DESTINATIONS ISTRIA CROATIA & THE BALKANS
LEFT: Rovinj
RIGHT:
Euphrasian Basilica, Porec
BELOW: Brijuni
National Park 4
OF THE BEST
TASTES OF
ISTRIA
Raise a glass at Damjanic winery, which
still displays its original mosaic floors and Greek marble columns, with later medieval frescoes every bit as exciting as its original features.
w BRIJUNI NATIONAL PARK If it’s good enough for Angelina Jolie – just the latest in a string of celebrities to pass their time on this little group of islands, following in the footsteps of Queen Elizabeth II, Sophia Loren, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, no less – it’s probably worth a visit. Of the 14 islands that make up the
national park, just two are open to visitors. The largest, Veliki Brijun, is a pleasant 20-minute ferry ride from port town Fazana (itself just a short drive from Pula), and though no one
Exploring Istria is about taking your time, forgetting the sightseeing schedule and pausing to appreciate the way of life
lives here full time, it has a thriving tourist trade by way of a couple of waterfront hotels. A sightseeing train takes visitors on a loop around the island, stopping off at its mix of odd attractions – from an early 20th-century zoo, now home
to just one elephant, ostriches and a handful of other animals, to the coastal spot that sports the fossilised footprint of a dinosaur. The highlight is The Boathouse, a museum set in the one- time home of the island’s only doctor, which tells the story of the islands’ flora and fauna to brilliant effect. It’s so good, in fact, that it’s worth making sure visitors know the time of the last ferry, as they’re liable to get swept up in the natural history of the island. Then again, exploring Istria is all about taking your time, forgetting the sightseeing schedule and pausing to appreciate the way of life on this Croatian peninsula – all the better with a glass of malvasia in hand and a sea view ahead.
produces white malvasia and red borgonja with aplomb. Leave room in your case
to bring a few bottles home.
Taste organic olive oil at
Chiavalon and find out why this producer has been rated among the
world’s top 15, and what you should look for in your extra virgin olive oil.
Get a private chef to whip up a feast. James Villa Holidays can book a chef for €40-€80 a head for a tailored four- course meal with wine, in your villa.
Fill up at Pula’s
farmers’ market, where you’ll find honey scented with sage or chestnut, rich truffle oils, fiery grappa and hefty wedges of cheese.
58
travelweekly.co.uk 4 January 2018
PICTURES: CROATIAN NATIONAL TOURIST BOARD/DEJAN HREN; IGOR SELER; IVO BIOCINA
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