and Plitvice Lakes in a Slovenia–Croatia route. Getting around: driving is the main option; Trieste and Pula have airports, and in summer there are ferries from Venice to Rovinj and Pula. The autumn truffle festivals and the wine season (Malvazija, Teran) are especially distinctive.

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