After an excellent prosciutto, and cheese and olives, many traditional wine cellars offer fish soup, fish stew, boiled prawns, black and white frutti di mare risotto, as well as other dishes typical of the central part of the Istrian peninsula – traditional wine soup, ragout (jota) similar to Italian minestrone (manistra, menestra or manestra), and also pasta and risotto dishes cooked with the famous truffles of the region – a self-sown precious mushroom species, unearthed by specially trained dogs and pigs; these fungi have the reputation of containing aphrodisiac properties. The excellent Istrian wines include Malvazija of Buje, Cabernet of Porec, Sauvignon and Merlot, as well as Teran of Buzet, Zlahtina of Vrbnik, and sparkling wines – Bakarska Vodica, etc. Fine restaurants abound in Istria and Kvarner, especially on the Opatija, Crikvenica, Rovinj and Porec littorals, as well as in the interior and on the islands.
Restaurants, pizzerias, taverns
Restaurants in Istria offer delicious dishes ranging from unique fish specialties to the perfect steak alongside mouth-watering side dishes made from local ingredients. Taste the lavish desserts which look as good as they seem. Unique locations and romantic settings create the ideal atmosphere for an enjoyable evening. The wide variety of gourmet wines will accompany your meals!
Restaurant Vila Romana, Porec
Type: Restaurants
Phone: 00385 91 7253938
Address: Zelena Laguna bb, Porec
Destination: Porec
Restaurant Fančita, Vrsar
Type: Restaurants
Phone: 00385 52 441019
Address: Dalmatinska 38
Destination: Vrsar
Restaurant Milan, Pula
Type: Restaurants
Phone: 00385 52 300200
Address: Stoja 4
Destination: Pula
Restaurant Blu, Rovinj
Type: Restaurants
Phone: 00385 52 811265
Address: Val de Lesso 9
Destination: Rovinj
The originating source of many Istrian dishes has been the Italian inspired cuisine. This is why it is not rare to see many exquisite pizza places all across every location of Istria. Istria is proud of its locally smoked prosciuttos, rich cheeses, and homegrown tomatoes, all the ideal ingredients neccesary for creating the most delicious pizzas. It is difficult to decide which Pizza to choose and which pizzeria is the best!
Pizzeria Blaženka, Pula
Type: Pizzerias
Phone: 00385 52 215206
Address: Pješčana uvala I ogr. 21
Destination: Pula
Pizzeria Oliveto, Medulin
Type: Pizzerias
Phone: 00385 98 282 078
Address: Fontana 1
Destination: Medulin
Pizzeria Jolly, Umag
Type: Pizzerias
Phone: 00385 52 741907
Address: Labinske republike 4
Destination: Umag
Pizzeria Volaria, Pula
Type: Pizzerias
Phone: 00385 52 211033
Address: Marina Veruda
Destination: Pula
Konoba’s or traditional Restaurants or taverns in Istria are these warm and inviting taverns that welcomes you with their local specialties using only the freshest local ingredients alongside glorious homemade wines. Recipes which have been passed through generations and a common Istrian mentality, that food brings people together, creates the ideal atmosphere in combination with a traditional, savoury meal.
Tavern Mediteran, Hotel Sol Coral, Umag
Type: Taverns
Phone: 00385 52 701013
Address: Katoro bb
Destination: Umag
Tavern Istra, Rovinj
Type: Taverns
Phone: 00385 52 824396
Address: Trg La Musa 18
Destination: Rovinj
Tavern Fontana, Medulin
Type: Taverns
Phone: 00385 52 576046
Address: Sad 126
Destination: Medulin
Tavern Istarska konoba, Porec
Type: Taverns
Phone: 00385 52 460 020
Address: Buići 30
Destination: Porec
Truffles hunt
Slowly but surely Istrian truffles (tartuffi) have been making their name known in the world. Late summer, autumn and early winter are truffle finding time. Both the prized white truffle and the more common black truffle are commonly found in Istria. Restuarant menus offer them both in main and desert courses. You will know it is truffle time as the specially trained dogs go truffle-hunt mad and can be heard in the early hours. Some years ago Carlo Zigante found the world’s largest white truffle (1.3kg) near Buje. It entered the Guinness Book of Records. To promote Istrian Truffles, he cooked a dinner for 100 people using his prize truffle as chief ingredient. As a result attention was drawn to the area and today there are Truffle Events held annually. If you know nothing about truffles there is no better introduction than visting one of the truffle fairs – wine tastings and other local produce available.
