Almeria Villa

Most travellers to Croatia head straight for the island-hopping delights of Dalmatia, on the southern coast of the country.  Here, it seems, there is an island to suit everyone, from hedonistic partygoers to laid-back holidaymakers looking for nothing but sun, sea and good food.  However, it is worth looking beyond the obvious attractions of the Dalmatian coast to the north of the country, the tiny peninsula of Istria, which has a lot to offer travellers of all descriptions.

Istria occupies a triangle of land that juts into the Adriatic just over the border from Trieste in Italy. Having passed through the hands of many different empires over the years, it has developed a melting-pot culture all of its own, with an indigenous countryside architecture, cuisine and tradition. Although it is a small region, just over a thousand square miles in total, it has a variety of geographical zones within it, from the coastal regions to the central mountains.  As a result, Istrian food offers an Italian-influenced ‘surf-n-turf’ dish with wild boar, venison, truffles, pasta and wonderful fresh fish and seafood.  A visit to Istria is a guaranteed gastronomic treat.

While the rocky coastline means that keen sunbathers might struggle to find a comfortable spot on the rocky, stony beaches, it also means that the sea is beautifully clear and blue, offering excellent snorkelling and diving opportunities.  The area is rich in history, with a fantastic Roman arena in the capital, Pula, and many beautiful Venetian churches in the coastal towns.  Istria offers holidaymakers a brilliant range of experiences out of proportion with the region’s tiny size.