Coast guide · Istria
Croatia’s green peninsula: Pula’s Roman arena, Rovinj and Poreč, hilltop towns, Brijuni and Kamenjak, and some of the best restaurants in Croatia, including two-MICHELIN-starred Agli Amici, with the full story of the region.
Coast feature
Roman arenas, Venetian harbours, medieval hill towns and white truffles: Istria is the most Italian corner of Croatia, and one of the best places to eat in Europe.
Base yourself in Rovinj or Poreč, explore the Roman monuments of Pula, then drive into the green hills to Motovun and Grožnjan.
Read the full back story below, then explore our favourite places.
The back story
Roman arenas, Venetian harbours, hilltop towns and white truffles: the story of Croatia’s green peninsula.
One of the best preserved
The Roman amphitheatre of Pula, built in the 1st century AD, one of the best-preserved in the world and a venue for concerts and films.
Roman Pula
A Roman temple on Pula’s forum and a triumphal arch at the entrance to the old town.
The prettiest harbour town
A Venetian-style old town on a peninsula, crowned by the Church of St Euphemia.
UNESCO World Heritage
A 6th-century basilica complex in Poreč, famous for its glittering Byzantine mosaics.
Ulica Eufrazijeva 22Explore View on map
A town on a hill
A walled medieval town on a hilltop above the Mirna valley and its truffle forests.
A town of artists
A small hilltop town of galleries, studios and music, with views over inland Istria.
An island park
A group of islands off Pula, now a national park with Roman remains, gardens and a safari park.
Wild coast
A wild, protected cape at the southern tip of Istria, with cliffs, coves and clear water.
Two MICHELIN Stars
Croatia’s only two-MICHELIN-starred restaurant, at the Grand Park Hotel in Rovinj.
Šetalište vijeća Europe 1-2Explore View on map
MICHELIN Star
A MICHELIN-starred restaurant on the fifth floor of the Grand Park Hotel in Rovinj.
Smareglijeva ulica 1AExplore View on map
A Rovinj classic
A celebrated fine-dining restaurant just below the Church of St Euphemia in Rovinj.
Montalbano 75Explore View on map
Bib Gourmand
A countryside konoba near Buje with a Bib Gourmand from the MICHELIN Guide.
Truffle cuisine
A restaurant in Livade, in the Mirna valley, devoted to Istrian truffles.
Livade 7Explore View on map
Fish from the boat
A famous fish konoba in Banjole, south of Pula.
Čimulje 25Explore View on map
Facing the old town
A luxury hotel facing Rovinj’s old town, home of Agli Amici and Cap Aureo.
By the forest park
A luxury hotel by the sea at the edge of the Golden Cape forest park in Rovinj.
Countryside boutique
A family-run boutique hotel and restaurant in the village of Brtonigla.
A wine estate
A wine estate and hotel in the countryside near Bale, between Rovinj and Pula.
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