The idea of Croatia as one of Europe’s last hidden destinations is long overdue. This glorious part of the Balkans has grown enormously since it broke away from breakaway Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. Certainly, since the turn of the century, it has become one of the most popular vacation options in the Mediterranean. Its profile is sure to expand even further. The Dalmatian coast and the many islands scattered along it are a well-known place. Even Zagreb – a relatively underrated capital city from a European perspective – tops many urban vandals’ lists.
However, an atmosphere of relative mystery still hangs over one corner of Croatia. It’s an area that, if it doesn’t elicit a shrug of absolute ignorance, still elicits strangely perplexed looks and requests for clarification. Its farthest, uppermost corner. Istria.
The peninsula boasts some 200 miles of coastline; two-thirds of it lies in the open Adriatic Sea, and the rest in the sheltered waters of the Gulf of Kvarner. Here you’ll find elegant resort towns, several sizable cities, and some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe. You’ll also find everything you need for a high season vacation – chic hotels and villas, tantalizing restaurants and cuisine, and plenty of history, some of it very old.
The Istrian Peninsula is not large. From Savudrija, the most northwestern village in Croatia, it’s only a 60-mile, one-hour drive to Medulin at the southern tip of the peninsula. This is not a destination where you need to worry about traveling long distances. Just pick a town and a resort and settle.
Although Pula is not the capital of Istria County, Croatia, it is its largest city. This size brings with it a certain majesty – much of which is associated with the ancient world. It is no exaggeration to say that its Roman amphitheater is the greatest such structure apart from the Roman Colosseum. An arena of honeyed stone, strong and sturdy, it was built between 27 B.C. and A.D. 68. It is still in use today as a performance venue. Nor is it a solitary relic. The Temple of Augustus, built at the same time, is the highlight of Trg Forum (Forum Square), with its four Corinthian columns standing proudly.
There are bars and cafes on Kandlerova Ulica, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Istria has an interesting collection of works by Croatian artists – but Pula is a busy port, and it’s unlikely you’ll want to spend your entire vacation here. That said, the Grand Hotel Brioni has an enviable beachfront location, with a swimming pool, two miles south of the city center.
Pula is also the gateway to the Brijonese Islands, a group of 14 miraculously unspoiled jigsaw puzzles that are now a national park, and easily reached by a 10-minute ferry ride from Fasana. The largest island, Veliki Brijun, also carries on its Roman past. A first-century B.C. villa sits above the beach in the beautiful Verige Bay.
