Planning
20 Croatian phrases for your Istria holiday
Useful Croatian phrases for Istria with easy pronunciation: greetings, please and thank you, ordering food, shopping, signs and Italian names.
Istria travel blog
Practical guides to Poreč and Istria from the family behind Enjoy Istria: when to come, where to go, what to eat, and how to plan a villa holiday.
50 articles
Our villas
Labinci and its countryside: life in a quiet Istrian village
Labinci, home of Villa Bina and Villa Cvita Domenica: a quiet village 11 km from Poreč among vineyards, with Baredine Cave close by.
Day trips
A day trip to Venice from Poreč by boat
A day trip to Venice from Poreč by boat: the seasonal catamarans, crossing time, hours in the city, what to see and documents to bring.
Day trips
A day trip to Piran, Slovenia, from Poreč
A day trip from Poreč to Piran, Slovenia: the drive and border, parking, Tartini Square, St George's Church, the town walls and seafood.
Day trips
Novigrad: a fishing town by the sea, 12 km from our villas
Novigrad near Poreč: the Mandrač fishing harbour, Venetian walls, the sea-facing loggia, the Lapidarium museum, fresh fish and sunsets.
Planning
September in Istria: why it is our favourite month
Why September is the best month in Istria: warm sea, fewer crowds, the grape harvest, truffle season starting and flexible villa stays.
Outdoors
Snorkelling and diving in Istria: where to start
Snorkelling and scuba diving around Poreč and Istria: what you will see, the best spots, dive centres and courses, and the Baron Gautsch wreck.
Day trips
A day trip to Pula: the Roman Arena and more
A day in Pula from Poreč: the Roman Arena, the Temple of Augustus and Forum, the Arch of the Sergii, the old town and the lit-up cranes.
Day trips
Brijuni National Park: a half-day trip from Poreč
Visiting Brijuni National Park from Poreč: boats from Fažana, the tourist train, safari park, Roman ruins, dinosaur footprints and booking tips.
Day trips
A day trip to Rovinj from Poreč
A day trip to Rovinj from Poreč: St Euphemia and its bell tower, the old town lanes and Grisia, the Golden Cape park, parking and timing.
Day trips
Lim bay and Vrsar: Istria's 'fjord', oysters and a harbour town
The Lim bay near Vrsar: Istria's 12 km 'fjord', boat trips from Poreč, oysters and mussels, viewpoints and an afternoon in Vrsar.
Planning
Self-catering in Poreč: supermarkets, markets and Sunday hours
Self-catering near Poreč: supermarkets, the town market and fish market, Sunday opening since 2023, local products and a first-day list.
Food and wine
Seafood in Istria: what to order and how to buy it fresh
Seafood in Istria: Lim bay oysters and mussels, scampi, whole grilled fish, black risotto and buzara, prices by the kilo and the fish market.
Our villas
A summer kitchen evening: grilling Istrian style at the villa
Plan a grill night in your villa's summer kitchen: what to buy, Istrian marinades, blitva, wine and tips for cooking for 8 to 12 people.
Poreč
St Nicholas island (Sveti Nikola): a half day off Poreč
St Nicholas island opposite Poreč: taxi boats from the harbour, beaches including a small sandy one, pine-wood walks and family tips.
Outdoors
Aquaparks near Poreč: Aquacolors and Istralandia compared
Aquacolors near Poreč and Istralandia near Novigrad compared: slides, wave pools, season, distances from our villas and tips for a family day.
Planning
Swimming safely in Istria: sea, sun and private pools
Swimming safely in Istria: rocky entries, sea urchins, jellyfish, sun and heat, the bura wind, boats, and watching children at a villa pool.
Planning
Poreč weather and sea temperature by month
Poreč weather and sea temperature by month, the bura and jugo winds, rainy seasons and what to pack for a villa holiday in Istria.
Poreč
Beaches near Poreč: a practical guide for families and couples
Beaches near Poreč and Labinci: Materada and Laguna, Pical, Brulo and the Lagunas, St Nicholas island and Santa Marina near Tar, with tips.
Planning
Istria with children: a practical family guide
Istria with children: child-friendly beaches, aquaparks, Baredine Cave, boat trips, pool safety and choosing a family villa near Poreč.
Planning
One week in Istria: a relaxed itinerary from a villa near Poreč
A relaxed 7-day Istria itinerary from a villa near Poreč: beaches, Rovinj, the hill towns, Pula and Brijuni, the Lim bay and pool days.
Inland Istria
Baredine Cave near Poreč: what to expect on a visit
Baredine Cave near Poreč: the 40-minute guided tour 60 m underground, the olm, 14 °C inside, the Traktor Story museum and tips for families.
Day trips
A day trip to Istria's hilltop towns from Poreč
A one-day route from Poreč through Istria's hill towns: Motovun, Oprtalj, Grožnjan and Buje, with timings, lunch ideas and parking tips.
Inland Istria
Grožnjan: Istria's hilltop town of artists
Grožnjan, Istria's hilltop town of artists: galleries and studios, summer music, Venetian walls, views over the Mirna valley and visiting tips.
