Istria is one of the most popular destinations for foreign visitors to Croatia and its towns of Umag and Porec continually top annual polls of the best holiday resorts in Croatia. With a strong Italian influence (the region in fact used to be part of Italy during the early part of the 20th century), this certainly is a beautiful region of Croatia both along the coast and inland, with its pretty hilltop towns.
Rovinj is a true gem of a town, and Pula is also well worth a visit – home to the Arena, a very well-preserved Roman amphitheatre. The one thing that Istria does lack, however, compared to more southern coastal regions is many large islands. The Brijuni group of islands (near Pula) are the exception and great for a day trip.
Bordering Slovenia and with a maritime border with Italy, this peninsula is easy to reach from the rest of Europe and is also well-connected by air to the UK to the main airport in the region, Pula Airport.
For more information about Istria and its resorts, see our new special pages below:
- Getting to Istria
There’s a variety of options for reaching this part of Croatia, both flying direct to the region’s airport at Pula or utilising flights to nearby places in Italy. - Umag
One of the smaller resorts in Istria, Umag is still popular with many holidaymakers. - Buje
An ideal location to base yourself in for exploring local wineries - Novigrad
A charming little town, a great place to base yourself to sample Istria’s gastronomic delights. - Motovun
One of the prettiest inland towns, perched high up on a hill - Porec
The most popular resort, also one of the most popular resorts in the whole of Croatia - Vrsar
A sweet little town perched mostly on a hill, Vrsar is close to the amazing Lim Channel - Rovinj
A truly lovely place, you’ll be charmed by its pretty Old Town - Pula
Pula is the main town in Istria and with its numerous sights – including a very well-preserved Roman amphitheatre – and is well worth a visit. Check out our Two Days in Pula itinerary for how to spend 48 hours here, or our guide to Sightseeing in Pula to find out what the best sights are. - Vodnjan
A pleasant inland town, full of churches…and gorgeous street art murals! - Medulin
A family-friendly resort very close to Pula – come here to kick back and relax! - Cape Kamenjak
Visiting this nature park on the southern tip of the peninsula – how to get there and what to see and do. - Bale
This exceedingly pretty inland town is perfect for a day trip - Rabac
One of the few resorts on the eastern side of Istria, a popular holiday town - Lovran
Another eastern Istrian town, this one is connected to Opatija by the famous lungomare seaside promenade - Getting to and from Pula Airport
How best to travel from the airport to Pula and other destinations in Istria - Events in Istria
Information on some of the region’s many annual festivals and events. - Day Trips in Istria
Taking a trip to the inland area is highly recommended – see what places we suggest you visit. - Day Trips from Istria
For trips a little further afield, why not pop over the border into Slovenia, or take a catamaran across to Venice? - Do also see our section on the Brijuni Islands, which are located off the coast of Istria, near Pula.
Other resorts in Istria
There are numerous other lovely resorts in Istria that are worth visiting. One such place is Liznjan.
Alternatively, if you’re really into some R&R, why not make a trip to the Istarske Toplice? Located around thermal springs, this resort offers two types of accommodation from where you can arrange a variety of therapy, wellness or even beauty treatments each day.
Additional Info
If you’re visiting with babies or young children, check out this new service from Junior Travel for Istria: Baby equipment rental!
General information on the region can be found at the official Istria Tourist Board website, Istra.com, the Central Istria Tourist Board website, Colours of Istria (the tourist board for northwest Istria) and Histrica.
Take a look at Istra Culture website for information on the cultural sights of the county.
If you’re in need of walking, van or boat tours of the many towns and sights of Istria, do contact Istria Tours!
Istra Bike is a great website that covers everything to do with biking in this county – bike trails, events, safety tips and more.