Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Most tourists in Croatia focus on the coast. For a dash of variety, head inland. Some of the
best bits of the Croatian interior lie just a short drive from Rovinj. Dotted with picturesque
hill towns, speckled with wineries and olive-oil farms, embedded with precious truffles,
and grooved by meandering rural roads, the Istrian interior is worth a visit. Tucked below,
between, and on top of the many hills are characteristic stone-walled villages, designed to
staycoolinsummerandwarminwinter.Thelocaltouristboardiscarefullymanicuringthis
region's image as
the
hot new spot to find hill towns, backcountry drives, and a relaxed and
relaxing lifestyle. The often-repeated comparisons to Tuscany and Provence are a stretch.
The Istrian landscape is not as idyllic or as stunningly beautiful as those places, the towns
here are sleepy and lack vibrancy, and because of the area's complex history, the culture is
less deeply rooted. But many visitors still find themselves seduced by the
malvazija
wine,
truffles, picturesque tableaus, and laid-back ambience of the Istrian hill towns.
Poking around and exploring on your own is a good option here. For a quick visit,
focus on the best hill town: Motovun, a popular little burg with sweeping views. With more
time, consider venturing deeper into the smaller villages that sit above the Mirna River
Valley—the scenic, deserted, lost-in-a-time-warp village of Završje; the rugged, relatively
untrampled artists' colony of Grožnjan; or the bigger towns of Buje and Oprtalj. Farther
east—on the way to Rijeka—is the extremely remote and miniscule, yet touristy, hamlet of
Hum.
