Istria – Croatia
by Ian on 12/11/09 at 3:06 pm
We made the decision to holiday in Croatia this year and thought that we would try the Istria region on the North West coast. The flight was a really convenient mid morning flight from Gatwick directly to Pula in the south of Istria taking just over two hours. We flew with Croatian Airlines and where pleasantly surprised to find that there check-in desks at Gatwick were tucked away from the madding crowds and pretty much queue free. Having arrived at Pula which is a small quiet airport we picked up our car and drove north on the only real main road for about 60kms. The road runs just in from the coast line and we turned off of it about 20-30 kms from the Slovenian border. We headed into the hills for 15-20kms into the village of Britonigla.
Our hotel was called the San Rocco Hotel and it is absolutely fabulous. In 2007 and 2008 it won awards as the ‘Best Small Hotel’ in Croatia and I now know exactly why. It is a family run affair that places the attention to detail and guest well being very high on the agenda. Don’t get me wrong, it is not a lavishly finished palace but more a perfectly appointed, tranquil place where you are made to feel special and valued as a guest. The village of Britonigla is a little like a place that to a degree time has forgotten, as are most of the villages in the areas. Simple, rustic and rural charm that just sucks you in and slows you down. I still smile when I think about the tractors chugging into the village with wife and kids sitting on the wings.
Our first week on holiday in Croatia happened to coincide with the villages annual festival week. Music, song and dance for 5 nights on the trot. Great fun concentrated to the centre of the village that does not disturb outside of the main square in front of the church.
Britonigla is perfectly placed allowing you to choose to explore the villages in one direction or the coast in the other. The villages are picture postcard hill top delights. As you go from one to another you drive through vineyards, olive groves and general small scale agriculture.
As you would expect the coast line is a little more focused towards the tourist but not so as to put you off. What is far More obvious in these places in the focus on fishing industries. The beaches we saw tended to be pebble or rocks and not crowded. Harbour fronts we cafe lined and a very pleasant place to just kick back, drink coffee and people watch.
Eating out was a pleasant surprise as it was not as expensive as we feared it could be. In the villages the both of us could eat and drink for £15 all in! There were more expensive alternative but we preferred to eat where the locals where eating.
I think I will always look back on our time in Istria very fondly. A special place.
Greece Fan
Nov 13th, 2009
A special place indeed, I was there 10 years ago, I hope that it’s not changed that much