Must see attractions in Central & Eastern Istria

Looming over the chasm, Pazin’s castle is the largest and best-preserved medieval structure in all of Istria. First mentioned in AD 983, the castle has…

Pazin’s most renowned site is undoubtedly this 100m-deep abyss, through which the Pazinčica River sinks into subterranean passages forming three…

This award-winning winery in the hamlet of Ohnići, 14km northeast of Poreč, has been in the same family for a century. It cultivates 10 hectares of…

The northern part of the main square is occupied by this beautiful 13th-century fortified palace. Its present appearance, including its towers, are a…

The setting, down in a verdant valley by a bubbling river, and the striking architecture of its tasting room make this Istria's most impressive winery to…

Don't miss this almost-abandoned village, 2.5km off the road to Roč. It's set on a stream which all but dries up in summer, but at other times bubbles…

Tucked away in a courtyard of the Hotel Kaštel, this small museum has interesting displays on the legendary giant of Motovun Forest, the grim lot of the…

Positioned in a cemetery just outside the town walls, this little 12th-century Romanesque chapel still has the remains of its original frescoes on the…

The road from Roč to Hum has been dubbed Glagolitic Alley in reference to a series of 11 sculptures placed alongside it, commemorating the area’s…

Rabac's best beach is this series of pebbly coves in front of the immense Valamar Girandella resort complex. It's well maintained by the resort, but most…

The ground floor of this museum, housed in the baroque 18th-century Battiala-Lazzarini Palace, is devoted to archaeological finds. Upstairs is a…

It only takes about 10 minutes to circle Motovun's ramparts and you can get similar views of the surrounding countryside for free, just by walking around…

The town's skyline is dominated by the yellow sandstone bell tower of its large parish church, which was first mentioned in 1310 and renovated in baroque…

Built by the Venetians in 1784, Buzet's pretty parish church has a pale-yellow ceiling with frescos, an elaborate pulpit and baroque altars. There's also…

Positioned by the cliffs at the far end of the old town, this church (completed in 1611) was in the throes of a major restoration during research but it…

Labin's fortress once stood at the highest point of the old town. There's no longer a fort to speak of (although there is a canon) but it's well worth…

Labin's parish church – originally built in the 11th century but tinkered with until the 18th – has a Venetian lion over the main door and baroque marble…

Housed in a 1597 building which once served as a court, prison and granary, the town's main gallery promotes recent works of mainly Croatian artists…

This winery, 12km northeast of Poreč, produces some of Istria's finest reds and whites. Its malvazija is of particularly high quality, and it also…

The town's centrepiece is this large Renaissance church, thought to have been designed by Venetian architect Andrea Palladio. The interior is a restrained…