Istria borders
Slovenia and has a maritime border with Italy. This peninsula
is the most popular destination for foreign visitors to Croatia.
Umag and Porec continually top the annual poll of best holiday
resorts in Croatia, as organised by the Croatian National Tourist
Board and Croatian TV. Most visitors arrive by car, but you can
fly in to Pula Airport
to where Ryanair have recently
commenced flights to. Istria is also easily reachable from Trieste
or Venice Treviso airports, where Ryanair
fly to, or Venice Marco Polo airport, where Easyjet
fly to. See our Travelling
from Italy section for more details.
Pula
Situated near the base of the Istrian peninsula, the
population of Pula is just over 62,000, making it the largest
city in Istria. One of the most famous sights in the whole of
Croatia is the Roman amphitheatre in Pula, which has been well
preserved. However, it is likely that Pula originated even before
the Roman era, with local findings showing the history of Pula
going back more than 3,000 years. As well as being under Venetian
rule, Pula also played an important role in the Habsburg Empire
as it was proclaimed the chief port of the Empire in 1853, and
had a large German and Italian population. In 1915 it was occupied
by Italy and the rights of Croatian inhabitants were not respected.
It was only in 1947 that it became a part of Croatia in Yugoslavia.
The main sight is, of course, the amphitheatre.
Built during the 1st century AD, the three-story amphitheatre
is the sixth largest in the world. It hosts the Pula Opera Festival
in the summer and is also used for other events during the year.
Other sights include the Triumphal arch of the Sergii, the Temple
of Augustus, the Cathedral and the Franciscan Church and Monastery.
The area code is 052.
Pula Tourist Office is situated at Forum 3, tel:
052 219 197, fax 052 211 855, email: tz-pula@pu.htnet.hr.
For more on Pula, point your browser to the
City of Pula website, or see the Tourism
Office Pula.
 Accommodation
in Pula
Umag
Umag and its riviera (which is about 20km long) is very
popular. The old town in Umag has attractive and narrow, cobbled
streets. The coast is full of pretty little bays and there are
some 60,000 hotel beds and those in private accommodation here.
There are also many camping and caravan sites along the coast,
which are well run and highly recommended for an inexpensive holiday.
Umag is also well known for its marina and the international tennis
centre which hosts the Croatian
Open every July.
The Tourist Office in Umag is at Trgovacka 6, tel:
052 741 363, fax: 052 741 157, email: tz-grada-umaga@pu.htnet.hr.
On the web, more information can be found at the
Town of Umag website, the
Umag
Tourist Office website and here.
Accommodation
in Umag
Porec
This is the most popular holiday resort in Istria and
has frequently been proclaimed the top resort in Croatia by the
Croatian National Tourist Office. There are over 100,000 beds
available in the area, but hotels and other facilities are widely
spread so the place never feels too crowded.
A visit to the old town (Porec is 2,000 years old)
is a must, due to its numerous historical sites, particularly
the 6th century Euphrasian Basilica which is wonderfully preserved
and is well known for its beautiful gold mosaics. The entry to
the church is free, although a small donation is much appreciated.
The main tourist areas are two bays south of the
town, called Zelena (Green) and Plava (Blue)
Laguna (lagoon). They are almost like small towns, with
several hotels in each, as well as camping, marina, shopping and
entertainment areas. Most visitors stay in one of the two.
The tourist office is located at Zagrebacka 9, tel:
052 451 293, fax: 052 434 160.
Web info at istra.com
or porec.hr (Croatian
language only).
Read also a lovely review of a holiday
in Porec.
Accommodation
in Porec
Rovinj
This is a charmingly picturesque town with yet more narrow,
cobbled streets! It is famous for its St. Euphemia Cathedral with
the highest church tower in Istria, at 60 metres high. Rovinj
was originally an island, but 250 years ago the narrow channel,
which separated it from the mainland, was filled in. It is one
of our favourite destinations on the Croatian Adriatic, particularly
as it is very lively with numerous cafes and restaurants, galleries
and an active fishing port, so in the morning you can watch the
fishermen come in as you have your breakfast.
For places to see, definitely go to the cathedral
of St. Euphemia (built in 1736) which is the largest Baroque building
in Istria, the town's museum and Rovinj Aquarium.
For places to stay, we can recommend the centrally-located,
but moderately priced, Hotel
Adriatic. There are also numerous campsites dotted in and
around Rovinj.
The tourist office is located at P. Budicina 12,
tel: 052 811 566, fax: 052 816 007, email: tzgrovinj@tzgrovinj.hr.
For more, see the Rovinj
Tourist Office website or Rovinj.net.
There is also a wealth of information at Rovinj.info,
including details on private accommodation, property, holiday
houses and Rovinj gastronomic delights, beaches and attractions!
Accommodation
in Rovinj
Other resorts in Istria
There are numerous other lovely resorts in Istria that
are worth visiting. One such place is Liznjan.
Organised Travel from the UK to Istria
Holiday
Options
Thomson
Lakes & Mountains
Travelsphere
Saga Holidays
Balkan Holidays
Inghams
Crystal Holidays
Skills
Holidays (Coach Holidays)
Peng
Naturist
Croatian Travel Agents
Danex
Umag
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