ISTRIA - Croatia and Slovenia - page 168

Planning Your Time
Istriaoffersanexcitingvarietyofattractionscomparedtotherelativelyuniform,ifbeautiful,
string of island towns farther south. While some travelers wouldn't trade a sunny island day
for anything, I prefer to sacrifice a little time on the Dalmatian Coast for the diversity that
comes with a day or two exploring Istria's hill towns and other unique sights.
Istria's main logistical advantage is that it's easy to reach and to explore by car. Just a
quick hop from Venice or Slovenia, compact little Istria is made-to-order for a quick, effi-
cient road trip.
Istria at a Glance
▲▲▲ Rovinj Extremely romantic, Venetian-style coastal town with an atmospheric
Old Town and salty harbor. See here .
▲▲ Pula Big, industrial port city with one of the world's best-preserved Roman am-
phitheaters. See here .
▲▲ Motovun Touristy but enjoyable hill town with a fun rampart walk offering
sweeping views over inland Istria. See here .
▲ Opatija Former Austrian beach resort (just outside of Istria) with sparkling
beaches and a touch of classy Viennese-style architecture. See here .
▲ Završje Picturesque, mostly deserted hill town overlooking Motovun and its val-
ley. See here .
▲ Brijuni Islands Tito's former summer residence, now a national park with a Tito
museum, mini-safari, and other offbeat sights. See here .
▲ Grožnjan Sleepy artists' colony hill town in the interior. See here .
Buje Big hill town mingling charm with urban flair. See here .
Hum Minuscule, touristy town deep in the interior. See here .
Pore č Big coastal resort squeezed full of European holiday-makers, plus a church
with remarkably intact Byzantine mosaics. See here .
Oprtalj Hill town that's striking from afar but all business up close. See here .
Livade Modest valley village with some top-notch truffle eateries. See here .