Istria
It wasn't until 2007 that we discovered a gem in the Mediterranean Sea, the peninsula of Istria. It lies between the Italian city of Trieste and Croatian Rijeka, and it is not much bigger than Zeeland. Although it is part of Croatia since 1947, it is thoroughly Italian. The landscape and the buildings remind us of Tuscany, Umbria and Le Marche. Older residents still speak Italian, but the official language is Croatian. It is regrettable that the excellent Italian cuisine is found only in the upmarket restaurants. The many Gelateria's make up for it a bit. The Italian influence can be seen in street signs, which are usually bilingual. Older Istrians often speak German as a second language, while the young prefer to speak English.
Tourism is one of the main sources of income and is mainly concentrated on the West Coast. The tourist center Porec is known for its medieval mosaics. The main town is Pula with a large Roman arena, still used for concerts etc. Also in Pula is a small airport used for charters and lowcost airlines.
Further along this
coastline are many large and small coastal towns such as Rovinje, Novigrad and Umag. From here, several boats depart for cities in Italy. To get to Venice takes two hours, which makes it a viable option for a day trip. The north of Istria is green and hilly, to the south is flatter and less green. In the north-east lies a narrow coastal strip w
ith the chic resort of Opatija and tiny but charming Lovran, their style and character very much fin-de-siecle. For many decades Opatjia was the resort of the aristocracy and bourgeoisie of central Europe. Next to Opatija are the Ucka hills and nature reserve. It is therefore not surprising that mass tourism has so far avoided the East Coast.