Olive oil and olive oil trails
Olive oil began to be produced in Istria while the Romans were around and has never stopped. Olive groves cling to the hillsides all over the penninsula. This family picked the last of their olives – almost a trailor full – on 24th October 2010 from their groves on the hills near Motovun. Traditionally, olive harvesting is always a family affair. Some of the oils are simply magnificent and we highly recommend you go a-tasting. Best way to taste is done in a similar way to wine tasting – pour a little into a stemmed glass, swirl around whilst covering the glass top with your other hand, inhale the aroma then sip a quantity taking air into the mouth at the same time. What do you note? Is it sweet, bitter or peppery? What taste does it leave after swallowing? Study the list of producers and the map to see where the nearest olive oil farm is to where you are staying.
Wine and wine routes
According to Vinistra (Association of Wine makers of Istria) it is all about the SOIL. The varying soil colour, from a deep red in coastal areas to white in the interior, enriches the wine making process and creates the fine white Malvazija and deep red Teran wines that Istria is famous for. See vinistra.com for in depth wine coverage. Do include at least an afternoon of tasting during your visit – there are plenty of wineries all over the peninsula. The Istrian County Tourist Board have made it easier to distinguish the best wines from the more ordinary and have produced a list of ”selected” wine producers. Look out for the names on restaurant wine lists when you would like to try a special bottle of something. The IQ (Istrian Quality) sign on the label signifies high quality Malvasia wine. Restaurants and Konoba will always have the local “ordinary” wines too which can be ordered in very small jugs, 2dcl (decilitre), 3dcl, half litre or litre jugs, often exceptionally good.
Biking and cycling
Parenzana, the route of the former railroad has been turned into a real attraction for hikers and bycicle riders. If you walk or cycle at least over a part of its 78 km route, you will be touched by its tunnels, bridges and viaducts, as well as by its fascinating woodlands and picturesque small towns at the top of the hills among whose town walls you can taste some most delicious regional specialties.
Biking centar Adrenalina, Pula
Type: Biking
Phone: 00385 91 5260180
Address: Premanturska 3
Destination: Pula
Windsurfing
Especially in the last few years Istria has always been an interesting windsurf destination in this part of Europe, but its popularity is growing even more. Due to its outstanding geographical position in the most southern part of the Istrian peninsula, Pula and its surroundings can offer the most optimal conditions for windsurfing such as – a constant presence of winds, the sea temperature between 15 and 24oC (in the period between April and December), 10 different windsurfing spots with the longest distance between any of them not bigger than 20 km, which enables you to choose the most acceptable location regarding the present weather conditions and wind directions (bura (a north/ north-east wind), jugo (a south/south-east wind, sirocco), maestral (a landward day breeze) or tramontana (a north-west wind)).
Windsurfing centar Premantura, Medulin
Type: Windsurfing
Phone: +385 (0)91 512 36 46
Address:
Destination: Premantura, Medulin
Hallowind – Extreme sports happening Premantura , Medulin
Type: Windsurfing
Phone: +385 (0)91 512 36 46
Address:
Destination: Premantura, Medulin
Novigrad Windsurfing , Novigrad
Type: Windsurfing
Phone:
Address:
Destination: Novigrad
Free climbing
So far Istria offers nine climbing sites: Zlatni rt near Rovinj, Lim Bay, Dvigrad, Istarske toplice, Raspadalica above Buzet, Vranjska draga near the Učka tunnel, near Pazin, Mošćenička Draga, Vintijan near Pula and Rabac. Nine ascents on the so-called short rocks, 20-30 m high, have 270 equipped ascents. Istrian rocks with many obstacles, are demanding both for top athletes and beginners. Apart from the beautiful intact nature more and more prized by free climbers, the rocks mostly face the south, enabling climbers to wear short sleeves even in colder weather.
Free Climbing Zlatni rt (Golden Cape), Rovinj
One of the most fascinating and largest protected park forests in the Mediterranean, also known as the international meeting place of free climbers. On the cliffs rising from the sea there are some 80 rock-climbing routes, mostly easier and suitable for beginners.
Free Climbing Istarske toplice, Buzet
Near the medieval city Motovun, along the Mirna River, rise tall rock barriers of which the most attractive ones are located above the very thermal spa ‘Istarske toplice’. There are 13 different climbing routes, measuring 22 to 90 meters.
Free Climbing Raspadalica, Buzet
Rising high above Buzet, on the slopes of Ćićarija, lies Raspadalica, the centre of extreme sports. On the cliff at Raspadalica there are some 30 climbing routes, measuring 8 to 30 metres in height.
