Istria
borders Slovenia and has a coastal border with Italy. This peninsula
is the most popular destination for foreign visitors to Croatia.
Umag and Porec are among the best holiday resorts in Croatia. Most
visitors arrive by car, but you can fly in to Pula
Airport.
Istria is also easily reachable from Trieste or Venice-Treviso airports,
where Ryanair fly to, or Venice Marco Polo airport, where Easyjet
fly to.
Pula
Situated near the base of the Istrian peninsula, the population
of Pula is just over 62,000, making it the largest city in Istria.
One of the most famous sights in the whole of Croatia is the Roman
amphitheatre in Pula, which has been well preserved. However, it
is likely that Pula originated even before the Roman era. As well
as being under Venetian rule, Pula also played an important role
in the Habsburg Empire as it was proclaimed the chief port of the
Empire in 1853, and had a large German and Italian population. In
1915 it was occupied by Italy and the rights of Croatian inhabitants
were not respected. It was only in 1947 that it became a part of
Croatia in Yugoslavia. The main sight is, of course, the amphitheatre.
Built during the 1st century AD, the three story amphitheatre is
the 6th largest in the world. It hosts the Pula Opera Festival in
the summer and is also used for other events during the year. Other
sights include the Triumphal arch of the Sergii, the Temple of Augustus,
the Cathedral and the Franciscan Church and Monastery.
Pula
Tourist Office is situated at Forum 3, tel: 052 212 987, fax 052
211 855.
The
area telephone code is 052.
Umag
Umag and its riviera (which is about 20km long) is very popular.
The old town in Umag has attractive and narrow, cobbled streets.
The coast is full of pretty bays and there are some 60,000 hotel
beds here. There are also many Camping
and caravan sites along the coast, which are well run and highly
recommended for an inexpensive holiday. Umag is also well known
for its marina and the international tennis centre which hosts the
Croatian Open every July.
The
Tourist Office in Umag is at Obala J. B. Tita 3/II, tel: 052 41
363 or Fax: 052 741 649.
Porec
This is the most popular holiday resort in Istria and has frequently
been nominated as the top resort in Croatia by the Croatian National
Tourist Office. There are over 100,000 beds available in the area,
but hotels and other facilities are widely spread so the place never
feels too crowded.
A visit to the
old town (Porec is 2,000 years old) is a must, due to its numerous
historical sites, particularly the 6th century Euphrasian Basilica
which is wonderfully preserved and is well known for its beautiful
gold mosaics. The entry to the church is free, although a small
donation is much appreciated.
The main tourist
areas are two bays south of the town, called Zelena (Green) and
Plava (Blue) Laguna (lagoon). They are almost like small towns,
with several hotels in each, as well as camping, marina, shopping
and entertainment areas. Most visitors stay there.
The
tourist office is located at Zagrebacka 9, Tel: 451 719, Fax: 432
290.
Rovinj
This is a charmingly picturesque town with yet more narrow, cobbled
streets! It is famous for its St. Euphemia Cathedral with the highest
church tower in Istria, at 60 metres high. Rovinj was originally
an island, but 250 years ago the narrow channel, which separated
it from the mainland, was filled in. It is one of our favourite
destinations on the Croatian Adriatic, particularly as it is very
lively with numerous cafes and restaurants, galleries and an active
fishing port, so in the morning you can watch the fishermen come
in as you have your breakfast. For
places to see, definitely go to the cathedral of St. Euphemia (built
in 1736) which is the largest Baroque building in Istria, the town's
museum and Rovinj Aquarium.
The
tourist office is located at Obala P. Budicina, Tel: 811 566, Fax:
816 007.
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