As the COVID-19 pandemic slowly loosens its grip and climate change increasingly makes its presence felt, you may be looking for a beautiful, safe and sustainable place for a holiday. Istria ticks all your boxes!

This breathtakingly beautiful peninsula in the Adriatic Sea, lying mostly inside Croatia’s border, has good weather all year round, and Croatian, Slovenian and Italian cultures are responsibly preserved and celebrated. So it’s not surprising that Istria was recently crowned Community Category winner in Lonely Planet’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2021. Readers praised the wine, food, and the warm welcome. They loved the cosy stays on farms, the local produce and crafts, and the laid-back atmosphere of the area’s tiny hilltop villages.

“Istria offers authentic and unforgettable experiences... each of which gives back to the local communities,” said one reader.

We couldn’t agree more. Istria offers sustainable accommodation and experiences, and it’s easy to travel there by train or coach. Wherever you go, you’ll find places rich in history, culture, good cuisine and natural beauty.

Experience sustainably: Istrian Culture and Cuisine

Sustainability isn’t just about the environment and physical resources, it’s about society, economy and culture too. Preserving heritage and sharing it with visitors helps communities thrive and find employment. So, wander into tiny taverns and visit Istria’s eco-museums. Seek out local, traditional, and genuine goods, foods and experiences. Try samples and then support Istria’s businesses by buying your favourite products to take home—either to enjoy yourself or give as gifts.

You’ll discover amazing, locally produced extra virgin olive oils; for the sixth year in a row, Istria has been named the best quality olive region in the world by Flos Olei 2021 guide—the virgin olive oil ‘bible’. Istria also produces wonderful honey (including lavender honey from bees feasting on local lavender fields), vegetables, craft beers, flour, Istrian prosciutto and cheese. There will be local handicrafts and aromatic products made from Istrian lavender and honey too.

Istria is also famous for its wines, including its native, ruby red Teran wine and the fragrant, fruity, Malvazija, dating back to Ancient Greece. Istrian wines regularly win awards at prestigious competitions, including the largest global wine competition, Decanter. In 2019, Istrian wines won 6 gold medals there.

Blue Istria: The Coast and the Sea

Istria has 445 km (277 miles) of beautiful coastline. It’s home to picturesque coastal towns and traditional fishing villages, where you can enjoy the ‘catch of the day’ and a glass of Istrian wine as the sun goes down. You’ll also discover quiet coves and interesting lighthouses.

Istria has six marinas and 50 beaches that have been awarded the Blue Flag this year, meaning they’ve met and maintained stringent environmental, educational, safety and accessibility criteria. That means you can enjoy clear, crystal-clear blue waters, and help to keep them that way by choosing eco-friendly watersports and transport. Three Istrian beaches are also proud holders of the Green Beach award for “sustainably managed recreational beaches… able to include leisure and economic activities and, at the same time, preserve natural and cultural heritage”.

You’ll also find tennis courts nearly everywhere you go, plus golf courses and opportunities for horse-riding. Numerous cycling and walking paths take you through forests, olives groves, vineyards and hilltop villages.

Poreč

Poreč is most well-known for its beautiful 6th century Euphrasian Basilica complex with gem-studded Byzantine mosaics, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. But it also boasts beautiful Venetian Gothic palaces and the 13th century Parish House. There’s an Aquarium & Terrarium here too, and the Aquacolors Poreč Water Park close by. Poreč hosts numerous cycling events, so unsurprisingly, it’s well served by bike trails.

Poreč’s ‘Gradsko Kupalište’ or City beach, over 1 km long, holds the Green Beach award, and the town is surrounded by too many Blue Flag beaches to mention! It also has a Blue Flag marina, Marina Parentium.

Rovinj

Rovinj is one of Istria’s most popular spots and a major fishing port. So after a day exploring its steep cobbled streets or the lovely islands of its archipelago, why not enjoy a dinner of anchovies, sardines, mullet, scampi, shrimp, spider crab, octopus, squid or sea urchins, fresh from the sea?

You should also visit the interactive and fascinating Batana EcoMuseum. It’s a not-for-profit Museum, preserving the craftsmanship techniques of the batana, a type of traditional Rovinj fishing boat, and its associated dialect, songs, traditions and gastronomy. It won joint 1st prize for Intangible Heritage at the European Travel Commission’s Sustainable Cultural Tourism Awards in 2019, and was the first Croatia site to be placed on the UNESCO Register of Good Safeguarding Practices for the Intangible Cultural Heritage Of The World.

Rovinj has five Blue Flag beaches, including Amarin just to the north, with a mixture of pebbles, stone and paving and plenty of facilities.

Medulin

This small but lovely town sits in a peaceful bay with an archipelago of islets. Here you can enjoy golf, horse-riding or, for the more adventurous, there’s Medulin Adrenaline Park offering numerous activities in the forest, such as tree-top trails and archery. It’s also home to a lovely stone windmill and the Best Croatian Tree 2020, a beautiful 115-year-old Ladonja (Mediterranean hackberry)!

Rabac

Rabac on the eastern coast has beautiful white pebble beaches, including the Green Beach award holder Girandella beach. It's a popular place for watersports, tennis, volleyball and picigin, a traditional Croatian ball game. The picturesque medieval town of Labin is perched above Rabac on a 320-metre high hill.

Buje-Buie

Buje-Buie is the centre of Istria’s most famous wine and olive-growing district and a great place to start a vineyard or olive trail. Charming taverns are hidden away between beautiful historic buildings, and the magnificent Momjan Castle is nearby.

Vodnjan

This small town is famous for its mummified saints, crumbling neo-Gothic palaces and olive oil trails. There are also two eco-museums. At Istrian de Dignan, you can experience the tastes, smells and traditions of Istria, while at Park Kažuna, nearby, you can see learn about the traditional drywall methods used to build unique round stone shepherds’ huts, or kažuni.

Kamenjak Nature Park

Not far from Medulin lies the untouched Kamenjak Cape, now an extensive Nature Park. It has beautiful bays, clear water, wild orchids and fragrant shrubs and dozens of dinosaur footprints. It’s a beautiful place to swim, snorkel, picnic or hike, and windsurf off the coast.

Učka Nature Park

Učka Nature Park includes Istria’s highest peak, Vojak (1401 metres), and rewards climbers with views of the Italian Alps. Take the Vela Draga trail through a precipitous canyon with limestone columns, or stay on the ground and hike through beautiful meadows and forests, spotting rare griffon vultures, golden eagles and the Belliflower plant.