Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
$ Sobe Nena, run by Nevija and Ricardo, is a good budget option in a tidy house at
the very bottom of Motovun's hill. The two rooms are old-fashioned and basic, sharing a
bathroom, but there's a fine garden to relax in. Ricardo speaks only a little English (Nevija
speaks none), but they can call their daughter Doris to translate if necessary. It's a steep
hike up into town, but you can catch the shuttle bus from the lower parking lot (if it's run-
ning), or—if you have a car—drive up to the parking lot partway up the hill (S-€20, D-€40,
cash only, across from the gas station at Kanal 32, tel. 052/681-719, mobile 099-609-0883,
sobe.nena@gmail.com ).
$ Villa Maria is a good value, offering two fine rooms with view terraces, plus a third
non-view room, in the Svili č i ć family home on a quiet back lane just below the main part
of town (Db-€50, breakfast-€5, cash only, air-con, free Wi-Fi, facing the defensive gate turn
right and go down and around to Borgo 32, tel. 052/681-559, lorenasvilicic@gmail.com ) .
Eating in Motovun
Consideringthisisasmallhilltownwithjustafewrealrestaurants,allofthemareimpress-
ively good; the first two listings are particularly notable. Every menu is topped by pricey
(but tasty) truffle dishes—but keep in mind that these are a better investment when truffles
are in season and the flavors are pungent (see sidebar, next page; otherwise you'll get older,
blander truffles. Remember, there are also several excellent restaurants in the countryside
near Motovun—if you're serious about food, before choosing, be sure to peruse your op-
tions in the “More Hill Towns” section, later.
Mondo Konoba, run by a Croatian-Italian hybrid family and located just below the
lowertowngate(ontheleft,atthebaseofthewall),servesupSicilian-Istrianfusioncuisine
that ranks with any restaurant in the region. Most diners skip the unpretentious, pastel-blue
dining room in favor of the inviting little outdoor terrace, with more tables across the street
atthebaseofthetownwall.TheMondofamily'spackoffivetruffle-huntingdogsoccasion-
ally pays a visit (60-100-kn pastas, 95-185-kn main courses, June-Sept daily 12:00-15:30 &
18:00-22:00, closed Tue Oct-May and all of Jan, Barbakan 1, tel. 052/681-791).
Trufle Mania
A mysterious fungus with a pungent, unmistakable flavor is all the rage in Istria.
Called tartufi in both Croatian and Italian, these precious tubers have been gathered
here since Roman times and were favored by the region's Venetian and Austrian
rulers. More recently, local peasants ate them as a substitute for meat (often mixed
with polenta) during the lean days after World War II.
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