Istria
Istria is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic, occupying an area of 3.160 km'. That is a unique area where Middle Europe is coming down to the warm Adriatic Sea. This is the very place where the sea has penetrated deepest into the heart of Europe washing Istria by two sides. Because of the influence of the Mediterranean, winters have no snow and summers are long, sunny and warm. Istria is considered the sunniest oasis in Europe.
The eastern coast is steep with the highest mountain of Istria - Ucka (1.396 m) rising above. The coast is very indented with a few larger and deeper bays. Close to the south east coast there is the Brijuni Archipelago, while the larger islands of the Kvarner bay were formed along the eastern coast.
There are a few significantly different landscape units in Istria.
The White Istria- where water and arable land are scarce. In the south west of the White Istria there is the Grey Istria, the area cut by the river valleys, with more water and vegetation. Here flow the largest Istrian rivers _ the Mirna and Rasa.
The third and the largest, the most economically developed and the most fertile part is the Red Istria. There are exuberant woods and plenty of red arable soil, vineyards and olive-groves. The picturesque settlements are usually located on top of the hills.
Traces from the prehistoric times have been found on the grounds. There are well –preserved remains and monuments from the Roman times as well as different periods of history after the Fall of The Roman Empire.
The Croats settled there in the 7th century and Istria became the cradle of the Glagolitic Croatian literature: The Istrian Razvod is the oldest diplomatic document in Europe and the Missal from Roc, printed in 1483, is the oldest printed book on the Balkans.
Istria is also the most developed tourist region of Croatia, more than 2 million tourists come there every year. In Istria people live for tourism and of tourism. The most important tourist centres are stretched along the western coast or in the vicinity of Rijeka, the Croatian largest port situated on the very crest of the Kvarner Bay. There are eleven modern marinas along the Istrian coast. Inland, there are medicinal Istrian Spas, numerous hunting grounds, picturesque small towns built in stone, among them is Hum, the smallest town in the world. There is also the famous Motovun Forest in the interior of the peninsula as well as the Capital of the Istrian County - Pazin.
What else should be mentioned?
The beauty of its picturesque landscapes and seascapes, nest-like stone towns on the hill tops, a Citadel in Pazin - the best preserved mediaeval fortress in Istria, famous wall paintings in Beram by Vincent of Kastav, the Glagolitic gates of Hum- the smallest town in the world, gorgeous national costumes, original Istrian music, bokarin - the Istrian Ox- one of the symbols of Istria, delicious healthy and diverse Istrian Cuisine, aromatic top quality red and white wines…
You mustn't only see Istria, you must experience it. It is simply - unique.
USEFUL INFORMATION
HOW TO GET TO ISTRIA?
By plane - international airport in Pula (6 km from the city)
By train - daily train connection between Zagreb and Pula (via Ljubljana, Divace, Pazin, Kanfanar and Vodnjan)
By sea - some places on the Istrian coast have ship and ferryboat connections with other parts of the Adriatic coast (from Trieste, via Porec and Rovinj to Pula and further from Pula, via Losinj, to Zadar, etc.). The permanent sea border crossings are in Umag, Porec, Rovinj, Pula and Rasa_ Brisca while in Novigrad there is a seasonal border crossing.
By car - there are three main traffic directions between Istria and the inland. The northwestern direction from the river Po valley is not only a connection with the northern Italy but also with Western Europe (across the Alps, through tunnels or transalpine roads, to the modern highway Torino-Milano-Trieste.
The northern direction begins in the Baltic area of the continent and goes south over few passes: Moravian Passage (310 m), Semmering (985 m), Postojna Passage (609 m). That direction includes a bigger part of Middle Europe taking over all side connections on the main roads through the Vienna and Ljubljana basins.
The northeastern direction starts in the Pannonian lowlands and its surroundings, and goes across the Dinarides over the Delnice Passage. That is the most important direction for Croatia because it connects Istria with the Middle Croatia and a traffic knot around Zagreb. The mount Ucka tunnel built in 1981 made the road traffic easier and shorter. Even before the highway between Zagreb and Rijeka is finished, driving along the quick road you will pass that route for 1.5 hours.
All Istrian towns are well connected by daily bus lines with each other and with Rijeka, Zagreb and farther on.
The road border passes are: Plovanija-Secovlje; Kastel-Dragonja: Buzet-Socerga, Pasjak-Starod, Rupa-Jelsane.
WHAT TO EAT?
You should definitely try specialities of the Istrian Cuisine- its vegetable and sea- food dishes prepared in traditional way with plenty of imagination.
Start your meal with an appetizer- the famous Komovica Brandy with a specific flavour given by mistletoe leaves. For hors-d'oeuvre (cold side dish) you may take prsut (specific Istrian smoked ham) and cheese made out of the sheep milk, after that obligatory manestra (thick soup with many ingredients).
For the main course you can order pasta with meat: fuzi, posutice, lasagnas, spaghetti, ravioli or gnocchi in zgvaceta sauce sprinkled with cheese. The sauce is made of home raised chicken, veal, beef or venison.
