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For families, you can’t do better than Umag on the northern coast of Istria. Acres of land along the coast have been turned into a sort of giant theme park. Nearly every hotel has at least one pool, sometimes more. Plus there’s minature golf, paintball, tennis, pingpong and watersports. Although the “beaches” are actually rocky slabs, the water is shallow and safe. Looking for a quiet, romantic hideaway? Move along. There’s nothing here for you. … Continue reading →
What a contrast from the tourist melee of Porec! Novigrad is a sleepy town of vividly painted old houses that’s known for its marina. I suppose the lack of beachfront have kept tourists down to a manageable level which made it a pleasant place to wander. A curious occurrence: we were just about to order in Amfora restaurant (after finally finding it) when the server informed us that the restaurant had just been closed by the health department! Bad luck. We ate a disappointing meal next door where the chef substituted overcooked penne for the promised fuzi. … Continue reading →
Busy, busy Porec buzzes with tourists from spring through fall which makes it one of the least tranquil of Istria‘s coastal towns. With souvenir stands everywhere, it’s hard to imagine that it was once an important Roman town and now boasts one of Croatia’s seven World Heritage Sites, the Episcopal complex of the Euphrasian Basilica. The 5th century mosaics are stunning and a recent renovation has highlighted the rest of the complex. You can even climb the bell tower although the narrow wooden staircase couldn’t comfortably handle the stream of ascending and descending visitors. You could once see the mosaics … Continue reading →