Croatia - Eastern Europe - page 178

into a courtyard strewn with ancient artifacts. Jazz concerts fill the courtyard during
the season.
St. Nicholas Island Porec's better beaches are off this close-in island, which
is a short boat taxi ride away from the harbor.
Taxi boats leave the dock every half-hour.
Baredine Cave Excursions to these limestone caverns are among the most
popular in Pore c . Just 7km (4 1 ⁄ 2 miles) northeast of town on the road to Vi s jan, the
caves are filled with stalactites and stalagmites. Entry fees cover the services of a guide,
who takes you on a 40-minute tour of the underground halls and galleries and tells
the story of the cave's legendary ill-fated lovers who died while looking for each other
in the subterranean maze.
Nova Vas 52446. & 052/421-333. www.istra.com/baredine. 45kn ($7.75/£4.10). July-Aug daily 9:30am-6pm;
May-June and Sept daily 10am-5pm; Apr and Oct daily 10am-4pm; Nov-Mar for prearranged groups only.
INLAND ISTRIA
It isn't easy being green in a country where seawater blue is the dominant color, but
the Istria's emerald interior hints at the unspoiled nature and unique experiences that
await those who venture into this often overlooked part of Croatia. As you exit the
deep blackness of U c ka Tunnel in the east or as you drive away from the golden
brightness of the Istrian Coast in the west, you realize that this is territory that feeds
the senses—all of them. In Green Istria you can take time to breathe the perfumed
air, listen to the bird chatter, touch the rough stone of a medieval castle, or savor the
taste of local wines. Here travelers can immerse themselves in the land and the lives of
the people who live there. It's a place you can wander through but never feel lost.
GETTING THERE & GETTING AROUND
No matter how you get to Istria, unless you are on a guided excursion, you will need
a car to thoroughly explore its inland attractions.
Most towns in inland Istria are small; in fact, one of them, Hum, is the smallest
town in the world. The main attractions in Istria's inland towns can be readily accessed
by walking but many are extremely hilly and must be approached on foot over irreg-
ular cobblestone streets, which can be difficult for some. To get to Motovun, for
example, you have to leave your car at the bottom of a steep street and walk more than
a quarter of a mile uphill. Some inland towns are remote, so driving is the only prac-
tical way to cover the distance between them.
VISITOR INFORMATION
Every town in Green Istria has its own tourist information center, though those in the
smaller towns have very limited hours and are difficult to find. To help visitors get the
most out of a trip, the Istria County Tourist Association has produced attractive pub-
lications on farmhouse stays, cultural itineraries, wine roads, olive-oil roads, and truffle-
hunting opportunities. These are available through the association, whose main offices
are in Pore c at Pionirska 1 ( & 052/452-797; fax [phone]; [e-mail]),
and in Pula at Forum 3 ( & 052/215-799; fax [phone]). The association also main-
tains a website with English-language links to almost every town: www.istra.com .
MOTOVUN, ROC & HUM
Motovun is one of Istria's better-known interior towns, perhaps because it hosts the
Motovun Film Festival (www.motovunfilmfestival.com; early Aug, but dates are