The westernmost peninsula of Croatia is popular with everyone who does not tolerate extreme heat. Istria offers resorts and hotels for every taste. We collected reviews about beaches and interesting places. Is it convenient to have a rest with children? Tourist advice.
Resorts of Istria
The resort region is located on the border with Italy. For its beauty, mild wonderful climate, interesting monuments, the cleanest sea and comfortable beaches, the Croatian peninsula is called the Istrian Riviera.
There are many resorts on the peninsula:
Umag - the westernmost city of Istria and Croatia, which is popular with fans of tennis, surfing, diving and gastronomic tourism.
Novigrad - a small fishing town with narrow streets, a beautiful church and modern infrastructure. The largest fish festival in Europe takes place here.
Porec is a large resort with a beautiful historical center and great opportunities for active recreation. The main attraction is the Byzantine Basilica, which is protected by UNESCO.
Vrsar - a small town with a unique atmosphere of the Middle Ages. A great place for a quiet holiday by the sea!
Rovinj is a romantic resort town built on an archipelago of 22 islands.
Pula is the pearl of the Istrian peninsula. The oldest Croatian city on the shores of the Adriatic Sea. Pula is a paradise for lovers of archeology, ancient architecture, beach holidays and nightlife.
Medulin - the southernmost city of Istria. It is chosen by lovers of water sports, discos and nightclubs.
Rabac - the green town is preferred by families with children and young people.
Opatija - a picturesque resort with a pleasant promenade by the sea, old temples and mansions.
Lovran - an ideal place for aged tourists and couples. The small resort is loved for its well-preserved Old Town, promenade and modern spa.
Krk is an island to the east of Istria known for its magnificent nature, historical monuments and wonderful beaches.
Brijuni Island - an archipelago from the west of Istria, which has the status of a national park. Holidays in Brijuni are not cheap.
Elenok: "The Istrian Peninsula - beautiful nature, gorgeous sea, clean air. I rested in Porec. The water is of exceptional purity and turquoise color, the bottom is rocky."
Best hotels
In the resort towns and villages of Istria, vacationers are welcomed by hotels of any level, family hotels, apartments, villas and campings. Look for tours to Istria on Travelata.
The best hotels in Istria, according to tourists' reviews:
Castello Gulici Porec 3 * is a cozy guest house in an old stone mansion, 3 km from the center of Porec. For a double room you will pay from 75 €.
Rooms Jakić 3 * - bright apartments near the beach in the town of Medulin. In high season, a double room costs from 115 €.
Azzurro Mare 4 * - stylish apart-hotel 2 km from the Pula amphitheater. Double room costs from 100 €.
Hotel Sol Sipar for Plava Laguna 4 * is an excellent beach hotel with a spa center and an indoor pool in the city of Umag. A double room with breakfast will cost from 170 €.
Amadria Park Hotel Milenij 5 * is a luxury hotel in the center of the fashionable resort Opatija. A double room with breakfast costs from 209 €.
Find out about the best hotels in Croatia with a sandy beach.
Istrian beaches
The coast of the peninsula stretches for 430 km. You can swim and sunbathe on rocky, pebble, natural platform beaches and artificial concrete slabs. There are very few sandy beaches. Many seaside holiday destinations have been awarded the honorary Blue Flag.
All beaches in Istria are free. For a more comfortable stay, tourists rent sun loungers and parasols. Due to the rocky bottom and sea urchins, we advise you to swim in the aquashuse.
Talant: "Fazana Beach is pebbly, there are a lot of people. There is a jogging track along the beach to neighboring Peroj, about 4 km. It's nice to run in the morning: Croatians are not a very athletic nation, there are few runners, and even those tourists."
What to see
Istria is famous for its picturesque hills, vineyards, pine forests, rocky coast, historical and cultural monuments. People come to Pula to see the Roman amphitheater, and in Porec - to the ancient basilicas. The small town of Ravna Gora is a mecca for lovers of hiking, cycling and mountain climbing. According to tourists, excursions around Croatia are popular from Istria - to Plitvice Lakes, the Brijuni Islands. Also, tourists love tours to Italy.
Arsenal: "On the Istrian peninsula in Croatia, there are many ancient cities where it is pleasant to walk and have something to see. One of these is the amazing walled city of Hum, which is listed in the Guinness Book as the smallest city in the world. You will not see a single modern buildings, so it seems that time has stopped here. "
Vacation with children
Parents with children enjoy coming to Istria because of the climate. It is less hot in summer and the little ones feel better than in the southern regions of Croatia. There are few sandy beaches and attractions on the peninsula, but Istria has wonderful nature and great opportunities for active tourism. Explore the picturesque peninsula with your child by bike and on foot!
Gets: "We all also really liked the attitude towards children - they are simply adored in Croatia: bus drivers always greeted the baby and asked about something, grandmothers and grandfathers-passers-by always paid attention to the child - who pats the head, who is just touched , even schoolchildren at the bus station were not indifferent to the baby - who will take the handle, who will just smile, not to mention the shop assistants and waiters in restaurants ... We were somewhat surprised by such attention, and we, as parents, were very interested and nice to see it. "
When is the best time to go
The climate in Istria is much drier and cooler than in Dalmatia. The average temperature in July is + 26 ° С. The water in the Adriatic Sea rarely warms up to + 25 ° С. While in other resorts of the country the beach season begins in May and lasts until October, in Istria it is comfortable to swim in July and August. In June and September, the sea water temperature is about + 20 ° С. It's already cool for families with children!
Sergei: "We had a rest in May. We got into an anomaly, because out of 12 days the sun was only 2.5 days. It was raining for 5 days in a row, the rest of the days were cloudy."
Conclusions: is it worth going to Istria
The Istrian peninsula offers the cheapest holidays in Croatia. According to tourists, it is liked by parents with children, lovers of historical attractions and ecotourism. There are interesting hiking and cycling trails along the green hills and picturesque coastline. Beach holidays are inferior to Central and South Dalmatia, but in Istria there are many well-groomed rocky and pebbly beaches.
Pine and deciduous forests, clean air from the mountains and the sea create a special microclimate. Doctors appreciate the resort opportunities of Istria and recommend a vacation in this part of Croatia to everyone who suffers from respiratory diseases.
Gets: "I will once again remember the delicious Istrian air - because of the huge variety of conifers and generally a large amount of greenery, the air is saturated with various aromas. I wholeheartedly fell in love with the Croatian pine trees, which descend directly to the sea and sometimes hug the cool Adriatic."
