Croatia, Istria. Peninsula Istria, Croatia. Beaches of Istria, Croatia

The silver-casting Adriatic Sea looks like a mirror reflecting the history of the inhabitants of the eastern coast: Illyrians, Romans, Slavs ... On the shore of these amazing waters lies the largest peninsula of the Adriatic - Istria (its map will be given below). On its territory there are small villages, adjacent to the slopes of the mountains; Amazing medieval towns; Beautiful hills, covered with vineyards, olive groves, orchards and pastures. And also the fabulous beaches attracting tourists from all over the world every year. If you want to spend your vacation in a country like Croatia, Istria is an excellent option for a vacation. Next, we will talk about the most famous places in Istria.

Rovinj

Once it was a small fishing village, where in addition to the fishermen lived famous seafarers and even pirates. Walking up and down the intricate narrow alleys make up the Old Town, where you will see old streets and houses that stretch along the hill of Monte Ross. Above them, as on the throne, stands one of the largest churches of Istria - the Abode of St. Euphemia. Its 60-meter high bell tower is crowned with a holy statue, in honor of which the monastery is named. In the central square of the city you can also admire the Town Hall, and afterwards visit the city museum located in the Palace of Kaliffi. By the cobbled streets of the old town you can go to the pier where you will see a noisy and colorful spectacle of fishing boats, sailing boats, yachts and motor boats, which you can watch until the evening. In the same place you will get the opportunity to purchase a lot of different souvenirs, leaving yourself a memory of this amazing corner, which Croatia is so proud of. Istria also has other places of interest, which we'll discuss further.

Lim Fjord

Many cruise boats depart from Rovinj, on one of which you can go to the Limsk fjord - one of the most picturesque places in Istria. Be sure to visit the pirate caves, where once the sea bandits were hiding. Today travelers come here on excursions. Also here they make adventure films. The fjord lies between Rovinj and Vrsar, representing a beautiful bay with an excellent greenish shade of waters.

Vrsar

Now Vrsar is a romantic sunny town on the Adriatic coast. From the pier, steep medieval streets lead up to the old part of the city. It offers a beautiful view of the endless islands of various sizes, among which there are both naked rocky and entirely covered with greenery, but for holidaymakers they are equally magnificent. The "crown" of the Old City can be called a church in the Venetian style - the Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary, behind which is the rest home of the bishops of Poreč XII-XIII centuries.

Porec

Poreč is a spiritual town with a lot of monuments, monuments of architecture, interesting history and endless streams of tourists. In the evening, tourists are entertained by street musicians and puppeteers, and at other times everyone is eager to visit the sights of the city: the building of the magistrate, which has survived since Venetian times, the ancient Marafor square, the Euphrasian basilica, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, City fortifications and other interesting places. Do not miss the opportunity to visit the restaurants and cafes of the city, where seafood is very popular. The heart of the town is Dekumanus Street, which awakens only in the evening, when local cafes, shops and discos are filled with crowds of tourists. For a year along the street there are about 1 million tourists, which is as much as 100 times more than the population of the town itself. In general, Porec should be on the mandatory visit list if you decide to spend your holiday in Croatia. Istria, as you can see, is full of fascinating places. But we will not dwell on, we go further.

Pula

The city of Pula stands on the edge of the Istrian peninsula. It is considered the economic, industrial and commercial center of the region. On 8 hills, the Romans founded a city called Paul. In the heyday of the Roman Empire in Pula, a remarkable amphitheater was built, the size of which is simply amazing. To see it personally, Pula is visited by tens of thousands of tourists every year. On the hill above the amphitheater, stands the Franciscan church, and in place of the old forum stands the Augustus temple with the Corinthian colonnade, where you can contemplate the exhibition of ancient statues. The road to the archaeological museum and the theater, in which still give performances, leads through the triumphal arch of Sergius, which is also called the Golden Gate. Be sure to visit this city-museum, which has more than 2,000 years of history, if you rest in Croatia.

Rabac

Rabac is a noisy tourist area, which can be accessed through the city of Labin, built on a mountain. Here, new hotels and villas are built with horrendous speed, and seamen, surfers, lovers of active sea hobbies and ordinary tourists come to the bay to come and rest from the gray everyday life. From the walkways or terraces of restaurants you can watch with pleasure, as white ships glide through the emerald water. It is here that thousands of tourists enjoy sunny warmth and caressing waves of the Adriatic, because in Rabac there are the best beaches of Istria. Croatia is not rich in golden sandy beaches, and therefore Rabac can boast only large-peaked coasts. In clean water, you can see hundreds of marine animals, so take with you (or buy in the nearest shop) a mask for diving. Those wishing to immerse themselves in great depths can take part in training in diving. There are also nudist beaches in Rabac .

Pazin

Pazin today is the most important economic center of Istria. The business card of the city is a magnificent medieval castle erected on a high rock. The gates in the courtyard lead to the ethnographic museum, which gathered a lot of exhibits, which tell about the everyday life of the inhabitants of the region for centuries. Among other things, the collection of Istrian bells surprises. The castle stands over a 120-meter-high abyss, in which the Pazinchitsa river disappears (further it flows underground). In addition to the castle, in Pasin you should visit the church of St. Nicholas, built in the Gothic style.

Umag

One of the most picturesque cities in Croatia, located in the north-west of Istria, attracts more than a million tourists annually. Undoubtedly, the Old Town deserves a separate mention, where the buildings of the Middle Ages and even Antiquities were perfectly preserved. The main attraction of this village is the St. Roch Church, built in the 16th century. Other architectural monuments include the church of St. Peregrina, the historical museum, the lighthouse in Savudrija and other equally interesting places. However, what Umag really lures is colorful beaches off the Adriatic coast, where travelers from all over Europe and the world take great pleasure in it. Umag can offer travelers a lot of comfortable hotels, cafes, nightclubs and restaurants, which makes it a first-class resort, which boasts Croatia. Istria is rich in such towns, however, they will be listed for a long time, because this region has a very long and rich history, and its geographic location makes the peninsula a tasty morsel for any traveler.

Interesting Facts

• The peninsula Istria (Croatia) is the largest peninsula of the Adriatic, with an area of 18 000 km ² .
• The annual number of tourists is about 5 million, increasing with each season.
• On the territory of Istria there is the smallest town in the world - Hum, numbering only 17 inhabitants.
• Like the whole of Croatia, Istria is densely covered with forests. Oak, elm and pine are the basis of these arrays. This combination of deciduous and coniferous trees will favorably affect the health of people who have problems with the respiratory system.
• The population of Istria is about 600 thousand people (along with the Slovenian part of the peninsula).

Finally

All that only an average tourist needs, can offer the resorts of Istria. Croatia has long been an attractive tourist destination in Europe, where Istria is the most popular region. It should be noted a pleasant fact: the cost of a full rest at the resorts of the peninsula will cost you many times cheaper than in Italy or, for example, France. As a rule, the cost of tours varies from 800 to 1200 dollars per person. As we already mentioned earlier, Istria is the most popular tourist region of the country, as if nature itself created all the conditions for an excellent holiday, and the history of cities soaked with centuries only complements the overall picture. Believe me, Istria, whose tourists' reviews are more eloquent than the most flattering praises, will not leave you indifferent and will certainly attract more than once.