Across the Istrian Peninsula

Very lovely and enjoyable walk through stunning countryside and picturesque hill towns. The walk to Motovun and the lovely valley day walk to the winery as well as the beautiful walk down through beech forests to Lovran and the coast were especially lovely. The wine tasting was another really nice experience.

An excellent walking holiday and a real joy to experience a variety of landscapes. A highlight was being able to walk in flower filled meadows covered with many butterflies in September. The other bonus was the friendliness of all the people we met and their willingness to speak in English to share local knowledge.

Anyone looking for a truly peaceful, tourist crowd-free hiking trip, the Istrian Peninsula is an excellent choice.  The green landscapes, small villages, parks, and the Adriatic Sea are all very beautiful and welcoming.  The hotels were superb and the staff were truly the kindest people you will come across. A highly recommended restaurant is the Food & Wine Bar Ganeum in Lovran, Stari Grad 5, for its exceptional food, ambiance, and service (we went twice).

Our trip was wonderful. The hotels were comfortable and quite beautiful. The Istrian peninsula was a beautiful and historical back drop for a vacation. The pickup service used to deliver us to trail heads and pick us up in Pula was professional and welcomed. We saw the same driver twice and that was nice. With the exception of a "once in a century heat event" that could not be foreseen, our trip was wonderful. Thank you very much.

Overall friendliness of all the people we met. Including being 'rescued'  from a storm by Nino (local MEP) - shelter and a glass of wine!

The countryside was beautiful, loads of butterflies.

On our last day we took an all day boat trip to Krk and Cres. Food was included and we weren't expecting much, but were pleasantly surprised by the quality and quantity!! and friendly crew. Beli on Cres was lovely - wished we had had more time to explore.

Konoba Mondo in Motovun was excellent and well recommended.

Be very aware of the tenacity of the midges in damp woodland, and late afternoon after rain.

A highlight: the flower- and birdsong-filled walk (late May/early June) from Krasnica to Motovun is one of the best we've done in 13 years with Inntravel. A tip: excellent fish at Knezgrad restaurant in Lovran (Trg Slobode 12, next to the cinema). 

Beautiful walking country with views of mountains and forests, fields and the sea, all in one day. Fabulous introductions to the geography, history, oenology and food tastes of Istria. We shall return. 

INNTRAVEL NOTE: David and Elizabeth did two holidays, our Across the Istrian Peninsula walk followed by the Lakes & Julian Alps walking holiday.

Slovenia is stunning.  The scenery is the equal of anywhere, the people welcoming, language not a problem, the food and wine of high quality and prices reasonable.  We had an extra day at Bled and doing it again would also take an extra day at Bohinj as in both places you need at least a day to play tourist.  For instance the cable car to Vogel and a trip on Lake Bled are essential.  We also loved our stay in Ljubljana, a city with a beautiful feel to it and great restaurants.  We had wonderful weather in the first half of June (almost too hot at times) with the odd afternoon thunderstorm of no consequence.  Ate well twice at the Lipa Restaurant in Kranjska Gora and good meals at Spica (near Vila Preseren) and the Park Hotel (for the kremna rezina).

Glad we did the Istrian walk before Slovenia as it would have been a let down the other way around.  The walking was pleasant and enjoyable rather than spectacular, and we had 3 days of rain which can't but influence the experience.  The wine tasting on day 3 was one of the best we have done and we didn't need lunch afterwards.  Wonderful meal at Konobo Mondo in Motovun with knowledgable and friendly service.

As usual with Inntravel all the arrangements were just as described.  We will be back for more.

Fabulous holiday. Exceptional service. Well organised and detailed. Wonderful hotels. If you don't like "roughing it", take the upgrade for the first hotel. Read the notes very carefully before you start off and not just during.  

All hotel staff were very welcoming and nothing was too much trouble. Croatia was lovely and is still relatively cheap for tourists. This was our first Inntravel holiday and we will certainly consider using again.

The whole holiday was a delight and we loved Croatia! The accommodation was first class and the people very friendly. Highly recommended Istria for a holiday.

