5 Cool Places to Visit on an Istria Road Trip (Croatia)

ByVictoria Philpott Last Updated:

Have you ever been somewhere, come back and realised there was so much more to do there than what you actually did?

I guess if you’re a pro planner who likes reading blogs (!) that might not happen, but it’s happened to me with Istria in Croatia.

Weekend in Rovinj

My friend Chloe and I went for my birthday weekend last October. We had a lovely time staying at the Adriatic Hotel in Rovinj – 30 minutes from Pula Airport – and not really leaving the town. We just wanted to relax in our three days. We managed to taste the truffle oil, try the local wines and eat a lot.

But yeah, now that I read up on it a bit more there’s so much more to do around there. We probably should’ve hired a car to explore – but I have no regrets, there’s just going to have to be a next time.

Hire a car, or get a taxi for the day

Cool things to do in Istria Map

We did debate hiring a car, at some point – mainly because I wanted to see the famous Plitvice Lakes, which is three hours away, but realised that it would just be too far to go in the time we had.

I’ve been doing my research though, and now that British Airways are launching a direct route from Heathrow to Pula in July, it’s the perfect opportunity for a little Istria road trip to take in the sights.

Just in case you wondered – Istria is that bit at the top of Croatia that sticks out and borders Slovenia and Italy.

My suggested Istria road trip route

Road Trip Istria

You don’t have to go far to see a lot!

1. Back to nature at Brijuni National Park

Brijuni National Park Istria

The Brijuni Islands are just a short boat ride along the crystal clean Adriatic Sea from the coast of Pula. Look at the map above, where it says ‘Pula’ in big letters, and then left a bit and up – those green islands, that’s the Brijuni Islands.

It’s an archipelago made up of 14 islands and so a great place for snorkelling too.

Land animals more appealing? Check out the zebras, elephants, Istrian bulls and goats at the Safari Park on the northern edge of the island of Veli Brijun.

2. Eat and drink in Rovinj

Weekend in Rovinj

If you’re looking for a culinary experience in Istria