I asked our readers a few weeks ago, what can you do near Porec Croatia. We have already been on holiday in Porec ourselves and I can tell you everything about this area. There is plenty to do! We are at camping Bijela Uvala, about 3 kilometers from Porec and I would like to give you some inspiration about what you can do in Istria, Croatia.
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The preference for Istria and specifically the Porec area arose from the desire to go on holiday to Croatia by car. And then Porec is just doable in one day from Schijndel. That is about 1350 kilometers. Fortunately, there is a lot to do in the vicinity of our campsite and once you are here you don't have to drive very far for some nice sights. I'll list them for you.
It is of course obvious, a visit to Porec itself. From our campsite - where we are with Vacansoleil - a brisk walk. Nevertheless, we initially opt for the car, mainly because the weather is not yet so predictable. In the spring you can count on similar weather in Croatia as in the Netherlands. Temperatures range from 11-22° and precipitation can also vary quite a bit. Because of the cloud cover we decide to visit Porec by car on our first day here in Croatia. There is plenty of space to park in Porec. We have parked our car a little outside the center and for a few euros you can park there for a whole afternoon.
Porec itself is a medium-sized city in Croatia with a nice core where you will find countless cozy streets. You walk a nice round along the coast, although they don't have a real boulevard there. If you want to see/try out nice shops and tasty eateries, then you really have to be in the center.
The most beautiful building in Porec is the Euphrasian Basilica, an impressive basilica of Euphrasiana from the sixth century. The photo above shows the entrance to the basilica.
In any case, there is a lovely tent on the market in the center where you can sit dry – even in the rain – and enjoy a delicious meal. For less than € 30.00 you have a full meal with 4 people, including drinks. We were there for lunch, but immediately turned it into a hot meal 😉 .
We wanted to visit the aquarium in the center of Porec, but after a short Google check I decided against it because of the reviews. It seems to be very small and the animals are not so great.
Pula is the southernmost city on the Croatian peninsula of Istria. From Porec, Pula is about a 45-minute drive along the coast of Croatia. As you enter Pula, one of the first beautiful structures you will encounter is the amphitheater. This arena still looks quite impressive. For 50 Kn per adult (about 7 euros) you can enter and you can also visit the underlying museum. If you just want to view the arena alone, you can also walk up the stairs to the left and look into the amphitheater from above. Costs nothing and you get a beautiful impression of the whole. In the summer, outdoor concerts are also given here.
The center of Pula is quite large. There are quite a few shopping streets with nice shops and there is a Mac. Of course, according to our kids, a visit to the big yellow M should not be missed when we are on a tourist tour in a big city.
In addition to the beautiful arena, you will find more beautiful Roman works in Pula, such as the Sergii triumphal arch in the middle of the city.
We also visited a castle (Pula Castle) in the middle of the city. Here you also have to pay an entrance fee, but with just over 200 Kn you can enter with 2 adults and 2 children. Once inside you can walk up from the square and have a beautiful view over the city. The amphitheater is also clearly visible from here… a bit of a shame about the ugly buildings in front of it, but otherwise a beautiful skyline.
If you go to Porec in Croatia, Rovinje is definitely worth a visit. Rovinje is immediately pleasant. When you enter the city, you actually start right at the boulevard. A boulevard full of eateries at the harbor that is full of boats. It can't get much nicer. You can also eat very well here. We were at Aqua 2. Didn't look very special from the outside, but the food was really tasty.
Enter the old town of Rovinje through Balbi's Gate and meander through the picturesque cobbled streets. Walk up to St. Euphemia's Churches, if you've got some energy left, climb the 60-meter tower of this church! From above you have a fantastic view.
The most beautiful view of Rovinje is from the water. We didn't, but if you look at the photo above you will understand why I say this.
