The culture of Istria, the largest peninsula on the Adriatic coast, reflects the historical heritage of many small towns and a mixture of various cultural traditions. It shows a strong interaction of land and sea cultures, which is evidenced by the appearance of towns, by folk customs, and even by gastronomy.
On the northwestern coast of Istria, where the forest comes closest to the sea, is Savurdija, an old fishing village. According to legend, the Venetian fleet defeated the united fleet of Friedrich Barbarossa and Pope Alexander III off the coast of Savudrija in the 12th century. A well-preserved and still operational 19th century lighthouse, at one time the tallest in the Adriatic, is located in the area. By the end of the 19th century, the tourist trade began to develop in Savudrija. The first resorts were built at that time, attracting European tourists with an exceptionally peaceful and gentle coastal landscape. Down the coast to the south is the ancient town of Umag. A nearby area of hotels and apartment complexes is already several times bigger than the old town.
For a decade now, Umag has been home to the Croatia Open ATP tennis tournament. A pleasant ride south on the coastal road is the town of Novigrad. It is located on the northern side of the Mirna river bay. The town originated in classical antiquity, and some of its lively history is suggested by the range of architectural styles characterizing its churches and other buildings. Novigrad has a long tourist tradition, which began at the end of the 19th century. Along with swimming in the traditionally clean sea, there are many interesting things to do: hunting in the Mirna river valley, canoeing on the river, or going to a jazz concert during an annual festival.
Further down the coast is Porec, probably the Istrian town richest with historical monuments. The old plan of Roman streets is still preserved in the town centre. The Episcopal Complex of the Euphrasius Basilica from the 6th century, with beautiful mosaics from the period of emperor Justinian, is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Porec also boasts several well-preserved Romanesque and Gothic residential buildings. The town is surrounded by beaches, and there are beaches also on the island of Sveti Nikola (St. Nicholas), located opposite the town centre. In and around Porec, pine forests extend almost to the very beaches. Tourism has a very long tradition in Porec, and the town already had a tourist guidebook in 1845. Not far from Porec is Rovinj, a town sitting on a well-indented stretch of coast, lined by numerous small islands. Because of the beauty of the town and its surroundings, sanatoriums and health resorts sprung up in the 19th century, before the era of modern tourism. Built on a small island, the town was mentioned already in the 7th century. Later, the island was connected to the mainland. It was once fortified with double walls that were later removed or incorporated into buildings. The cathedral of Sv. Eufemija (St. Euphemia) dominates the town with the sixty-meter bell tower on top of which is a statue of the town patroness. The more populous towns in the interior of Istria are Buzet, Pazin, Motovun, Zminj, and Buje. Located at the foot of Mount Cicarija, Buzet has existed since Roman times. The whole area around the town is very picturesque, offering an abundance of good food and excellent wines. Pazin is the biggest town in central Istria. The old part of town lies above a chasm more than a hundred meters deep, into which the river Pazincica falls. In the season of heavy rains, water in the canyon part of the chasm forms a lake up to three kilometres long. Jules Verne first mentioned this phenomenon, in the novel Mathias Sandors from 1885. The story of the novel is set in Pazin, and involves a famous cave connected with the Limski Channel by a secret underground passage. Of course, that is only true in the novel. Motovun is one of the most picturesque Istrian towns, sitting atop a hill in the idyllic Mirna River valley.