You may choose fish for your main course prepared boiled, grilled, fried, roast or stewed or order other delicious sea-food like mussel salad, cuttle-fish, scampi, lobster tails, scampi prepared in »buzara« way, risotto with sea-food or special delicacy - oysters that grow in Limski kanal. Lots of dishes are made »ispod peke« (under a special cover or cripnja, as they say in Istria).
Komovica Brandy with Ruda or Fennel is used as a digestive.
For dessert you can have traditional home made krostule, fritule or cukerincici.
And last but not least we have to mention the famous and expensive truffles from Istrian woods added to numerous dishes in the Istrian traditional cuisine (fritaja with truffles, fuzi with truffles, etc.).
WHAT TO DRINK?
Apart from herb brandies made of aromatic plants, you should try Biska - special brandy from Roc and Hum.
The wines typical for this area are: White wines like Malvazija, Sweet Malvazija, Pinot, Chardonnay and Muskat Otonel or red wines like Borgonja, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Teran.
One of the Istrian specialties is »the Istrian soup« that you should definitely try. We won't reveal the recipe secret, we can only say that the main ingredient is thick red wine with lots of ingredients. You should certainly try it, but be careful not to exaggerate too much.
EXCURSIONS
During summer you may join organized excursions from all Istrian summer resorts to Venice and Rimini (by hydrofoil, catamaran or boat); to Trieste (by hydrofoil, boat or bus); to the Brijuni Archipelago (by boat) and to some islands in the Kvarner Bay (also by boat). There are also organized half-day cruises along the Istrian coast, to Limski kanal, or circular cruises with an entertaining program aboard.
You may get all the necessary information in tourist offices or agencies in the place of your sojourn.
EVENTS
During summer, in every city and town, there are numerous cultural and sport events. Some of those are famous even out of Croatia (ATP Tournament in Umag or ACI CUP Match Race in Rovinj). In smaller places festivals are usually connected with the day of their village patron saint.
We will mention only the more important ones:
Umag: ATP/IBM Tennis Tournament Croatia Open (August)
Porec: Porec Festival – pop music festival (July), Zlatna Sopela - international folklore festival (August), concerts of the classical music in the Euphrasius' Basilica (June to September), Nas kanat je lip - meeting of the choirs (July), the Fishermen Festival, different sport events, etc.
Vrsar: Montraker - summer school for students of sculpture (August and September), Vrsar festival (July and August), Koversada Cup - the underwater fishing cup (October) Rovinj: the Summer in Rovinj (June to September), the Painters’ Colony (July), The Rovinj Festival (August), the Blue Pearl of Rovinj – an international festival of young pop singers (July), ACI CUP MATCH RACE (September), Pesaro-Rovinj- Pesaro Regatta (May), Rovinj Cup Regatta (August), the tennis tournaments (during summer)
Pula: the International Film Festival (July), Pula Opera Festival (August), Croatian Chess Cup for seniors in male and female competition (May), Croatian Chess Clubs League (August), Trka na prstenac in Barban (August)
Buje: the Grape Festival (September)
Buzet: Raspjevana Buzestina - the music festival (May), Susret mladih harmonika - the accordion players meeting (May).
Pazin: Grand Prix of Pazin - cycling race (June), the Istrian Marathon (August), the International Race Through Istria for juniors (September)
Labin: Labinski kanti - the music festival (July), Labin Festival (July and August), the International Sculpture Symposium (August and September)
Rabac: the Adriatic Riviera - tennis tournament for women (October), Cycling Race Through Istria (September), the Kvarner Riviera - The Football Tournament (June)
Opatija: promenade concerts, performances of folklore groups, choir concerts (May to October), the Summer Stage of Opatija - operas and other music performances, the Music Session of Opatija (November), the Opatija Riviera - International Auto-Rally Race (April), International Regatta for juniors (May), the Opatija Cup -international auto-slalom (May), International Tennis Tournament for veterans (August and September), Croatia Cup International Regatta for classes 471, Finn, FD and Europe.
SPORT
Istria offers great possibilities for all kinds of sports.
There is an eighteen-hole golf course on the Brijuni islands. There are numerous tennis courts and a tennis stadium with capacity of 3.500 spectators in Umag. You can play football, indoor soccer, basketball, volleyball, handball, squash and table tennis. You can also practice shooting, bowling, horse-riding, swimming (in outdoor and indoor swimming pools) or exercise in gymnasium halls.
Of water sports, you can choose rowing (in boats and canoes), motor boat driving, water scooter riding, water skiing, wind surfing, fishing and underwater fishing; delta-plane flying or paragliding above the sea.
In summer there are schools for diving, tennis, wind surfing, etc. Hunting is also a very popular sport in Istria.
You can get all the necessary information on hunting and hunting seasons on different game in tourist agencies, hunting societies and tourist offices in towns and villages.
Information: The County Tourist office, district tourist offices, branch tourist offices, tourist societies.
The western coast ascends gently from the sea level transforming into rolling highland with hills that stretch all the way to the mountain range of Cicarija.