Istria Peninsula Guide: Rovinj, Pula, Poreč, and Motovun

Rovinj sits on what was once a small island, later joined to the mainland, and its pastel-coloured houses, narrow stone stairways, and harbour full of fishing boats make it one of Istria's most photographed towns. At the highest point of the old town stands St. Euphemia's Church, whose Baroque bell tower is visible from the sea and from the surrounding streets alike. Inside the church rests the sarcophagus of the saint, tied to a local legend that her relics arrived by sea. The old town's maze-like lanes are lined with small art studios, galleries, and seafood restaurants, and a harbourside walk in the late-afternoon light is one of the best ways to take in the town's atmosphere.

The Roman amphitheatre in the centre of Pula was built in the 1st century AD and has survived with its outer walls largely intact. Built for gladiatorial contests, it is among the amphitheatres from the Roman period whose full perimeter, including all four stair towers, still stands. Today the arena hosts concerts and a film festival in the summer months, and its underground galleries hold a small exhibition on the region's history of olive oil and wine production. Near the amphitheatre, the Temple of Augustus and the old forum are other visible traces of Pula's Roman past.

The Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč's old town was built in the 6th century under Bishop Euphrasius and is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The gold-ground mosaics in the apse, depicting the Virgin and Christ surrounded by saints, are among the well-preserved examples of early Byzantine mosaic art on the Adriatic coast. The complex includes the basilica itself along with a baptistery, an episcopal palace, and an atrium; visitors who climb the bell tower can look out over the old town's red-tiled roofs and the harbour below. The narrow streets immediately around the basilica are lined with cafés and small shops.

Set on a hilltop in inland Istria, Motovun is known for its medieval walls and narrow streets; the oak forests of the surrounding Mirna Valley are where the region's prized white and black truffles are foraged. Nearby Grožnjan, despite its small population, is known as a town of artists, with a concentration of studios and galleries. To the south, Brijuni National Park, off the coast near Pula, combines islands, ancient ruins, and managed natural areas, while Cape Kamenjak at the peninsula's southern tip offers a different coastal landscape of rocky coves and natural beaches. These inland and coastal routes suit travellers looking for a quieter side of Istria than its busiest coastal towns.