Motovun
After Plitvice, our next stop was Motovun, a medieval village in the Istria region. We had booked a car transfer and Andreja our driver with Degenjia tours is a smart young man who engaged us in interesting conversation during our comfortable journey. Along the way you travel through tunnels and mountain tops and it’s a nice route. As we drew closer, from far Motovun looked a bit like the Tuscan hill towns like Montepulciano.
Istria is definitely different from the rest of Croatia. At time it feels a bit like Tuscany and definitely there is a more Italian feel. The hill towns are quiet and peaceful especially in the evenings and at night. We decided to stay at the base of Motovun. We had rented an apartment with 2 bedrooms on the first floor from friendly owners. Right opposite was the grocery store so we could purchase breakfast items. It was a comfortable stay but in hind sight perhaps we should have opted to stay in Motovun proper on top of the hill as the restaurants are all there. But keep in mind Motovun is an old medieval town, as such buildings are old and except for the one big Hotel Kastel all other options need to be researched carefully. We did see a new hotel being built at the base.
Istria without a car is not easy and the buses that take you to the hill top, stop running at 4.30 or 4.45 pm or so, as a result getting dinner was a challenge, since all the restaurants are at the top of the hill. The first evening, one of the bus drivers who was hanging around after work took pity on us and drove us in his run-down car to the top for no cost and then we walked down after dinner. The second evening we made sure we were able to take that last bus to town and bought dinner early and brought it back with us to the apartment.
Motovun and Istria are famous for their Truffles – black and white. First night we had dinner at Mondo Konoba, which some say is the best little restaurant in Istria and is acclaimed internationally. We sat outside and had to deal with some mosquitoes. Motovun was very quiet since all the day trippers had left. We ordered Ravioli with truffles, Tagliatelle with truffles and Rigatoni and panna cotta for dessert. The food was delicious and we enjoyed it. At the table next to us were 2 American couples who lived in Honolulu and they were curious to see what we had ordered so we chatted a while.
Waking up early morning, we enjoyed tea in the balcony in the cool 62F weather in June, while taking in the vineyard views. This relaxing experience is why I had opted to stay in Motovun. This tiny town has several acclaimed restaurants but if you do not have a car, it would be better to stay in the old town on top of the hill. The weather is cooler in Motovun than in Rovinj by the coast and we wanted to have a taste of living in Inland Croatia as well. If you would rather be in a more happening and lively place, Rovinj, by the coast is a better option. By evening and night, Motovun was eerie quiet and quite empty in early June.
Euphrasian Basilica in Porec
The next morning we had arranged for a day trip to Porec and Rovinj with Istra Transfers. The driver was on time and we headed out first to Porec to see the Euphrasian Basilica. It was Sunday and there was service going on, and some areas were closed to visitors. We stayed for a few minutes at the service as the language was foreign to us but we were able to see the beautiful church and its mosaics. The Basilica is from the 6th-century and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its Byzantine art and glittering 6th-century beautiful mosaics are beautiful and its worth visiting this active place of worship. Porec is itself is a town that did not impress me much but our purpose here was just to see the Basilica. So we left quite soon and headed to Rovinj.
Rovinj
Arriving in Rovinj, it’s a busy sea side town, many restaurants, gelato places and lots of people around. Rovinj definitely had a more bustling touristy vibe than other areas in Istria. We had a good lunch at Maestral by the boat club with a lovely view of the Sea and the old town in the distance. Coincidentally we ran into the same two American couples again in Rovinj as well and we chatted again. They had rented a car from Ljubljana in Slovenia and were driving all around Istria. They would drive back to Ljublijana to return the car since fees to return the car in another country are very high.
In Rovinj, we also walked uphill to the Church of St. Euphemia climbing up several steps on narrow alleyways. It’s an enjoyable walk and the church itself is lovely. Visiting places of worship always fulfill me as I stop to thank God and say prayers in each of these places. The peace and sacred atmosphere in places of worship soothe my soul and we always include them in all of our travel plans.
That evening we returned early enough to catch the bus to old town Motovun on the hill and this time we just ordered pizza from Montona Gallery. The pizza was delicious and reasonably priced and we enjoyed it later in our apartment. As you walk down the hill we had to watch for cars and in one area we could hear the loud barking of some truffle hunting dogs but they seemed to be secured in an enclosure.
Motovun was our last stop in Croatia. We purchased some things at the grocery store to finish our remaining Kuna since next we were headed to Slovenia which used the Euro and our Croatian Kuna would be of no use to us once we left Croatia. I was surprised at just how much we enjoyed Croatia. Each stop in Croatia was distinctively different and unique and each was truly delightful and beautiful.