You are in Croatia, one of the Glam romantic places to go. Well, beside beautiful Dubrovnik, there are other places to visit in Croatia. Istria, perhaps, can be place with all necessary potential. You are independent traveler, ready to explore. But where to start? Half-day routes, you might like to take from several starting points, listing features for visiting and worthy eating-places. So get a gear and go.
Istria, in Croatia is most beautifully developed coastal region of Croatia It can have about 225 000 visitors per day, in about 100 hotels, 40 campsites, 28 private accommodation. Tourist development of coastal area and solid stone farm cottages especially in the interior are, recently, becoming increasingly popular. Along 445 km of the Istrian Coast, from the heart shaped peninsula in natural harbors, there are eleven marinas with 2750 berths open all year round. Tourist founds of windsurfing will find that the favorable sea currents are very strong and wind demanding. Nearly all tourist places along the coast rent windsurfing equipment. Also water skiing courses are in all larger tourist villages and camps. Apart from the versatile flora and fauna, the Istrian Sea hides shipwrecks that are very interesting to viewers and professionals. There is diving clubs willing to organize and lead underwater expeditions. There’re also spider-web bike trails, covering all Istria. Since the fantastic climatic conditions, paragliding and hang-gliding is practiced all year round.
You will easily locate Pula on the map. Young James Joyce taught English, in the naval base of the Austro- Hungarian Monarchy in 1904-1905. Also Jules Verne who actually glorified Pula in his novel "Mathias Sandorf". Verne must have been inspired by travel stories and old graveness of Roman town life in the Adriatic. Also, poet Dante Aligheri or Thomas Man. The old tale about Argonauts describes a pursuit of a boat Argo and a stolen Golden Fleece. King of Kolhida gave up pursuit, after king’s son death. For the fear that they might be killed for the prince’s death, they had decided to settle down in the place called Poula, Pula. Pula is a biggest town in Istria. Ancient time geographer Strabo, affirms that Pula was founded about 3 000 years ago. Still, most fascinating witness, from old times, must be the great amphitheater of Pula. This magnificent architecture building has just enough windows, to frame a magnificent voyage of time. This is actually 6th largest Roman Empire amphitheater in the world. The memories of Pula amphitheater are definitely tracking down Pula’s ancient inhabitants from the Histri and Classical Romansque Gothic and Baroque architectural structures, to the Austrian Secession and Italian Novencento contemporary creations architecture.
It would be a shame to do not mention Brijoni Islands. Islands are belonging to Pula Town, just bellow the port, the only national park on the Istrian Peninsula, with 14 small islands, covering an area of 736 hectares. The abundance of flora is originating from the very beginning of 20th century, the habitat of numerous bird species, deer, mouflons and other animals.
The citizens of Pula consider the stone pavement of the forum, down to the old center, an ideal lunch brake, viewing the Roman Temple of Augustus and the City Hall. Istra might earn its status as a wine Mecca of Croatia not only by its shape, resembling a bunch of grapes on the map. In just the last ten years Istria has become the leading region in the production of Croatian high quality wines. As for food concerns, from the distant past Istrian prosciutto has been a famous and widely recognized Istrian hors d’oeuvre. You can find it in all fine Istrian restaurants. It is served with cheese and olives or in the preparing of hot dishes. You can also, taste different kinds of mushrooms, probably the most famous is the Istrian truffle dish, the delicacy served in the combinations with fuzi, omelets, sprinkled on steak. Seafood takes a special place at the Istrian table. Istrian style fish soup, seafood risotto, scampi "buzaru" are only some of the characteristic Istrian seafood specialties. But if you want something really Istrian you can taste Istrian soupe. You take nine deciliters of warmed up red wine are poured into the "bukaleta", an earthenware jug. Than put a teaspoon of sugar, olive oil, pepper and warm toasted bread beside added to the wine cup. A spoon is placed in the jug and taken on traditional Istrian way, by sharing the "bukaleta" with others at the table.