Villa Polana

Just 10 minutes from Poreč, a vibrant town of culture, tourism, sport and entertainment, with one of the most important Western Byzantine churches outside Italy, Villa Polana is ideally placed to enjoy all the best bits of Istria. Poreč is also the party hub of the peninsula, showing how diverse this region is! About 20 minutes north is the town of Novigrad, small and quaint with a beautiful Marina.

A charming heart-shaped peninsula in the north-west of Croatia, Istria is warm, welcoming and perfectly-sized – you can drive the length in around an hour, putting everything within easy reach!

From breath-taking scenery, rich history and a world-famous culinary scene – you will find it all in Istria! As a former part of the Venetian Republic, this region has seen many rulers from the Romans, Byzantines and Austro-Hungarians to the Italians and Yugoslavians. Now, a myriad of enchanting towns and villages, rich in history and culture, are nestled among the undulating countryside.

Active holiday-makers will be delighted with the offerings: from windsurfing in Medulin to scuba diving in the Brijuni National park and rock climbing, hang-gliding and walking in Buzet along the 15km ‘seven waterfalls’ walk, Istria has it all.

Both along the dramatic coastal paths and in the mountains inland, you will find an abundance of natural paths for cycling (including the scenic Parenzana route over an old railway line from Viznada to the Slovenian border) and rugged off-road hiking trails. Pick up a trail-map from any of the Tourist Offices, for loads of well-marked routes around the coast and in the Cape Kamenjak.

Much like its neighbouring Italy, Istria is a gastronome’s paradise, home to world-class cuisine and endless rows of vineyards. Be sure to try the local wines, which are often sweet and fruity, using a wide variety of grapes including white Malvasia, red Terrano and Moscato. Istria is especially famous for its truffles, which you will find served with any dish and sauce! Truffle flavoured olive oil is a typical product of the region, and indeed, you will hardly find a village which does not have its own Olive oil ‘supermarket’!

Unlike the rest of Croatia, Istrian food tends to be light and heavily influenced by its Italian neighbours. Generally, pasta, gnocchi, risotto and polenta accompany each meal, while the coastal areas specialise in a fantastic array of seafood, including scampi, squid and sole and inland it is more common to find prosciutto, or ‘pršut’, and sausages.

Both Rijeka and Pula have international airports within a short drive of the villa, while Pula is the main hub for those getting ferries, although there is a daily ferry between Poreč and Venice.

This heart-shaped peninsula was the birthplace of modern Croatian tourism, and it’s easy to see why. Its history has bestowed it with Italian sophistication, most obviously seen in pastel-painted coastal towns, like romantic Rovinj. But, tear yourself away from the Istrian coast, through the vineyards, olive groves, and dense forests, and you will discover brilliantly preserved medieval towns and villages, where cobbled streets reveal quaint galleries, sweet squares and sea-views.

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