Croatia Culinary & Cultural Tour of Croatia’s Istria Peninsula
Best time to visit: April, May, September, October
Best for: Friends, Families, Solo Travelers, and Couples
Istria is a land of picturesque hilltop villages and scenic coastlines, but what you might not know is that Istria is also a top destination for culinary connoisseurs around the world. It’s unique spices, locally sourced ingredients and spectacular vineyards are central to the culture of Istria, and offer an alluring taste of the rich Croatian cuisine.
Learn why this region is world-renowned for its spectacular flavors, ancient history and incredible scenery on an 8-day Tour of Croatia’s Istria Peninsula.
What to expect
Highlights of the Journey
Private tastings at the notable local vineyards of Rossi and Meneghetti, and at the farm of Award winning olive oil producer, Ipša d.o.o.
Truffle hunt and lunch with the Prodan Family, recently featured on Gordon Ramsay’s, Uncharted
Private walking Food & History tour in the seaside village of Porec
Private Oyster farm tour and tasting
Private Cooking Class with the chef of the Michelin noted restaurant
Visit and private tour of the Roman Amphi-theatre and Temple of Augustus in Pula
Visits to the villages of Opatija, Rovinj, Porec, Groznjan, Motovun and Hum, the smallest village in the world!
Private, guided tour of Zagreb’s Old Town
Culinary Tour
Experience an 8-day Culinary Tour of Croatia’s Istria Peninsula to discover why this region is often dubbed the “Tuscany of Croatia”. The cuisine of Istria is a combination of coastal and continental flavors along with influences from the different cultures that have contributed to its richness over many centuries, including Italy, Austria and France.
Istria is blessed with fertile ground and a mild climate that has for centuries been ideal for growing grape vines and olive trees. The harvests of both are now internationally acclaimed and award winning. On this trip, you will have numerous opportunities to sample the wines and olive oils that are putting Istria on the culinary map.
The soil of Istria is also home to the highest quality of black and white truffles, a delicacy you will have the chance to hunt and sample at a 3rd generation, family owned Truffle Farm.
Along with the exceptional food and wine experiences included in this trip, you will also dig deep into Istrian history and culture with a walking food & history tour, visits to the 1st century AD Roman Amphi-theatre and the Temple of Augustus in Pula, and visits to the **picturesque villages of Opatija, Rovinj, Porec, Groznjan, Hum and Motovun.
Your home base for this trip is award-winning boutique heritage hotel, located deep in the Istrian countryside, in the village of Brtonigla. The beautifully restored stone house, with lush gardens surrounded by olive groves, and an outstanding, Michelin noted restaurant, has won the title of Best Small Hotel in Croatia five times. Here you will enjoy a private room and gourmet meals.
Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the cultural, geographic and gastronomic diversity that make Istria the perfect destination for those in search of natural beauty, history, and exceptional local cuisine.
**Note: Most of the villages you will visit on this trip are located on hilltops, and all have narrow streets paved with uneven and irregular cobblestones. In addition, the villages are typically pedestrian zones, which requires parking at some distance with uphill walking that is moderate to strenuous. This trip is not appropriate for those with impaired or limited mobility.
The Cuisine of Istria
Gastronomy is a way of life in Istria, its peasant traditions, fresh, seasonal ingredients and inventive chefs combine to make this small peninsula the destination of choice for epicureans. The cuisine of Istria is continually evolving and improving, due to the concentrated energies of talented regional chefs who select the best meats, cheeses and vegetables from local territories and the freshest fish from small-scale fishing operations.
This tour offers you the opportunity to sample a wide array of regional foods and preparation methods, all containing the freshest local ingredients. From traditional and rustic, to sophisticated and artistic, each meal and tasting on this trip will bring you closer to understanding why this region is so celebrated.
The Wines of Istria
The wine-producing tradition in Croatia started with Greek settlers at least 2,500 years ago. Development and production was severely impaired under modern communist rule when farmers were forced to send all grapes to government collectives.
Since the end of Yugoslavia in the mid-1990’s, Istrian wineries have slowly begun distinguishing themselves and Istria has earned a reputation as a remarkable wine county. The official stamp of approval came when Wine Enthusiast magazine included Istria in its top 10 wine travel destinations in the world for 2015.
The combination of the Mediterranean climate and the long coastline paired with the hilly topography of the Istrian Peninsula provides the perfect conditions for grape cultivating. On this trip, you will visit 3 different vineyards in West Istria, home to the region’s most famous winemakers. The wines from this region are extremely complex and have a spectacular reputation among connoisseurs and sommeliers. You will learn about the history and styles of winemaking in Istria, the indigenous grape varieties, different soils and microclimates, and how each winemaker leaves his/her personal mark on their bottles.
Sample Itinerary
Zagreb, Opatija, Brtonigla
International arrival to Zagreb, Croatia
Transfer to Hotel San Rocco with a stop in the seaside city of Opatija for a leg stretch along the promenade and coffee or a snack
Check-in to Hotel San Rocco in the village of Brtonigla
Early dinner in Brtonigla at Michelin noted, Konoba Morgan
Brtonigla, Ipša, Livade, Groznjan, Rossi Vineyard
Breakfast at Hotel
Olive Oil Tasting and light lunch at award winning producer, Ipša d.o.o.
Local walk (level of difficulty – Easy to Moderate)
Afternoon visit to the charming hilltop village of Groznjan, home to artists and artisans of the region
Wine Tasting at local Vineyard
Return to Hotel
Dinner at Hotel
Brtonigla, Novigrad, Rovinj
Breakfast at Hotel
Free morning to relax, enjoy a yoga class, take a walk, or book a massage appointment
Depart for Meneghetti Wine Resort, wine tasting and lunch
Depart for seaside town of Rovinj
Free afternoon to explore the winding, cobblestoned streets of Rovinj
Dinner in Rovinj at Michelin noted La Puntulina
Return to Hotel
Brtonigla, Buzet, Hum
Breakfast at Hotel San Rocco
Depart for Truffle Hunting with Lunch at Prodan Tartufi
Visit to charming Hum: the world’s smallest village!
Dinner at a notable local restaurant
Brtonigla, Lim Bay, Pula
Breakfast at Hotel
Depart for Lim Bay Oyster Farm tour and tasting
Lunch in Pula
Guided tour of Roman antiquities in Pula: the spectacular Roman Amphi-theatre, built in the 1st century AD during the reign of Emperor Vespasian and the Temple of Augustus
Dinner at Hotel
Brtonigla, Motovun
Breakfast at Hotel San Rocco
10:30pm – Depart for walking food and history tour in the seaside town of Porec
2:30pm- Visit to hilltop village of Motovun
6:30pm – Cooking class followed by Dinner
Brtonigla, Zagreb
Breakfast at Hotel
Depart for Zagreb: City Tour and lunch
Check in to Zagreb Hotel
7:00pm – Dinner in Zagreb’s old town
Zagreb
Early Breakfast at Hotel
Depart for Zagreb airport and international flights