Istria Tour itinerary

Istria experience starts in Zagreb when our guide picks you up at your accommodation. The drive from Zagreb to Pula is approximately 3 hours so we always recommend an early start for this tour. So, our first stop is the city of Pula.

PULA – the biggest city and the center of the Istrian peninsula. The earliest mentioning of the city was in the 10 century BC when it was founded by an ancient tribe. The city was well known by the Greek travelers and sailors so it was also included in some Greek myths. The Romans have made the city strong in the 1^st century and you will explore with us the vivid remains of that era. It is well known for the roman architecture and the most famous of them is Arena, one of the best preserved amphitheaters in the world, the several gates to the city ( Arch of the Sergii, gate of Hercules…) or the Temple of Augustus.

After a 45 minute drive you arrive at ROVINJ. The city was also founded by the Istrian tribes. It was built on a small island close to the mainland and in the 18^th was connected to it. It was ruled for 5 centuries by the Venice so both Italian and Croatian language are official in the city. During this period the walls were built around the city and the remains are seen even today. Rovinj is a real gem and adored by tourists because in reality on every step you take you are forced to take another photo.

Another 45 minute drive and we are in POREČ – the old town almost 2000 years old is most famous for its Euphrasian basilica, which is from 1997. on the UNESCO world heritage list. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Istria. You can still notice the roman influence and the architecture in the city. You will walk the main streets, still preserved in its original form.

We have 3 more hours to return to Zagreb in the late evening.

Prices for private Istria day tour:

Istria Tour places

Pula

Pula or Pola is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia and the eighth largest city in the country, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 57,460 in 2011. It is known for its multitude of ancient Roman buildings, the most famous of which is the Pula Arena, one of the best preserved Roman amphitheaters, and its beautiful sea. The city has a long tradition of wine making, fishing, shipbuilding, and tourism. It has also been Istria’s administrative center since ancient Roman times.

Rovinj

Rovinj/Rovigno is a city in Croatia situated on the north Adriatic Sea with a population of 14,294 (2011). Located on the western coast of the Istrian peninsula, it is a popular tourist resort and an active fishing port. Istriot, a Romance language once widely spoken in this part of Istria, is still spoken by some of the residents. The town is officially bilingual, Italian and Croatian, hence both town names are official and equal.
Poreč/Parenzo (Latin: Parens or Parentium) is a town and municipality on the western coast of the Istrian peninsula, in Istria County, Croatia. Its major landmark is the 6th-century Euphrasian Basilica, which in 1997 was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[3]

Poreč

The town of Poreč/Parenzo is almost 2,000 years old, and is set around a harbor protected from the sea by the small island of Sveti Nikola/San Nicola (Saint Nicholas). The town’s population of approximately 12,000 resides mostly on the outskirts, while the wider Poreč/Parenzo area has a population of approximately 17,000 inhabitants. The municipal area covers 142 square kilometers (55 sq mi), with the 37 kilometers (23 miles) long shoreline stretching from the Mirna River near Novigrad/Cittanova to Funtana and Vrsar/Orsera in the south. Ever since the 1970s, the coast of Poreč/Parenzo and neighboring Rovinj has been the most visited tourist destination in Croatia.

Tour route: Zagreb – Poreč – Rovinj – Pula