In spite of very disappointing weather the walks we completed were very enjoyable. Wildflowers and butterflies particularly noteworthy. The landscape is attractive although not as dramatic as, for example, Spain. We did have some trouble with the notes. They provided inconsistent levels of detail so it became quite diffuclut to be sure we were on the right track sometimes. I would recommend a smart phone as satnav back up since it feels like you are on your own sometimes. In one case the path has completely disappeared by being ploughed up and it was next to impossible to pick it up again. One very strong recommendation for eating in Lovran (which otherwise consisted of virtually identical and empty restuarants) - don't miss Ganeum, which, oddly enough, was the only full place we went to!

Difficult to find particular highlights, the hill towns were stunning, Lovran a perfect end destination. We particularly liked Villa Vera. 

The walk from Krasica to Livade was outstanding with two lovely hilltop settlements to look around, some fine views of the snow covered Alps to the north and a complete walk to savour and enjoy. 

We loved your restaurant suggestions. We ate at Taverna Otto in Dubrovnik, Knoba Mondo in Motovun, Najade and Bellevista in Lovran, Pri Martinu in Kranjska Gora, and enjoyed all of them. In Trogir, we had a nice meal at Restaurant Calebotta (Gradska 23), and in Ljubljana, Restavracija Spajza (Gornji Trg 28). We would recommend both of these also.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our walks Across the Istrian Peninsula (Croatia) and The Lakes & Julian Alps (Slovenia) with add-ons in Trogir and Ljubljana

Overall it was a great trip.  Beautiful scenery, great food and great accommodations.

Our highlights? Walking round the walls of Motovun at 7am watching the white sea of mist circling the town and other hilltop towns popping up through it.
Wild flowers - bright blue of chicory everywhere, silvery eryngium ,pink cornflower, purple scabious, deep purple clematis scrambling over the grassy verge, pale lilac autumn crocus in open glades on Mount Ucka and delicate pink cyclamen among the trees.
Bobita, the little dog that accompanied us on the circular walk to Kaldir. She joined us at the bottom of Motovun and would not go home. Slept at our feet during the wine tasting and luckily her owners rushed up in 2 cars as we walked out of the last vineyard before the climb back up to Motovun. The young woman, with tears running down her face said they had been looking for her all day and thought she had been stolen. I asked the dogs name -which was Bobita. She'd had a great time!
The San Rocco hotel was beautiful- a very special place.
We both enjoyed the long walk from Krasika to Livade and would have been disappointed if taken to Groznjan by the taxi.

Overall the holiday was great and we had a fab time. However, the directions were very confusing and sometimes wrong especially the first day. It felt like they had not been changed in a very long time (eg fields of vines that were clearly now disused and full of only dead vines). Without Google maps we would have been lost on many occasions.

We could not understand why we weren't offered an upgrade in Motovun and Lovran (though we did enjoy Hotel Villa Vera) also we would have liked to have been given an opportunity to stay in Opatija - or at least been informed that restaurants and facilities in Opatija were far superior to those on offer in Lovran.

Loved Hotel San Rocco and food here was fabulous.

This was our first adventure in Croatia and based on this holiday we would definitely be very happy to return to the country and do more walking.  The scenery was stunning, so beautiful and varied. The walks were well chosen, slightly more challenging than we expected them as they were marked as a grade two, but there was plenty of time to stop and rest if wanted.  We found the timings about right for us. We were amazed to see how green it was everywhere and that there were so many wild flowers in August!  This was probably due to the thunderstorms (two in ten days) which seem to keep everything lush and verdant yet thankfully did not impact our walking as they came at night time. San Rocco was a wonderful location and definitely worth the upgrade.  As always the hotels were very well chosen for quality and location. It's definitely worth taking time to visit Groznan, a fascinating place.  We normally go away in September but this year we had to choose the end of August.  It was hot but not unbearably so and there are so few tourists that it wasn't too busy.

This is our second walking holiday with Inntravel and again everything from initial enquiry, through booking, to organisation of the holiday was perfect.

This was an excellent walking holiday with the inland sections very quiet, we met no other walkers and about 4 cyclists. In the inland countryside area we were surprised by the amount of property in a deserted run down and dilapidated state, could this be the next Dordogne or Tuscany for the developers? Go before it changes.

