Things to do in Istria: 25 ideas for every kind of trip

Istria is small enough to cross in an hour and a half, yet most people leave feeling they have only seen half of it. On one side there is the sea: Venetian harbour towns, pine-shaded coves and islands. On the other, a green interior of hill towns, vineyards, oak woods and truffles. This list gathers the 25 things we would recommend to a friend, grouped by kind, with a link to our full guide for each. Pick a handful, leave room for long lunches, and save the rest for next time.

Towns and history

1. Stand inside the Pula Arena. One of the best-preserved Roman amphitheatres in the world, still used for concerts and film screenings. Then walk to the Temple of Augustus and the Forum. Read Pula beyond the Arena and Roman Istria.
2. Climb the bell tower in Rovinj. The old town rises to the church of St Euphemia, and the view from the top takes in the harbour and the islands. Our Rovinj travel guide covers the lanes, beaches and the best time to visit.
3. See the mosaics of the Euphrasian Basilica. The sixth-century basilica in Poreč is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and its gold apse mosaics are among the finest in Europe. Start with Poreč and the Euphrasian Basilica.
4. Walk the walls of Motovun. The most famous hill town in Istria looks over the Mirna valley and the Motovun forest. Stay overnight for the quiet: see a slow weekend in Motovun.
5. Visit Grožnjan, the town of artists. Galleries, music in summer and a sleepy charm out of season. Our Grožnjan guide explains why musicians come here every year.
6. Drive the Glagolitic Alley to Hum. A road of stone monuments to the old Slavic script leads to Hum, which calls itself the smallest town in the world. See Hum and Buzet and Roč.
7. Meet the Dance of Death at Beram. A small church near Pazin hides one of the most striking fifteenth-century frescoes in Europe. Read the Beram frescoes, then continue to Pazin castle and the abyss.
8. Explore the ruins of Dvigrad. An abandoned medieval town in a quiet valley, with walls and towers you can wander freely. See Dvigrad.
9. Look for the lion of St Mark. Venice ruled much of the coast for centuries and left loggias, palaces and winged lions everywhere. Our guide to Venetian heritage in Istria shows where.

Sea, beaches and boats

1. Swim at Cape Kamenjak. A protected cape at the southern tip with dozens of wild coves, clear water and cliffs. Read Kamenjak and Premantura and our list of the best beaches in Istria.
2. Take a boat into Lim Bay. A long, narrow inlet between wooded slopes, famous for its oysters. See Lim Bay and our guide to boat trips in Istria.
3. Spend a day on Brijuni. A national park of Roman ruins, deer, ancient olives and Tito's legacy, a short boat ride from Fažana. Plan it with Brijuni National Park.
4. Paddle a kayak along the cliffs. The quietest way to see the coast, from Kamenjak to the islets off Vrsar. Read sea kayaking in Istria.
5. Dive the Baron Gautsch. One of the best-known wrecks in the Adriatic lies off Rovinj, for experienced divers. See diving in Istria.
6. Watch the sun go down over the sea. The west coast faces the sunset, and some evenings feel staged. Our best sunset spots and lighthouses of Istria tell you where to stand.

Pick a handful, leave room for long lunches, and save the rest for next time.

Food and wine

1. Eat truffles in season. White truffles in autumn, black ones for much of the year, shaved over fuži or eggs. Read truffle season in Istria.
2. Taste Malvazija and Teran at the source. Family wineries open their cellars across the interior. Start with the wines of Istria and how to visit wineries.
3. Learn to taste olive oil. Istrian extra virgin oil is grassy, bitter and peppery, as it should be. See olive oil tasting in Istria.
4. Have a long lunch in a konoba. Prosciutto, cheese, maneštra and home-made pasta in a stone dining room. Read our konoba guide and guide to Istrian cuisine.
5. Eat oysters at Lim or fish in Fažana. Shellfish from the bay, sardines and the day's catch on the quay. See seafood of the Adriatic and Fažana.

Outdoors and inland

1. Cycle the Parenzana. A former narrow-gauge railway turned into a cycle path through tunnels, viaducts and hill towns. Read the Parenzana and cycling in Istria.
2. Hike Učka. The mountain above the east coast has beech woods, a canyon and views over the whole of Istria and the Kvarner. See hiking in Učka Nature Park.
3. Go underground at Baredine. Stalactites, an underground lake and the pale olm, a cave salamander found only in the karst. Read the caves of Istria.
4. Find the best viewpoints. Hilltop churches and village walls with views to the sea, the Alps and Učka. See the best viewpoints in Istria.
5. Discover the quiet east. Labin's old town, the coves of Rabac and little-visited hill towns such as Pićan and Gračišće. Read Labin and Rabac and Pićan and Gračišće.

Things to do in Istria by type of trip

• With children. Sandy and shallow beaches, Baredine cave, Brijuni's safari park and the Parenzana by bike. See Istria with children and sandy beaches.
• As a couple. A night in Motovun, a sunset in Rovinj, a long lunch with wine. Read a romantic weekend in Istria.
• When it rains. Caves, castles, museums, tastings. Our list for a rainy day in Istria has ten ideas.
• With a dog. Several beaches welcome dogs; see dog-friendly beaches.
• For culture. Film, music and food festivals fill the calendar. See festivals in Istria.

When to go and how to plan

July and August are best for swimming and boat trips, but also the busiest and hottest months. Late May, June and September are the sweet spot for most of this list, and autumn belongs to truffles, new olive oil and wine. Our Istria month by month and best time to visit guides go into detail.

A car makes everything easier, because the interior is poorly served by buses. Read getting to Istria and driving in Istria before you book. For a ready-made route, follow our three-day or seven-day itinerary, and choose a base with where to stay in Istria.

• Do not overplan. Two or three things a day is plenty. Distances are short, but lunches are long.
• Mix coast and interior. A morning in a hill town, an afternoon swim: Istria rewards the contrast.
• Book ahead in summer. Brijuni, popular konobas and boat trips fill up in July and August.
• Check opening times. Many sights and restaurants run on seasonal hours, especially inland.

However you spend your days, you will probably end them the same way: on a terrace, with a glass of Malvazija and the light fading over the hills. It is the Istrian evening, and it is why so many people who come once end up looking at houses. If that happens to you, the rest of Atrij is here to help.