At 3,500 km², Istria is the largest peninsula on the northern Adriatic. The region borders Slovenia to the north and Croatia’s Kvarner Bay to the west. Thanks to its central location and the many fantastic bathing bays, Istria is one of the top destinations for a summer holiday in Croatia. However, this holiday region has much more to offer than the sun and sea, because beautiful Istria is home to some of the best sights in Croatia.
Kamenjak Nature Park
One of the most beautiful day trip destinations in Istria is Cape Kamenjak , a stunning nature reserve on the outskirts of the resort town of Premantura. The highlight of the park is the impressive 30 km long, rugged coastline, where the most spectacular cliffs in the entire region are located. In addition, countless hiking trails and bicycle routes lead through the park along a fantastic landscape. On the way you visit a small dinosaur trail and take a break in a really cool safari bar with an adventure playground. The many small, hidden bays and beaches , which are among the most beautiful in Istria, are also beautiful.
If you come in winter, with a bit of luck you can even see gray seals and dolphins! In summer, on the other hand, the Kamenjak Nature Park is a popular place for swimming and relaxing.
Zarecki Krov waterfall
The Zarečki Krov is probably the most beautiful waterfall in Istria and was until recently a real insider tip. It is located inland, not far from the town of Pazin and inspires with an extraordinary backdrop. This waterfall tumbles over 10 meters into a pool with impressively luminous turquoise water colors that create an absolutely magical ambience with the surrounding forests and the spectacular rock formation. Locals in particular know this wonderful spot , where people meet for picnics, swimming and cliff jumping.
Cave Jama Baredine
Another interesting attraction and also a popular tourist destination in Istria is the Jama Baredine Cave . This breathtakingly beautiful stalactite cave is probably one of the most impressive in Croatia! On a guided tour you can visit five halls with incredibly impressive rock and stalactite formations. The rare grotto olm can also be discovered here. This cave has been open to the public since 1995 and can be visited on a grotto tour from April to October. A real highlight that will delight both adults and children!
Lim channel
The Lim Channel runs between the holiday regions of Vrsar and Rovinj and is a true natural beauty in Istria. It has a length of around 11 kilometers and leads through a picturesque river valley into the sea. Thanks to the relatively low salt and high oxygen content, fish and mussels are bred here. Boat trips into the Limski Fjord are a popular activity offered in the surrounding resorts. But even if you are traveling by car, you can enjoy beautiful viewpoints over the canal along the coastal road.
Brijuni National Park
A popular destination in Istria is the Brijuni National Park , near the resort of Fazana . It is an archipelago of 14 islands or islets, which has been a nature reserve since 1983. Daily excursion boats and a ferry bring visitors to the largest island, Veli Brijun. Here you can visit some highlights, such as the local safari park with llamas and zebras, a bird sanctuary in the south of the island and interesting archaeological sites. The approximately 24-kilometer-long bicycle network is also really nice and invites you to go on long bike tours .
Pula Arena
It was built in the 1st century AD during the reign of Emperor Vespasian, at the same time as the magnificent Colosseum in Rome.
The ground plan is elliptical, the longer axis measuring about 130 m and the shorter one about 100 m. Gladiator fights took place in the central flat area called the arena, while the spectators could sit on the stone tiers or stand in the gallery. It is believed that the Amphitheater could seat about 20,000 spectators. Local limestone was used for its construction. In the Middle Ages it was the site of knights tournaments and fairs.
Today, it is the venue for many different events – Pula Film Festival, various concerts, opera, ballet, sports competitions… since its capacity is about 5000 spectators.
Istralandia
The multiple awarded Aquapark located in hinterland of Novigrad has for two consecutive years won the prestige 5th place in the categors of bet european waterparks (Europe’s best Waterparks) among more than 300 others. Therefore, Istralandia enters the news season 2018 with numerous safe and fun attractions as well as many news inspired by the wihes and needs of our visitors.
Manjadvorci riding
In 2001, in the Istrian village Manjadvorci only 18 km away from Pula, appeared the Ranch Barba Tone. Since then, twenty horses carried on their backs hundreds of tourists – riders and non-riders. The vast majority of tourists is returning – discover for yourself why.We are here for you every day throughout the year.
We’ll take you for trips that last for hours, to the sea where you will have the unique opportunity to swim with these noble animals. On day trips you will also see the Vicina cave while riding the horse. For those who want to know more you will learn all about Istrian historical landmarks in the most ancient town of the largest Croatian peninsula – the town of Nesactium. The most enduring skilled riders are in for exciting one-day or several days of trekking across the entire Istria and during all seasons.
DinoPark
Dinopark Funtana is a fantastic destination for an exciting and authentic family day trip. Located in the very heart of Istria, only couple of minutes from Poreč, Dinopark is the first and the largest theme park in Croatia. One of many attractions is a 1000 seat Show Arena where you can see various artists and acrobats perform twice daily in a Variate Jurrasic Show. Outside under the shade of natural forest you can experience different adrenalin rides – the Dragon Coaster fast train, pirate ship Tortuga and Fly Coaster carousel or join a Fossil Safari digging site and become a paleontologist for a day.
Most kids favourite activities include riding real ponies and vising the Kids Zoo to feed the animals. And only in Dinopark Funtana you can ride the dinosaurs as well!
Cace Feštinsko Kingdom
The cave is a natural cavity in the Earth´s crust. Croatia is dominated by caves if karst relief deposits of limestone and dolomite shaped by the chemical and mechanical action of water. In addition to these rocks, caves have also been shaped in layers of gypsum, salt, magma rock, conglomerate, breccia and even ice.
The basic structure of a cave is made up of the entrance, the channel and the hall. The cave channel is the elongated portion of the cavity, while the hall is a more spacious area most frequently formed by the broadening of the cave channels. Caves that have no connection with the surface are called caverns.
The people who explore caves are known as speleologists, while cave exploration is called speleology.
