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Istria is the biggest peninsula in Croatia. Hilly and always green landscapes inhabited for millennia and sophisticated through the ages – Istria is also called “The Green Tuscany”. Istrian wines are world famous, Istrian olive oils are one of the best in the world, good ham, cheese, truffles, fresh fish, mussels, seafood … in Istria you will surely eat like a king. But not just culinary, also culturally, Istria is a “delicacy”. 3000 year of explored settlement history in some cities, monuments from all eras of cultural history, findings of human remains from million years ago makes Istria unique and special.
DURATION: 2 days
Standard departure time is 8:00 in front of your accommodation and can be customized according to your wishes.
Day 1 ZAGREB – HUM – MOTOVUN – PAZIN – VIŠNJAN – ROVINJ
First you will discover Hum, the Guinness World Record holder for the smallest town in the world, the centre of Glagolitic alphabet and beginnings of Croatian medieval literacy while bracing well-known home made wine and brandy. Motovun and Pazin, gentle and romantic small Istrian towns will fascinate you with their history and ancient stories through well known legends and myths. Climb the longest Istrian staircase which dates back to the Middle Ages, to the top of the Motovun hill and enjoy the spectacular view on the Mirna River valley. Taste the truffles from the famous Motovun forest while enjoying special Istrian wines, red wine Teran and white wine Malvasia. After wine-tasting and enjoying in Istrian delicacies, we will visit municipality Višnjan and a small city Tićan, a city distinguished in both, Croatia and worldwide, by its Astronomic Observatory. The Observatory, up to mid 2005, registered 1,750 discoveries of asteroids, which puts it among the twelve most prolific observatories in the world!
In Tićan we will discover hidden secret, an Istrian Stonhenge…. Find out how it got there…
Visit and experience the heart of Istria – Pazin, its castle and river Pazinčica that on its flow to Pazin form large and small cascades, small waterfalls and ponds, some of which are suitable for summer swimming. Do not miss the view into the crater Pazin pit, 130 meters beneath the walls of the castle, where the river ends its over ground stream. Discover why this karstic phenomenon inspired well known French writer Jules Verne.
At the end of such exciting day we are leaving Istrian picturesque hills and heading to the Adriatic coast, beautiful city Rovinj which has been declared as one among 10 most romantic destinations in Europe. Overnight in Rovinj.
Day 2 ROVINJ – PULA – OPATIJA – ZAGREB
In the morning, after breakfast, we are going to explore Rovinj, where we will relax in a cozy walk along the old town. We will take you for a walk along the labyrinth of cobblestone streets in Istria’s most charming coastal town. Enjoy the famous view from Rovinj peninsula; listen the old legend of St. Euphemia, the guardian of the city; we’ll explain you what is the tabakina from Rovinj and discover you many more secrets of this beautiful town.
We are leaving Rovinj and going to Pula to taste pure antiquity – the biggest town in Istria and its center since Roman times. We will introduce you to many Roman monuments that will tell us stories about rich and long history of Pula. We will find out whether the most famous symbol of the city, the amphitheater from the first century and the sixth largest in the world, was actually built because of love. You will hear the story how this great ancient city became the city of poor and misery in the Middle Ages and then again started to shine in the 19th century when it became the main Austrian naval base and a major shipbuilding center.
After having lunch in Pula, one more beautiful destination is waiting for us. Opatija – the queen of the Adriatic. The city is often called: THE OLD LADY, due to the architectural “grandeur” which is really unique and started long ago with the Austrian and Italian influences. On the terrace overlooking the blue Kvarner, great moves of powerful kings and emperors were negotiated. Even today, many years later, Opatija, like a beautiful lady, enjoys her riches and fullness of life. Opatija’s villas and hotels of exceptional architectural value, surrounded by the evergreen mountain Učka, healing sea and beautifully arranged parks, have perfectly combined the modern spirit and the benefits of a top tourist offer.
We will take a walk along the famous Opatija promenade and if we stop for a moment and close our eyes, we could still feel the breath of the old times, the steps of the Austrian nobles, the empire Franz Joseph himself and many other distinguished persons who have chosen this jewel of Adriatic for their vacation.
Our trip ends in the evening when we are coming back to Zagreb.
Please note: Prices are not fixed, they are flexible depending on a season period and hotel rates. Therefore we suggest you to send us a request so we could make for you a final offer. The travel arrangement can always be customized to your specific preferences. For more details, please send your request to info@crostory.com
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