Istria in two days

Old Jun 20th, 2017, 06:07 AM
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Istria in two days

Hi, we will be driving to Rovinj from Zagreb on July 5. I have no idea how long the trip will be yet, but we'll probably have some time to look around Rovinj after we've checked into our accommodation. We will be staying 3 nights. What are the must see places in Istria? We are a family of 4 - with the girls aged 10 and the 15-year old is turning 16 on the 6th of July! So obviously we want to make this day special.
I am a bit confused as to what is worthwhile seeing and doing. The places that come up a lot in posts are Porec, Groznjan, Motovun and then Opatija and Rijeka. Then there is also Pula in another direction. Maybe celebrate the birthday and more time in Rovinj on the 6th with a halfday trip somewhere after that. And then more of a full day trip the 7th?
Please any good suggestions - I am struggling with this one.
I am also not sure how we should drive. - we want to see as much as possible - we all love photography - so we want to make the most of the routes that we choose.
Vanessalourens is offline  
Old Jun 20th, 2017, 07:44 AM
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Groznjan and Motovun are hill towns, and they aren't the only towns - just the most popular. Both are nice. Groznjan is much smaller. Both are touristy, especially Motovun. In July, I'll bet they will both be very busy.

Getting to the hill towns means driving through the countryside of Istria a bit, which isn't bad - just know that they are right next to each other.

Yes, Pula is in the other direction, but it is an easy drive from Rovinj. If you like Roman ruins, this working city might be for you - it's not a tourist trap like the others. I didn't care for Pula at all, personally. Doing the hill towns and Pula in a single day doesn't make sense because they are in opposite directions.

I didn't get to Porec, but it is in the same general direction as the hill towns. I guess you could try to see them all in one day. (I did two other hill towns besides Groznjan and Motovun in a day but I didn't see Porec.) Plot the places you want to see on a Google map and see how they connect. Expect some summer tourist traffic so pad the driving estimates a little.

All of these places are photogenic. I loved little Rovinj but it is tiny. You don't really need much time to explore the town itself. It's probably the most photogenic town I visited in Istria, though.

Opatija is ritzy and full of old Austrian villas - it's an old Austrian seaside resort built as a for royal getaway. It has a nice waterfront area but it didn't much appeal to me - I spent only an hour walking around (liked it better than expected though). I wouldn't want to spend a night there, personally - not to my tastes. But some people love Optaija.
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Old Jun 22nd, 2017, 10:52 AM
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Hi, at the risk of "advertisements for myself," check out my trip report.
First, we drove directly from the Zagreb airport (be aware of new sets of roundabouts to the A1) to Rovinj. Took us about 4 hours with a couple of short stops. I can't imagine stopping in Rijeka - it's the trickiest part of the trip - not bad but pay attention to a couple of quick off ramps and can't see why you'd want to go there going or coming from Rovinj.
Rovinj is great as a "central" base, but aside from the lovely harbor and seaside (mostly cafes but gelato stands every 10 yards), we didn't find much there there.
Porec was the high point of the Istria segment: you can spend a lot of time in the Euphrasian Basilica -- or less (depending on how much the children want to see). But it's a nice town in which to wander; lovely seaside promenade. Enjoyable on a few levels.
Pula: Might be especially good with youngsters. We ran into a couple of school trips. Still a lot of room to wander in the arena; a nice town as well.
We're not crazy about hill towns: nice to look at from afar or below, but quaint narrow streets and the same shops one sees in every town got old very quickly.
Andrew gave us great advice about GPS -- put in very specific destinations.
Hope this helps.
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Old Jun 22nd, 2017, 04:24 PM
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kja
 
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Strange -- I'm quite certain I responded to this thread yesterday....

Rovinj is a very scenic, quiet place. Porec, which is also along the water, has a magnficent Euphrasian basilica and a few scattered ancient ruins. Groznjan and Motovun are among Istria’s many old Italian hill towns that are now, among other things, home to lots of artists. Opatija is along the Kvaner Gulf lungamare; I did not like Opatija, but did enjoy the lungomare. Rijeka is a transportation hub and not really much of a tourist destination. Pula is a city with a Roman amphitheater.

I think it really depends on your interests and I must admit that I have no idea what your girls would enjoy. Maybe you can engage them in the process? Send them to the library and/or bookstore, have them look at the many guidebooks that cover these areas, and offer their suggestions and preferences?

Hope that helps!



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