Do you dream of blue waters and hilltop towns within minutes of each other? Do you like to explore beaches and hillside wine country on the same day? If so, Croatia is the place for you. As we prepared for our first trip to Croatia, we struggled to decide which towns to see. With only a few days to explore the north-western tip of Croatia, the Istrian Peninsula, we spent countless hours researching where to spend our time. These three towns in Istria stood out as the most spectacular – do not miss them on a first-time visit!
Top 3 Towns in Istria, Croatia:
1) Rovinj
Our first pick for towns in Istria, Rovinj, is highly recommended as a base for seeing the rest of this area. This coastal town does not disappoint. We spent many hours researching which seaside town to use as our base and we were very happy we ended up in Rovinj. We suggest spending a day/afternoon at Red Island for lovely views of Rovinj and some of the areas best beaches. Speaking of beaches, there are others near Rovinj (without the ferry ride) tucked away off gravel roads. The city itself has a rocky beach with a lovely view of the sunset. Many local bars and cafes overlook this beach in the heart of Rovinj and even serve drinks right on the rocky beach itself! Be sure to walk over to the main marina for some sunset views looking back over Old Town (pictures are incredible).
2) Motovun
A little under an hour from Rovinj, you will find the hilltop town, Motovun. This little town is truly on a hill! We recommend driving all the way up until it turns pedestrian only and parking near that area. The people we passed walking up from the parking below did not seem to be enjoying the hike! Once you get into the pedestrian zone be prepared for some more walking up into the town. But as you pass the various shops and restaurants on this narrow cobble stone street – you won’t mind the walk! Be sure to stop at Konoba Mondo on your way into the center of town for some food – it was AMAZING (Anthony Bordain ate there!!). After walking through the center, enjoy a stroll around the outer walls of the town to see gorgeous views of the surrounding landscape!
3) Groznjan
Groznjan is extremely small. But it is quite possibly my top town out of ALL of Europe as the most quaint and cute. Every street seemed like something right out of a movie – it truly did not feel real. It does not take long to walk through all of this small town but enjoy your time taking pictures with the bright colored shutters, ivy walls, and array of flowers.
Love the pictures?! Enjoy our video highlights of these three Croatian towns:
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~Brooke Hartman
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