Forget the islands – Croatia’s Istrian peninsula has it all

I first visited Istria when I was 18, for the legendary drum ‘n’ bass festival Outlook. Sadly, the festival is no longer held in the fort just outside of Pula, the city’s Roman amphitheatre still hosts unbelievably scenic concerts, with Lenny Kravitz, Andrea Bocelli and Dua Lipa all on the upcoming bill.   

The peninsula has a curious make-up: it’s by and large Croatian, but with bits of it influenced by Italy and Slovenia. I recently returned to Istria, first and foremost to eat – a trip to the southernmost peninsula in Croatia is a must for food lovers. But visiting the region isn’t just about epicurean delights. It’s also home to cobblestoned waterside towns, lush green hills peppered with vineyards, ancient Roman architecture, intrepid cycling trails (just watch out for those hills) and even a massive naturist colony, if that’s your thing. In other words, there actually is something for everyone. 

RECOMMENDED: Time Out Croatia's essential guide to Istria

The food

Oysters pulled straight from the Limski kanal. Fresh black truffles from the Motovun forest. Neon-green olive oil. These are just some of the culinary goodies you’ll be able to gorge on in Istria, a bonafide foodies’ paradise. 

My four days on the peninsula are punctuated by meaty anchovies, salty oysters, fluffy focaccia, punchy olive oil, and sweet, thick prawns. You can get fresh shellfish for reasonable prices at Tony’s Oyster Shack, but Istria’s share of fine dining restaurants are not to be missed. Dinner at Puntulina, a Michelin guide Rovinj restaurant where you’re so close to the sea your table is practically in the water, started with a ‘taste of the Adriatic’ – a platter of fish so fresh it could have got up and jumped back into the water. For drinks, an intriguing-sounding sea salt lager turned out to be a real winner. 

One of the jewels in Istria’s hotel crown is the Grand Park Hotel Rovinj which is home to the excellent restaurant Laurel&Berry. Sitting inside Laurel&Berry is like being inside a huge ship, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The main course, a platter of fat prawns, diddy cockles and meaty mussels, in a rich tomato sauce atop of ribbons of pappardelle, stole the show.  

Then you’ve got the Michelin-starred Zigante, which is responsible for finding the world’s biggest truffle and has the Guinness World Record plaque hanging on the restaurant wall. Weighing 1.3kg, you can see a replica of the hefty fungus proudly displayed in the dining room. For lunch, beautiful, buttery truffle pasta was followed by succulent trout with white asparagus.  

But the highlight for me is dinner at Stara Škola. A zero-waste restaurant that serves food family-style, there are no tiny amuse bouches or perfectly shaped pastries here – the food is hearty, generous and delicious. A crumbly pie crust over a rich wild boar filling makes me emotional. This is offset by a tangy and rough green salad, and sweet chargrilled cabbage. Perfection. 

The countryside 

Beaches, mountains, forests, fjords (kind of), Istria has it all. In the Kotija forest you can cycle and hike, and people looking to get even closer to nature can take part in biology walks and forest bathing; sensory experiences where you meditate beneath the trees. 

The Motovun forest is one the world’s most prestigious truffle-hunting destinations, where intrepids can have a whack at digging up some of their own fungi on a tour with some of the planet’s best hunters. In the hills, truffle hunting is a lifestyle that spans generations – at Karlíc Tartufi, a family-owned farm, I learn that inhabitants of the area are outnumbered by hunting dogs by more than double. Competition between rival hunters means they never reveal their territories. 

History and culture 

One of the most striking things about Istria is its refusal to adhere to any kind of architectural uniform. Austrian, Byzantine, Roman and Venetian architecture all merge in the towns of Rovinj and Pula. 

In the pokey cobbled streets of Rovinj, a lone Gothic arched window sits in an apartment block – a remnant from the Venetian empire. All its counterparts are the regular rectangular shuttered openings you’d expect to see in a Mediterranean town, but keep your eyes peeled and you’re likely to spot more architectural quirks that nod to Istria’s unique past. 

Under Venetian rule from around the 1400s, Istria was overseen by the Habsburgs before being subsumed into Italy from the end of World War I to the end of World War II. Now, the lion’s share of the peninsula is Croatian, and Istrian locals are from a mixture of Italian, Croatian and Serbian heritage, making for a multicultural atmosphere in the cities. 

There’s culture a-plenty: alongside the beautiful architecture, you have Pula’s atmospheric amphitheatre, a new festival held in an ancient quarry, the artist’s village of Groznjan, and a whole lot of history (including a new archaeology museum opening next year in Pula) to explore. 

Where we stayed

We pitch up at Hotel Lone, a huge modern hotel with a bit of a corporate vibe and gorgeous sea views. The rooms are slick, decorated in a warm mid-century style. The hotel’s curved mezzanines channel the Guggenheim museum, and the luxurious spa is not to be missed. There’s even a nightclub in the basement if you’re up for a party. 

A more luxurious option is the pricey but beautiful Grand Park Hotel Rovinj. The infinity pool with views of Rovinj Old Town across the water is spectacular, and make sure to say hello to the in-house falcons Frida and Tom, who chase away the seagulls. 

India Lawrence travelled to Istria on a press trip with Istria Tourist Board. For information on our policies around editorial independence, reviews and recommendations, see our editorial guidelines.