Imagine being in a medieval hill top village that was recently a ghost town – but now is a thriving village full of art galleries, cafes and artisan shops? Well that is only one of the incredible places we are taking you today on our day trip through the Istrian Peninsular. We will weave our way from the popular seaside town of Poreč with its famous cathedral full of intricate mosaics, to Groznjan the special village full of colour, art and classical music and finally to the most famous hilltop village in Croatia - Motovun - with its truffles and a wine with a very – let’s say - unusual name.

We did a fabulous day tour from Rovinj all around the Istrian Peninsular. If you would like the details of the tour we did (and highly recommend) then click the button below.

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Poreč

Poreč is a popular summer resort on the Istrian Peninsular. It also has an historic old town and the famous 6th century Euphrasian Basilica complex which is known world wide for the gem studded Byzantine Mosaics which are housed inside.

The town is centered around the main square and the water which is lined with cafes and restaurants.

Groznjan

Groznjan is a gorgeous hilltop village full of colourful cobblestone streets. This is one town that most visitors don’t know about. It became a ghost town after WWII until the 1960’s when a local sculptor had an idea to turn the whole village into an art gallery. To this day the town has been full of delightful galleries full of all different types of artists.

Just wandering the streets of Groznjan is an absolute joy. You will discover a new treasure around every corner. The village now is also home to a music college, so when you are walking the streets, who may be serenaded by some beautiful classical music as the musicians practice for their upcoming performances. It truly is a magical experience and one you won’t forget.

Motovun

The last stop on our day trip around the Istrian Peninsular was Motovun. This is one of the most famous hillside villages in Croatia and it is famous for its truffles, wine and city walls. The other thing you will be blown away with in Motovun are the incredible views.

Make sure you take the time to do a truffle tasting as the forest area just below Motovun is the only region in Croatia to grow white truffles. Wine tasting is also recommended as the grapes grown in this region are the best on the Istrian Peninsular.

Once again we absolutely loved our day trip to these special villages on the Istrian Peninsular. If you want to know which tour we did - and recommend - then click the button below for all the information.