| Explore area |
|
|
|
CROATIA ISTRIA Istria is the biggest peninsula of the eastern Adriatic coast. It covers an area of 3556 sq km, of which 3132 sq km in Croatia with 244 126 inhabitants, 386 sq km in Slovenia with 75 785 inhabitants and 38 sq km in Italy with 18 862 inhabitants. The total number of inhabitants in Istria amounts 341 834. The Istrian parts are made particularly attractive by landscape differences: the rolling Istria is imbued by flows of Dragonja, Mirna and Brtonigla, while the karst Cicarija and the ridge of Ucka are marked by different climbers’ resorts. It is encircled with the Adriatic Sea on three parts. Istria has an attractive well-indented western and eastern coast, which is double the road service and amounts approximately 600 km. The climate is Mediterranean with warm and dry summers, and mild and pleasant winters. The reflex of the longest insolation in summer, which amounts 10 hours a day, is the length of bright days. In winter, the days are shorter and colder, but even in that period Istria never stops attracting new and old guests to its well-known and less known nooks, thanks, above all, to the warm hospitality of its people. This is an opportunity to feel and experience Istria through a warm conversation with hosts, with good wine and fire from the fireplace or enjoy the preserved autochthonous Istrian music and dances. Its people will always warmly welcome its guests, and taste good wine near the fireplace accompanied by a warm conversation. Pine forests and dense evergreen under bush with numerous holm-oak and strawberry trees prevail over the coast and on the islands. With the crystal clear sea full of beauties of flora and fauna makes a unique picture of nature. And to top it all, in Istria you will find a real jewel of protected nature, the national park Brijuni which was the residence of famous presidents, and an example of an elite resort.
The cultural-historical attractions in Istria are based on several firm starting points. First of all, Istria abounds in autochthonous, preserved units and parts of nature and original old towns, villages, houses and outbuildings, where we can find numerous archaeological, cultural-historical monuments. Travelling through Istria we travel through an area but as well through historical time of three main European ethnic compositions – Slav, Roman and Germanic. These historical traces of different cultures left their seal and formed what we today call autochthonous Istrian culture and mentality. This led to a unique and recognisable wealth of cultural values and the multiculturality became the main feature. This is felt in everything traditional: in speech, dialect, ways of building houses and land cultivation, church bells, walls and gates of Istrian towns, in songs and music, in gastronomy and enological culture. From the north to the south of Istria the Italian greeting ciao is used when coming and leaving, and very often as a casual greeting. In old Istrian households you will hear the traditional Mediterranean coloured Istrian dialect – the chakavian speech, where it is possible to recognise many Germanisms and Romanisms. The natural rolling configuration of Istrian land was in favour of putting up of prehistorical hill-forts – fortified circular settlements girded by walls, the so called drystone walls. They were built on top of hills which have a fantastic view (Groznjan, Motovun, Buje…). The Roman reign enriched the view of towns, and along the coast urban centres connected with roads emerge. The most imposing monument from the Roman time is the amphitheatre in Pula from the 1st century, built from massive blocks of Istrian stone. It is one of the six biggest Roman amphitheatres in the world. On the protected core of Bale district you will find an interesting structure with elements of Venetian gothic style sacred buildings, town gates, a medieval castle and circular streets typical for the majority of Istrian towns. The medieval period can be seen, for example, in the nearby town Svetvincenat dominated by the castle of the Grimani family. Numerous concerts and different expositions are held there today, and in summer the whole town becomes a stage for the Dance and Nonverbal Theatre Festival. The most beautiful monuments of Byzantine culture are the Euphrasian basilica in Porec (since 1997 under UNESCO protection) and the basilica of St. Marija Formoza in Pula. With the coming of Austro-Hungarian monarchy Istria undergoes a certain Renaissance in its towns by obtaining historical buildings. The most imposing example of that time is the fortification system in Pula. Istria today is definitely a region which enables you to experience the cultural heritage of different epochs in one place. |
||||||
.JPG "Three bedroom flat Novigrad")
.JPG "Two bedroom flat Pjescana uvala")
.JPG "One bedroom flat Rovinj")
.JPG "Villa Porec")