Inland Istria Travel Guide

It isn't easy being green in a country where blue is the dominant color, but the Istrian interior's countless hues of vegetation sparkling beneath the sun hint at the unspoiled nature and unique experiences that await those who venture into this often overlooked part of Croatia. It hits you as you exit the deep blackness of Ucka Tunnel in the east or as you drive away from the golden brightness of the Istrian Coast in the west: This is territory that feeds the senses -- all of them. In Green Istria you can take time to breathe the perfumed air, listen to the birds chatter, touch the rough stone of a medieval castle, or savor the taste of local wines.

Inland Istria is a land of discovery where you can climb a hill to listen to cool jazz at Groznjan, travel the wine road through Momjan, watch films under a night sky in Motovun, or soak in hot spring waters at Istarske Toplice. Inland Istria is where you can marvel at still-vibrant 15th-century frescoes in a woodland church near tiny Beram, or tramp through the woods outside Buzet while following a couple of dogs hunting truffles.

Inland Istria is where you can feast on an elaborate dinner in an award-winning restaurant in Livade and wake up the next morning to a breakfast of home-smoked ham, homegrown fruit, and homemade cheese in the kitchen of the rural farmhouse where you spent the night. During the day, you can nose around Glagolitic artifacts in tiny Hum or explore the historic walled city of Roc. Inland Istria allows travelers to immerse themselves in the land and its people who reside there.