A leaf-shaped peninsula jutting into the northern Adriatic, Istria represents the riches of Mediterranean culture in microcosm.

Indeed few areas of Croatia provide so much variety in such a compact and easily explorable area. The Istrian coast has long been a favourite among visitors on account of its picture-postcard towns of soaring belfries, stone houses and harbours full of bobbing boats.

The peninsula’s beaches are mostly of the rock-and-concrete variety, although there are plenty of shingle strands available for those who need something smoother to lay their towel on.

The coast

Cape Kamenjak is a famously unspoiled finger of land offering a mixture of rocky cliff-diving heights and pebbly coves.

Urban highlights along the coast include big-city Pula and its Roman remains, Rovinj with its quaint, peninsula-hugging Old Town, and Poreč, home to a famed Romanesque basilica.

Inland