The Croatian peninsula of Istria is still a relatively unexplored region, yet it is well-known for its truffles, cheese, and wine.
The usual scenario for a vacation in Istria includes soaking up the sun and cooling off in the crystal-clear Adriatic Sea.
This Croatian peninsula, however, has a bit more to offer than the usual sunbathing and sea-swimming activities. With temperatures dropping at the end of August, the Istrian inland is ready to be explored.
Toni Hrelja, founder of the villa rental company Villsy.com has shared his local insights on Istria’s inland and hilltop towns, just a two hour flight away from the UK.
Let’s take a look in more detail at the location.
What to do in Istria
Hum – the smallest city in the world
Hum is the smallest city in the world, only 100 metres long and 30 metres wide, situated on a 349-metre high hilltop with amazing views above the source of the Mirna River.
In the well-preserved mediaeval settlement, whose oldest remains date back to the 11th century, there are two cobblestone streets and three rows of houses, home to 52 people.
Legend says that the giants ran out of stones while building all the hilltop towns in the Mirna Valley, so Hum turned out to be so miniature.
There are a few shops once you arrive to try the local specialities and one tavern.
Motovun – best preserved mediaeval hilltop village
Motovun, a little hilltop village in central Istria, is home to 983 people but is still considered a village, not a town.
It is one of Istria’s best-preserved hilltop settlements, located on a 277-metre high summit, with a wonderful view of the surrounding hills, truffle-rich forests, and the River Mirna fields.
The picturesque village is known for its location and a film festival in July, which transforms it into a cultural party location for a few days.
Motovun has five restaurants and taverns, a few bars, and a shop, so you’re well settled once you get there.
The only thing you should prepare for is having good sandals or trainers for the steep walk to the top. Or if you’re not up to the challenge, you can hop on a little bus that drives to the view.
Završje – the birthplace of Robin Hood
The little village in central Istria, home to 39 people, became famous in 2018. It was one of the shooting locations for Otto Bathurst’s Robin Hood.
One of the old, shabby houses was used to depict the birthplace of the hero, played by Taron Egerton. It played its part as a mediaeval East Midlands.
Apart from its Hollywood fame, Završje is a village built on a 250-metre high hilltop, with amazing views of the surrounding forests and valleys at every step.
Before you visit, be prepared. There are no bars, restaurants, or shops there.
Grožnjan – hilltop view and artistic vibe
The artistic vibe is the one thing that differentiates Grožnjan from the rest of Istria’s hilltop towns. Home to 142 people during the year, this little village becomes an artistic colony during the summer.
A walk through the cobblestone-paved narrow alleys is filled with little local art and food stores, accompanied by the sounds of music – Grožnjan is a summer musical centre for young musicians.
This musical tradition began in 1965 when artists from all over the world came to play in houses that Italians abandoned after World War II.
Oprtalj – a view over the vineyards
Oprtalj is a charming little village on a 378-metre high hilltop overlooking local vineyards, olive gardens, and forests.
This is a destination you need to visit if you’re absolutely done with crowds. This quiet place was vibrant at the beginning of the last century when a railroad between Trieste and Poreč was operating. Now, it has just a few souvenir shops and a nice tavern.
It’s so out of the way that, besides a few photos, you won’t find any reviews on TripAdvisor. It seems it is still a hidden gem.
How to get to Istria
Istrian hilltop towns are just a few hours away from the UK, and low-budget airline EasyJet has two direct flight routes to the local airport in Pula. They are:
To reach all of the hilltop towns, depending on the location of your accommodation, a rental car or bike is needed. The maximum journey time is 45 minutes, as Istria itself isn’t very big.