Coastal Croatia - Pula To Porec Cycling

The Istrian Peninsula at the top of the Adriatic, (just below Trieste), was Italian until 1945 when it became part of Croatia. People still speak Italian here, and it's even taught in schools. In fact, Istria is sometimes known as 'Croatia's Tuscany'. It houses a treasure trove of antiquities, including a vast Roman amphitheatre in Pula, and exquisite Baroque and Byzantine basilicas in Rovinj and UNESCO Porec. Inland, tiny frescoed country churches and stone beehive huts called kazuna are sprinkled over oak forested countryside. Red-roofed villages with peeling shutters soak up the sun, producing olive oil and wines among the finest in the Mediterranean.

This holiday explores Istria's west coast. The first three nights are spent on Fazana's pretty harbour, where fresh fish are landed on the dock opposite the hotel terrace. From here you can explore Pula, loop inland to Vodnjan (Istria's ancient capital), and visit the amazing Brijuni National Park offshore. You'll then spend two nights in Rovinj, a coastal hilltop town of marbled, boutique-lined alleys, before the last two nights in Porec, where yachts line a waterfront of arty bars and restaurants.

Along the way, swimming in crystal clear seas every day is taken for granted, and electrifying sunsets are the hallmark of every evening. In Fazana, Rovinj and Porec with such an enticing choice of excellent-value restaurants (many of them on the waterfront), we have left the choice to you.

Highlights

• Croatia's Istrian Peninsula: sleepy villages, bustling harbours, blazing seaside sunsets
• Roman amphitheatres, Byzantine basilicas, frescoed churches, medieval piazze
• Delicious cuisine: zesty wines, fresh seafood, truffles and pasta
• Coastal bike trails beneath umbrella pines; chance to swim every day
• Wonderful scenery: sun-dappled oak forest, Brijuni Archipelago and Lim Fjord