Tourism in Istria today

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For what the tourist offer concerns, Istria is usually divided into Blue Istria and Green Istria:

Blue Istria

Costal area of Istria - Blue Istria is the area with the best accommodation capacities, having 1 to 5-stars hotels and apartments with a rich offer for what concerns sport, recreation, catering and entertaining facilities.

Within the tourist complexes you can find sport grounds for football, tennis, basketball, volleyball, mini-golf, athletics. Apart from this, numerous hotels have their own fitness center, indoor and outdoor swimming pool, sauna and a massage parlor.

For all those who are not in the mood for exploring the rich gastronomic and entertainment offer of the surrounding, the hotels usually have restaurants of quality, bars, taverns, night clubs, and for the brave ones casinos as well. The total accommodation capacity in a hundred or so hotels is around 35.000 beds and 24.000 beds in apartments.

Although the Blue Istria is the most popular tourist destination in the summer season, there is an awakening interest in other sorts of tourism in the preseason and postseason. The Istrian hotels, thanks to their facilities and equipment, meet all criteria needed for organizing all kinds of congresses and other conventions and thus the congress tourism is growing in importance.

Besides, thanks to its favorable climate and well equipped sport facilities, which attract both athletes and other enthusiasts of sport, who come here for recreation, quality training or rehabilitation, sport tourism is in Istria on the increase.

For all those looking for a quiet holiday within family atmosphere, Blue Istria offers a number of quality rooms, apartments in private accommodation and houses, with around 35.000 beds. For lovers of "free" tourism and for those who want to spend their holiday surrounded by nature, we recommend a holiday and accommodation in one of altogether 40 campsites, of which 10 naturist camps that can accommodate 130.000 campers.

The campsites usually open their doors at the beginning of April and close at the end of September, with some campsites closing even in October. All campsites are well-equipped and offer various recreation and sport facilities: sport grounds for tennis, volleyball, mini golf, football, basketball and many others. Besides, there are also possibilities of sport activities like sailing, diving, water-skiing, surfing, jet-skiing and similar.

Not to forget the true lovers of the sea, there are 15 marinas with 3.400 berths in all tourist centers along the Istrian coast. They are very well equipped, offering all the facilities necessary to nautical experts, ranging from service to refueling, from shops to gastronomic offer in restaurants. Those who do not have a ship yet, there is a possibility to hire a charter in one of the numerous charter centers in every marina. For lovers of good food, there is a number of quality restaurants with a rich gastronomic and enological offer.

Green Istria

Green Istria is the right place for all those who have enough of city life, crowds, who wish to return to nature, to its peacefulness and tranquility. The inland Istria is showing a growing number of agro tourism points (today reaching the number of around 200).

The accommodation units are constructed in typically Istrian tradition, usually called Istrian taverns, mostly isolated. Along with the traditionally gastronomic, enological and accommodation offer, an authentic rural atmosphere, a number of recreation facilities are offered too and can be found only in the rural regions.
Thanks to its favorable climate, Istria is the right place for rearing and raising game and offers the possibility of hunting tourism, which includes the organization of hunts, usually of feathered game (pheasants, quails), small game (hares), and bigger game (boars and bucks).

The inland Istria is showing a growing number of agro tourism points (today reaching the number of around 200). The accommodation units are constructed in typically Istrian tradition, usually called Istrian taverns, mostly isolated.

Istria is a very rich region for what the variety of nature concerns, above all its inland. Steep slopes, natural canyons, dangerous mountain trails and sheer rocks give the lovers of adventure the possibility to practice extreme sports like paragliding (flying), free climbing (rocks climbing), mountain biking, hang gliding, caving... I

f you really like peace, we recommend a glass of either Teran (red wine)) or Malvazija (white wine), Istrian prosciutto and cheese while listening to legends, stories and customs of this region, told by a friendly host. Maybe you will be indulged to experience this autochthon way of life and follow the example of many others before you and thus try to live a life of a countryman and devote yourself to grape gathering, to picking of other products, to looking after the cattle (boškarin is the autochthonous Istrian ox), to milking the goats...and thus relieve yourself from the stress of everyday life. Undoubtedly, it is worth experiencing the sunset and the beneficial effect of Green Istria.

When and why to come to Istria

After getting the first idea of the tourist offer of Istria, you will certainly ask yourself what is the best time to visit Istria. The answer is - anytime! Thanks to its mild climate Istria attracts and offers a pleasant stay all year around.

Spring time is particularly suitable for recreational stays – there is a number of cycling, walking and hiking trails, tennis courts, activities like caving, free climbing and paragliding are offered too. All sorts of sports facilities are at the disposal of sportsmen and tourist - excursionists, for training or rehabilitation and their educational getting acquainted with cultural, historical and natural characteristics of Istria.

Summer time belongs exclusively to lovers of the sea, lasting from May to the end of September. It can be said that summer is the "liveliest " season. Visitors can enjoy the sea and the sun at a seaside of a renowned tourist resort on the Istrian coast . Tourist wistful of active vacation are offered numerous attractive happenings with possibilities of amusement.

The evening hours are dedicated to cultural events - film festivals, theatre performances, concerts of world famous artists and musicians, exhibitions, which are usually held in places of cultural and historical importance, and to the traditional fish summer feasts in coastal towns, with music, dance, wine and pilchards. For young visitors, and those that feel young, apart from discotheques, do not miss the Valkana Beach Party and the Biker Days.

During your summer holidays do not forget to visit the Green Istria. The inland of Istria is characteristic for its traditional feasts, organized regularly. They will reveal the Istrian folklore - unique Istrian music, dances, folk costumes, in few words the spirit of Istria.

Autumn time is, like spring, suitable for enjoying the beauties of nature of the rural Istria. In this period you can participate in autumn products picking - grapes, chestnuts, mushrooms...Do not miss the excursion along the Wine Trails (Roads) which will bring you to the most famous Istrian wine makers where you will be offered quality wine served with Istrian cheese and prosciutto.

In winter, when days are shorter and colder, you will not have so much time for excursions and sightseeing. We recommend a visit to an Istrian tavern, where you can warm yourself beside a fireplace and relax while drinking the famous Istrian supa and tasting traditional Istrian food.