Weekender: Istria

Tucked away in Croatia’s northwest corner, the peninsula offers a serene Adriatic escape

Istria isn’t the sort of place that likes to interrupt. Stand on the shore anywhere between Fažana and Umag, as the sea laps the shingle and families chatter quietly, and you’ll understand: a 60-mile-long peninsula that juts down, like the lower half of a diamond, below Slovenia and the northeastern corner of Italy, this is Croatia at its unhurried best.

True, there are towns — and one city, Pula — dotted along its west coast, where the Adriatic meets the shore under the shadow of chic hotels. But venture inland, and the region reveals its rustic heart, one where wineries and truffle farms are tucked into the landscape, mountains rising up silently on the horizon.

With life moving at a gentle pace, Istria is easily explored. Thanks to excellent roads, you can drive from the bottom to the top of the peninsula in an hour, which means more time to absorb its most captivating qualities — from quiet coves to Roman ruins and restaurant terraces — without ever feeling in a rush.

The seaside town of Rovinj, overlooking the Adriatic RIGHT: Drinks on a terrace in Rovinj old town