National Geographic Traveller (UK)
DAY ONE SEAFRONT TOWNS & BEACHES
MORNING
Base yourself in Poreč, the westcoast town that’s thrived on its natural harbour for the best part of three millennia. The historical highlight is the Euphrasian Basilica — a sixth-century feast of mosaics and piety that was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997. The core of the town, squeezed onto a narrow peninsula of its own, spreads out in the shadow of this celebrated church, and the seafront promenade of Obala Maršala Tita is perfect for a leisurely wander. Don’t miss the main square, Trg Marafor, which was once the Roman Forum; the ‘Romanesque House’ on it dates to the 13th century.
AFTERNOON
Head to the beach. Generally, things are less busy the further south you go: you might not meet another sunbather if you aim for Marić Beach, just beyond the village of Barbariga. Elsewhere, Stella Maris Beach, in northerly Umag, is something of a local hotspot attracting the area’s families, who come for the calm, sheltered lagoon and loungers on the shingle. If you’re looking for a more secluded spot, go further north still, to the uppermost edge of the peninsula, where Kanegra Beach barely emerges from the trees. The view is international: Portorož, on the opposite edge of the bay, is in Slovenia.
EVENING
Rovinj is arguably Istria’s postcard statement; pinned to a bluff that sticks out into the Adriatic with narrow, slanted streets and houses steepling above passersby. All routes lead upwards, to the 18th-century Church of St Euphemia, which has a baroque facade that’s so striking it competes with the wider panorama of orange rooftops and the coast stretching out in each direction. Have dinner at La Puntulina, an elegant spot serving wonderfully fresh seafood. Alternatively, if you’ve retreated to Poreč, Restaurant Marconi has an outdoor seating area in a courtyard behind the basilica.