An Istria Travel Journal

Map by Europe A La Carte

Tips, links and experiences from a visit to Rovinj, Groznjan, and Motovun, traveling the wine roads and eating well in October, 2009.

"Much of what you'll eat in Istria is produced within a 10-mile radius..." "absurdly simple cooking, few but absolutely local and seasonal ingredients..." These are the kinds of things I had read about Istria, the peninsula at the top of Croatia that is surrounded by the Adriatic Sea. Intrigued by thoughts of super-local foods, I decided to make it my next travel destination.

My husband and I put together a three-week itinerary—some time with family friends in Northern Italy, a few days in Venice, and then a luxurious week and a half to explore this small but diverse area. And, we would coincide our trip with Truffle Days, conveniently timed around my birthday in early October.

As I was planning our trip I was surprised to discover a lack of travel guides, articles or travelogues written by Americans. The New York Times had a few articles. Lonely Planet's Croatia guidebook had a scant but helpful 20 pages on this region. I was able to find a few articles from British, Canadian, and a other travelers around the world. Official Istria websites (general and gourmet) were also enormously helpful. Tips found digging deep on Slow Food, Chowhound, Virtual Tourist and Google Earth rounded out our preparations. (Did I mention I was unemployed!?)

Logging our travel adventuresI was determined to log our experiences in detail so when I returned I could share a full account of our travels with other Americans who are interested in this beautiful country, and those who so generously shared their own tips and experiences.

I should first recommend that any visitor to this country should familiarize themselves on its rich and often stormy history, so you can understand some of the factors that have driven its geography, society and food culture. This ancient region was an important trade route in the 2nd millenium BC, and has been ruled by a host of empires and countries, including Rome, the Huns, Germany, Venice, Austria, France, Italy, and of course most recently Yugoslavia. Its recent independence (1991) is evident in some interesting ways, including the wine industry.

Also, you should know that our travel style revolves around architecture, food and local culture. We don't do a lot of tours and museums, we mostly stay in local apartments or rooms, and we try to travel relatively cheaply but well. So, here it is! Dobrodošli!