Poreč
A walk through Poreč old town: Roman streets, towers and squares
A self-guided walk through Poreč old town: the Decumanus, Marafor and its Roman temples, the Euphrasian Basilica, medieval towers and seafront.
Poreč
The Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč: a visitor's guide
Poreč's UNESCO-listed Euphrasian Basilica: 6th-century gold mosaics, atrium, baptistery, bell tower and bishop's palace, with visiting tips.
Outdoors
Cycling around Poreč: routes, bikes and tips
Cycling around Poreč: easy coastal rides, quiet country lanes to wine villages, the Parenzana trail and road loops, with bike hire and heat tips.
Outdoors
The Parenzana: cycling the old railway from Trieste to Poreč
The Parenzana trail, the old Trieste–Poreč railway: history, length, tunnels and viaducts, the best sections to cycle or walk, and tips.
Planning
A holiday with your dog in Istria
A dog-friendly holiday near Poreč: travel documents, dog beaches, restaurants, vets, summer heat and a villa with a fenced garden.
Planning
Istria in spring: asparagus, wine fairs and quiet beaches
Istria in spring: wild asparagus, Easter, the Vinistra wine fair and open cellars in May, cycling and walking, and what the sea is like.
Food and wine
Wild asparagus season in Istria
Wild asparagus season in Istria: when and where it grows, how locals cook it in fritaja, and why spring is a lovely time to visit.
Planning
Driving in Istria: motorways, tolls, parking and road rules
Driving in Istria: the Istrian Y motorway and tolls, Slovenian e-vignettes, parking in Poreč, country road manners and summer Saturday traffic.
Our villas
Two families, two villas: Villa Bina and Villa Cvita Domenica
Booking Villa Bina and Villa Cvita Domenica together: up to 20 guests side by side in Labinci, two houses, two pools, one holiday.
Our villas
Planning a villa holiday for 12 people in Istria
How to plan a group holiday for up to 12 near Poreč: choosing the villa, bedrooms and bathrooms, cars, shopping, cooking and eating out.
Our villas
Villa Duga, Villa Bina or Villa Cvita Domenica: which suits you?
Villa Duga, Villa Bina or Villa Cvita Domenica? A side-by-side comparison of our pool villas near Poreč to help you choose.
Our villas
Booking a villa direct or on Booking.com: what is the difference?
An honest comparison of booking our villas near Poreč directly with the owners or through Booking.com: price, payment, communication, flexibility and reviews.
Our villas
Why summer villa stays run Saturday to Saturday
Why summer villa stays near Poreč run Saturday to Saturday from June to August, the minimum stays, check-in and check-out times and tips.
Planning
Croatia travel basics: euro, Schengen, driving rules and more
Croatia travel basics: the euro, Schengen and the EU Entry/Exit System, ID, driving rules, phones, tipping, tap water and Sunday shop opening.
Planning
How to get to Poreč: airports, driving and ferries
The nearest airports to Poreč (Pula, Trieste, Rijeka, Venice, Ljubljana), driving routes through Slovenia, buses and seasonal ferries, with tips for villa guests.
Planning
The best time to visit Istria, month by month
When to visit Istria and Poreč: sea temperatures, weather, crowds and villa rules month by month, from summer swimming to quiet shoulder seasons.
Food and wine
What is a konoba? Eating out like a local in Istria
What a konoba is, how it differs from a restaurant, what to order, house wine, booking and paying, with tips for eating out in Istria.
Food and wine
12 Istrian dishes to try on holiday
The Istrian dishes worth ordering: fuži and pljukanci pasta, truffles, pršut, maneštra, boškarin beef, fritaja with wild asparagus, seafood and sweet fritule.
Planning
Rainy day ideas around Poreč
What to do near Poreč when it rains: caves, museums, the basilica, wine and olive oil tastings, a long konoba lunch and indoor fun for children.
Inland Istria
Pazin: the chasm, the castle and Jules Verne
A guide to Pazin in central Istria: the dramatic Pazin chasm, the castle and its museums, the zip line over the gorge and the Jules Verne connection.
Inland Istria
Hum, the 'smallest town in the world', and the Glagolitic Alley
Visiting Hum, the 'smallest town in the world', and the 7 km Glagolitic Alley from Roč, plus biska brandy and a day route from Poreč.
Inland Istria
Motovun: a visitor's guide to Istria's best-known hilltop town
How to visit Motovun from Poreč: the walk on the town walls, the Motovun forest and truffles, the film festival, parking and the best time of day to go.
Poreč
Poreč in autumn: what is open and what to do
What Poreč and the Istrian coast are like from late September to November: sea and weather, what stays open, and the best things to do in the quiet season.
Food and wine
Istrian olive oil: harvest, tasting and buying
Why Istrian olive oil is rated among the world's best, when the olive harvest happens, the local varieties to look for, and how to taste and buy oil on holiday.
Food and wine
Truffle season in Istria: when, where and how to taste it
When the white truffle season runs in Istria, where truffles are found around Motovun and Buzet, the autumn truffle festivals, and how to enjoy them on holiday.
Food and wine
Istrian wine: Malvazija, Teran and how to taste them
A guide to Istrian wine for visitors: Malvazija istarska, Teran, Muškat momjanski and Refošk, where the wine villages are, how cellar visits work and when to go.