Walking Croatia's Istrian Peninsula

Our trip starts in Pula, a cosmopolitan seafront city of contrasts where charming cobbled streets and Roman ruins sit alongside modern urban developments and the Uljanik shipyard. There are no activities planned for today, your leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 7pm to welcome you to Croatia, and for those that wish, there is the chance to go out for dinner. If your flight arrives later in the evening, there will be a full trip briefing after breakfast on day two. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Pula Airport (PUL), which is around 10 minutes' drive from our hotel. If you arrive earlier in the day, perhaps you might choose to take a walk around the historical centre, visit the Roman amphitheatre or enjoy a drink on Kandlerova street soaking up the atmosphere.

Today we'll be following the Seven Waterfalls Trail which starts in the town of Buzet, a one-and-a-half hour drive north from Pula. The trail takes us from the banks of the Mirna River, to quaint villages, forests, bridges, mine shafts and of course, waterfalls. We begin walking through the forest and soon reach the first waterfall, Zagon. The second waterfall, Bacva (the Barrel), at nearly nine metres high is one of the most photogenic thanks to the small bridge suspended above the turquoise pond. Continuing, we come to view the third and highest waterfall, Vela Pec, watching the water tumble 26 metres down the smooth rock. Old mining shafts, bridges, villages and shepherd huts are peppered along the trail offering an interesting window into the history of the area. The mines were first opened in the 16th century and miners looking for work came from Slovenia, Germany, Italy and Romania. As a result Istria has the highest percentage of minorities in Croatia and hearing Italian or Romanian in Istria is not a rare occurrence. Between the third and fourth waterfall there is a short steep climb partially secured with fixed ropes and metal steps to make the climb easier. After the ascent we'll come out to a wider path, which brings us to the fourth waterfall, Mala Pec. From here it takes an hour of walking to reach the next waterfall at the tiny village of Kotli where we will stop for lunch. It's a picturesque spot with an old watermill built onto the rock face by the falls where the river has hollowed out cauldron-like forms into the stone. On our way back to Buzet, we pass by the final two waterfalls, Zelenšcak, and Grjok, with its wonderful wide pond and rock ledge. From here it's about a 40 minute walk through a small canyon to get back to our waiting bus. We'll have a short drive onto the pretty town of Motovun where will will spend the next three nights. The Medieval town is perched high on a hill above the Miran River Valley. You can walk around the city walls for panoramic views and visit the exhibition of local landscape photography housed in the tower above the outer gate. One evening be sure to try some local olive oil - Istria has been declared the best extra virgin olive oil region in the world for the sixth year in a row. Today's 14 kilometre circular walk is expected to take around five hours with 350 metres of ascent and descent. The trail is uneven in places with tree roots and there are some river crossings on larger boulders which can become slippery.

This morning we take a short transfer to Groznjan with some time to explore before starting our hike along the Parenzana Trail. The Parenzana was a railroad that operated from 1902 to 1935, connecting 33 Istrian settlements from the Croatian city of Porec to the Italian city of Trieste. This 123-kilometre disused railway line has been converted into a scenic gravel path, a popular hiking and biking challenge for both locals and travellers. With its tunnels, viaducts, bridges and beautiful lookouts, the 20 kilometres between Groznjan and Motovun is one of the most attractive parts of the whole Parenzana Trail. Starting in the small village of Zavrsje, with its medieval tower, we'll enjoy views of olive groves, drystone terraces, vineyards and the Adriatic Sea glistening in the west while passing through four tunnels, over four viaducts and several old bridges. We'll stop for lunch at a family ran restaurant in Oprtalj before the route continues to descend toward the Mlinska valley reaching the village of Livade, the truffle capital of Istria, before eventually heading in to Motovun. Today's 14 kilometre walk is expected to take around five hours with 600 metres of ascent and 500 metres of descent.

Today's walk starts from Motovun, descending to reach a 222 metre long stone tunnel taking us to the Krvar viaduct. At the halfway point of this scenic walk we will visit a Tikel agriturismo in village of Spinovci for lunch (not included). After a delicious lunch we take a small divert from the trail to add a short walk to a nearby peak of St. Thomas which offers nice views of the surrounding countryside, river Mirna and the Adriatic. Continue back along the trail we reach a life-size model of the U20 locomotive that once used to chug away on the thin winding Parenzana line, we walk over the Sabadin viaduct and towards the southern entrance of Vizinada. We take some time here to wander the quiet streets and enjoy a coffee before driving back to Montovun. Today's 12 kilometre walk is expected to take around four hours with 400 metres of ascent and 300 metres of descent.

After breakfast we check-out and transfer to the village of Butoniga. The trail today follows the Grdoselo stream and starts with two waterfalls. We pass by the abandoned castle of Zelendvor, before continuing south towards Grdoselo. From there we continue south towards Pazin and connect to a popular hiking route, the Mill Valley, whose highlights are the Pazinski krov and Zarecki krov waterfalls. The route ends in Pazin with some time for lunch before the final walk of the day to Pazin Cave. Pazin Cave, located under the walls of Pazin Castle, forms part of the gorge of the river Pazin?ica. The one kilometre trail begins at Vrsic Bridge and descends into the Pazincica canyon and leads through the woods to a lookout for views down to the cave. The underground portion of the trail is around 200 metres long and ends in a large hall and an underground lake that measures 80 metres across. Travel by bus to Vrsar on the coast, our base for the next three nights. Vrsar is a bit of an unknown gem, the old town set on a small hill, is surrounded by inlets with beautiful views and stunning sunsets. Today's 14 kilometre walk is expected to take around five hours with 400 metres of ascent and 300 metres of and descent.

Today is a free day to relax in the quiet little town of Vrsar, walking up the hill for views of Vrsar archipelago. There is also the option to take a tour of Rovinj, wandering through the cobbled old town with a knowledgeable local history guide offering an insight into the history and culture of the city. There is also the opportunity to explore Brijuni National Park independently, a striking archipelago of 14 islands and islets, an interesting mix of nature and history - it was Tito's presidential residence during his dictatorship. Throughout the island there are more than 200 visible dinosaur footprints left in the limestone, alongside Bronze-age fortified settlements, Roman villas and the Byzantine castrum. You can explore on foot or rent a bike or electric car.

This morning we drive to the town of Vabriga, or more precisely Santa Marina bay - a picturesque fisherman's marina. Today's walk follows the coastline, the first point of interest is the town of Cervar Porat where it is possible to look around the remains of the big estate from Ancient Roman times (villa rustica, oil refinery, amphora workshop and brick yard). Continue passing the devastated ruins of a Roman villae rusticae, on a wide land trail not far from the coast along the olive groves and around the Busuja bay to the cape of a beautiful peninsula which has the same name and offers views north towards Novigrad. For the last three kilometres before Porec the trail becomes more popular and busy, joining locals to stroll along the seaside promenade. Entering Porec we will end the walk at the UNESCO protected basilica of Euphrasius. It is one of the most complete surviving complex's of the 6th Century with stunning examples of Byzantine mosaic art adorning the apse of the church. As with anywhere in Istria you can find excellent food and wine in Porec. You could savour a glass of Istrian Malvazija wine in the Round tower. This 15th century fort was built to protect the city, with the recent restoration the tower became a bar with a magnificent view of the whole city. We will return by bus to Vrsar in the late afternoon. This evening we enjoy a final meal together in a local restaurant. Today's linear 13 kilometre walk is expected to take around four hours, mostly flat route.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Vrsar, There are no activities planned for today, so you are free to depart from Vrsar at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you need to depart from Pula Airport (PUL) which is around 45 minutes drive from the hotel.