Free Climbing Lim Bay, Rovinj
The deep valley Limska drage which starts near Pazin, ends at the seacoast north of Rovinj. At the end of this 12-kilometre-long bay known as Lim Bay stand the very impressive cliffs rising high above the very sea. This popular rock-climbing site has some 60 climbing routes up to 25 metres in height where you can climb all year round.
Free Climbing Dvigrad, Rovinj
Near the remains of Dvigrad, one of the most famous Istrian medieval towns that lies in the inner part of Limska draga, which was abandoned in the 17th century, is a rock-climbing site with 63 climbing routes. The most difficult and challenging route known as Malvasia was only climbed by the famed Italian climber Manolo–Maurizio Zanolla at the beginning of the 1990s.
Free Climbing Vranjska draga, Ucka
A must for every rock-climbing enthusiast, below the slopes of Mt. Učka, in the north-eastern part of Istria, lies the canyon Vranjska draga with the most amazing spired rocks. This unique site has some 50 climbing routes. The most attractive and amazing cliff is the 100-metre-high Great Tower (Veliki toranj) – natural phenomenon that will surely impress even those who are not so enthusiastic about rock-climbing.
Paragliding
Enjoy the magic of Istria from the Air ! Paragliding Tandem flight in Istria will take you over magical old towns. What better way is there to make your vacation a little bit adventurous? In a tandem you are able to fly without any previous experience. You will instantly become a part of our team. After a 15 min briefing you get to fly with a highly trained instructor, which is the easiest and safest way to experience the thrill of paragliding.
PJK Paragliding Istra
Type: Paragliding
Phone: +385 (0)98 922 8081
Email: info@istraparagliding.com
Web: www.istraparagliding.com
Address: Borgo 1
Destination: Motovun
Caving
Owing to its soil types (karst and limestone) Istria has a lot of underground caves. Several of them can be visited without much speleological knowledge and equipment while for a large number of them, you need more experience and specialized equipment. Underground chambers, streams, pits, lakes, crevices, gorges and petrifactions will surely inspire each visitor with enthusiasm. Apart from natural beauties, Istrian caves and pits are a treasury of animal and plant world (fish, frogs, dormice, crabs, bats), the most interesting among them being Proteus anguinus, endemic species that inhabits only these Karst areas.
Cave climbing centre Speleolit, Baredine
Type: Caving
Phone: +385 (0)92 110 0070
Address: Cave Baredine, Nova Vas
Destination: Baredine
Cave adventure Speleo Adventure, Buzet
Type: Caving
Phone: 00385 (0)98 924 73 00
Address:
Destination: Buzet
Paintball
Experience your holidays differently, relax yourself from everyday stress, strengthen your character and lift up the adventurous spirit. Let your holiday become a game! Paintball is an exciting game for both men and women of all age groups and lifestyles around the world. Let yourself go to the top entertainment, which is full of adrenaline in the natural environment.
Paintball Adrenalina, Rovinj
Type: Paintball
Phone: +385 (0)98 219 403
Address: Autocamp Polari
Destination: Rovinj
Paintball Club Pula, Medulin
Type: Paintball
Phone: +385 (0)98 381 313
Address: Pješčana Uvala, II ogranak 33
Destination: Pomer, Medulin
Paintball Club Freak Impuls, Rabac
Type: Paintball
Phone: 00385 91 5836060
Address: Plominska 7
Destination: Rabac
Paintball club Poreč, Porec
Type: Paintball
Phone: +385 (0)52 452 896
Address: Molindrio bb
Destination: Porec
Paintball club Green Garden, Pula
Type: Paintball
Phone: +385 (0)52 535 639
Address: go-cart track Pula
Destination: Pula
Paintball field Ližnjan, Medulin
Type: Paintball
Phone: +385 (0)98 331 908
Address:
Destination: Liznjan, Medulin
Paintball Arena Lanterna, Porec
Type: Paintball
Phone: +385 (0)95 398 73 63
Address: Lanterna bb
Destination: Tar, Porec
Adrenaline parks
Adrenalin Park, up in the trees, consists of winding paths situated high up within the forest itself. The construction made of steel slings, ropes and platforms is completely safe and suitable for anyone wanting to test their balance, concentration and physical condition. This park represents an innovation in tourist offer and is the ideal place for both adults and children that want to experience their daily dose of adrenaline.
Adrenaline park Umag, Umag
Type: Adrenaline park
Phone: +385 (0)98 217265
Address: Campsite Stella Maris
Destination: Umag
Adrenaline park Glavani, Glavani
Type: Adrenaline park
Phone: +385 (0)91 896 4525
Web: www.glavanipark.com
Address: Glavani
Destination: Glavani