The countryside with its broadleaf forests and hedged lanes is not dissimilar to many parts of England the key difference being the occasional olive groves, vines & of course the picturesque hilltop villages. Whilst not seeking to compare it to other walking locations we have been to it does not have lots of scenic ‘wow’ moments, but was still very scenic and enjoyable.

The coastal area is busier with some great walks giving beautiful views. 

The grade of all the walks is accurate and all doable in walking shoes rather than boots (or just sandals on the lungomare) with walking poles possibly useful on only the walk down to Lovran. 

Highlights:

The numbers and varieties of butterflies. Swallowtails, Blues, Fritillaries, Whites and Skippers in abundance, this being despite the peak season of wild flowers in bloom having passed. 

Eating on the terrace of the Hotel Kastel in Motovun. The staff were so friendly and the food was excellent, we ate there both nights due to the magnificent views afforded from the terrace.

The wine tasting at Benvenuti. Our host Suzanna was excellent and very knowledgeable, plus the taster board of local foods was more of a buffet and provided an adequate lunch for this day’s walk. The wine was also excellent, take cash (Kuna) to buy as there is a premium for card purchases.

Villa Vera in Lovran, could not have been more welcoming and friendly, beautiful rooms we had two suites for our party of 3 at no additional charge. The indoor pool is excellent and the breakfasts very varied and tasty. Don’t miss swimming in the sea; towels provided by the hotel.

The seafood in Lovran is excellent but easy to run up a big bill at c£65 a kilo for the fish. Best night was at Lovranska vrata where our superb meal was supplemented by the entertainment of watching the locals in the neighbouring bar watching Croatia beat Denmark on penalties in the football World Cup.

My personal highlight was the add-on in Venice. Totally wonderful. Loved Croatia - but I gather the country is very beautiful and I was expecting it to be a little more spectacular. Maybe there are other areas of Croatia which would provide more scenic walks? Loved the area around Motovun - and the town itself. All in all, a fabulous holiday. 

We did eat at Zigante in Livade on the truffle tasting menu and wine pairing. It was quite an experience.

The hotel were very helpful in providing taxi services, but owing to repairs on the road this is not an easy journey at the moment. 

We allowed 2 and a half hours for the meal but needed 3 hours, so not to rush the meal.

We hadn't considered going to this area before seeing it in the Inntravel brochure, but we are very glad that we did take the chance to explore it. The area is very scenic but the walking not too demanding in terms of terrain. A nice combination of green rolling wooded landscape with glimpses of the sea, picturesque hilltop villages, and the more mountainous area on the East coast. Everyone we met was friendly and helpful, and the local food delicious (especially the seafood in Lovran). We did not enjoy truffle ice cream (the only type we could find in Livade at the end of the longest day's walking) however!

This was a brilliant holiday and lived up to the expectations we had of Inntravel from previous experiences. The walking was glorious and tranquil through superb and varied landscapes but our overriding memories will be of the wonderful butterflies and wildflowers. Walking through the meadows with clouds of butterflies flying around us was a fabulous sight, among them were Swallowtails, Silver Washed Fritillary, and Hairstreak. In addition to the walking, we would also recommend a visit to the Roman Coliseum or Arena at Pula which we did this on our way from the airport to our first accommodation - well worth a detour.  

Such a varied week of hiking, sights and food. This trip has a little bit of everything! 

The scenery on all of the walks was brilliant. We greatly enjoyed the food especially fish when staying at Lovran. We were treated exceptionally well by the staff at Villa Vera in Lovran.

The Istrian Pennisula is georgeous with very lush countryside. The freshly prepared food, especially the fish dishes were superb. They come with a plate of the days catch to your table for you to choose your fish! The general service in all the accommodation was superb. The language is a bit of a challenge but many speak Italian and often very good English, but we had fun trying to get our tongue around Croatian. 

Highlights :

Day 1 walk....discovering a restaurant Taverna Istriana in Brtonigla opposite the church. They cooked your fish on the open grill in front of you. A bit pricy but delicious.

The wine tour in Benvenuti was great. The young girl was very knowledgeable.

The cafe Wagner in Opatija ....lovely cakes!

The restaurant Najade is in a lovely location and the food delicious, again choosing your own fish! The service was a bit lacking. 