The Jama Baredine caves in Gedici are about a 10-minute drive from Porec Croatia. For us a perfect outing on a rainy day, because they also have those in Croatia. You can only enter these caves with a guide, but a 40-minute tour is definitely worth it. An English-speaking guide will take you to a depth of 62 meters via 270 steps (which you have to climb again later). Very nice to see what it can all look like under the ground. Thousands of years of drops of water "build" a beautiful work of art from stalactites and stalagmites. At a depth of 62 meters you come to a small lake where white salamanders (the Olm) can be seen.
These salamanders have been placed here by the way. They do come from this cave but actually original from a depth of 125 meters. The visitors can't get there, but the professionals who maintain this cave can. Every few months, 2 salamanders are brought up (and the pair that is there can go down again). The typical thing about these creatures:they are blind, can live up to 100 years and just go a few years without food!
Always nice of course when the weather is nice and you want to relax for a day with the children. In our case (during the May holiday) a visit will not work as the entire water park is still very dry. It's not open yet 😉 . Only in high season can you have a full day of fun here.
From Fazana you make the crossing to the Brijuni islands in less than half an hour, if you are in Croatia near Porec then you drive here for about an hour. We have also done this ourselves and you can read all about it in my blog about the Brijuni National Park. It is more than worthwhile to walk around here for a day, visit the safari park and discover real dinosaur footprints!
As a tip from one of our readers, we got the Plitvice lakes. With the warning that these are worth it, but that you have to drive far for them. I took a good look, but to now make a one-way journey of more than 3 hours from Porec, we think that is a bit too much of a good thing. Such a shame, because the photos look really fantastic. Who knows we will visit this one another time, when we go back to Croatia.
We have not visited the pirate cave anymore. We did see a number of pirate boats in the harbor of Rovinj that regularly sail there. And we also saw the Limski Canal itself, but not the way to the cave. Also because the enthusiasm is divided. One thinks it's great, the other clearly less.
Are little dinosaurs going on holiday to Porec Croatia? They are amazed at Dinopark Funtana. There are life-sized dinosaurs, the largest of which is 24 meters long! Do:experience the attractions, watch the shows and eat dinosauruggets in the McDino. Tickets cost 160 Kn for adults and 140 Kn for children. So keep in mind that for a day at the dino park with a family and two children you will lose 600 Kn for the entrance, which is approximately € 85.00. Yet it turns out to be worth it, read more about the Dinopark Funtana with fellow blogger Nathalie.
An elevated village in the interior of Istria in Croatia, about 40 minutes drive from Porec. Motovun overlooks the River Myrna.
Risotto with truffle, tagliatelle with truffle, gnocchi with truffle, ravioli with truffle, tapenade with truffle, carpaccio with truffle… Are you a fan of truffle? Then you can eat delicious food in Istria! Especially in truffle heaven Motovun, a small place with only 531 inhabitants. The forest of Motovun is full of truffles, which is why many dishes here are given extra flavor with this delicious delicacy. Tip:drink a local wine with your meal. Grapes are also grown in Istria. Enjoy culinary delights during your holiday!
With a population of 28, Hum is the smallest town in the world. With city rights! The road to it is beautiful, the nature in the interior of Croatia (from Porec) is very beautiful. You just have to see Hum yourself. It's not big, but we spent at least 1.5 hours here. Enjoy the view, buy delicious truffle oil in one of the 3 souvenir shops and visit the church and cemetery.
If you are in Porec Croatia, taking a boat trip to Trieste or Venice is also very nice to do. You will sail for about 2 hours and 45 minutes, so it is advisable to be at the boat in time, so that you can spend a full day in Venice.
I hear you thinking, to Slovenia? He's actually back again for a while. But Porec Croatia is about an hour's drive from the border with Slovenia, and Piran is again just above the border, so in principle it is fine to drive. Piran is one of three port towns on Slovenia's small coast. It is also called the pearl on the Adriatic sea with its pleasant boulevard on the coast.
Are you going on holiday in high season? And do you want to swim in the sea? Then make sure you have water shoes. There are many black hedgehogs in the sea on the bottom that give a burning sensation when you step on them!
