“Coastal Croatia by Bicycle: Sea, Sun, Truffles” is the curious title of the recent NYTimes piece recounting Nathaniel Vinton’s cycling trip through Istria. Why “coastal Croatia”? I don’t get it. The article is mostly about the Istrian interior with a small mention of Rovinj which of course is on the coast. I get the feeling Mr. Vinton plainly prefers the Istrian interior to the coast which, truth to tell, is my preference as well. Rovinj, Porec, Pula et al. have plenty of history and architectural interest, not to mention that vast expanse of blue water right nearby, but to experience a calmer, more authentic Croatia, you simply must venture into the interior, preferable by bicycle. The rolling interior is perfect for cycling and for a real workout you can pedal up to the hill villages of Motovun and Groznjan. Both are not quite as undiscovered as this article implies but they are nonetheless delightful. I’m glad (I think) he mentioned Grascice, outside Pazin. Now that is truly a sleepy little village! Go to article.

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• Istria
• Cycling Croatia
• Motovun
• Groznjan
• Rovinj
• Pazin