The corner table chosen for us at the Hotel Kastel, Motovun terrace restaurant on the first night,with superb food watching the sun set, was lovely.

Day 4 walking  through the woods from Poklon, we were accompanied by several cuckoos and surrounded by birdsong.

In Venice [Mrs Pidlsey added a stay in Venice to her holiday] ....“Musica a Pallazzo”....a mini opera performed in a palazzo on the Grand Canal. An intimate arrangement with each scene performed in different rooms. Book ahead, but you  need cash to pay on the night.

Istria was delightful and the walks whilst not too challengiing presented a good variety of scenery. Having been on more challenging walks this was a pleasant change. Brtonigla was charming and Lovran a real delight with excellent restaurants. Our final meal of the freshest grilled whole seabass sitting by the sea at Najade was superb. The weather was appalling for the first couple of days which made walking as if on a slipper of mud challenging.

An excellent itinerary visting some really interesting places and walking through beautiful countryside. Croatia is a very nice country and it is a pity that Inntravel only has one walking holiday there. Would love to go back.

Very enjoyable walking holiday with varied scenery and wonderful views. The routes were well-planned and manageable. The food was excellent and the accommodation was amazing. Importantly, the way in which the route was planned allowed for plenty of opportunities to do other things (other than walking) if you wanted e.g. kayaking or excursions. All the staff and people we encountered were so friendly and helpful. This was a superb and memorable holiday and the staff at Inntravel worked hard to accommodate our specific needs. Thank you.

An excellent weeks walking without too much climbing. The hotels used are all excellent yet very different in character. You move from a friendly B&B with excellent food and service from the owners, to a fairly large (for the area) and upmarket hotel in Motovun, then finish in a fabulous hotel in Lovran with very friendly and informative customer service. You must try the fish restaurants in Lovran, particularly Lovranske Vrate, excellent fish and service for a very reasonable price

The Istrian peninsula proved to be a beautiful and unspoilt area and we enjoyed exploring it on foot. The accommodation and food was all first class.

Excellent holiday.  Choice of walks superb - interesting and challenging enough without being hard labour!

Istria proved to be a wondrous place with everything you might want - mountains, sea, delicious wines, and lots of truffles!

There were many highlights for us. Dinner on the terrace at Motovun is a delight, as is the wine tasting at the wonderful Benvenuti Vina and the view from our balcony at the fantastic Hotel Villa Vera all rate highly. The breathtaking views and fertile land covered in orchards and vineyards, picking warm cherries from the orchard walking up to Kaldir and seeing Motovun as you reach the top of the hill on leaving Oprtalj and thank goodness that the Hotel Kastel taxi will be picking you up at Livade and you won't have to walk up to it, were all highlights.

A lovely holiday with good walking and hotels. Countryside full of wild flowers and butterflies.

Enjoyed wine tasting - owner interesting and informative. Very welcoming and the wine was excellent too. Managed to fit couple of bottles in rucksack!

Walk to Moscenicka Draga worth doing - have lunch at Moscenice and take swimming gear for beach at end of walk.

Villa Vera owner was particularly friendly and helpful. 

Lovely holiday with varied and interesting walks.  Beautiful landscapes of olive trees, vines and meadows of wild flowers and an abundance of butterflies.  The food and wine were excellent and very good value for money.  Groznjan, Motovun, the winery, and swimming in the sea at Lovran were highlights.

The satisfaction in completing the walks and having such a variety of scenery and flowers (we saw a bee orchid) made this a memorable holiday. The local people we met were always pleased to see us and most welcoming.

Overall we were, again, very pleased with the trip and we felt that the itinerary was interesting and varied. 

However, we felt that the detailed route instructions were not as clear as usual. This resulted in confusion and wasted time on the 22km day (day 2) as we sought the exit from some fields. There were other places too where a simple additional note would have been very helpful. If you wish, we can send you our notes which we think would be helpful for future travellers. 

The accommodation was very satisfactory if rudimentary in the first location. We suggest that you make it clear at the time of booking that the staff will not be there before 6pm. As it was, we booked our taxi before we knew of this important detail and we could have spent more time in Pula before setting out for Krasica.

Groznjan: it would be a shame to hurry through here at the begining of the long Day 2 walk to Motovun.