Visiting the hill towns of Grožnjan and Motovun in Istria, Croatia

Join us on our summer trip to Istria, the northernmost province of Croatia. We drove inland from the coast to visit the picturesque hill towns of Grožnjan and Motovun.

It’s easy to make a day’s driving tour between the different hill-top towns. Explore Buzet, Draguac, Hum and Boljun as well as the better known Grožnjan and Motovun that we visited.

These towns started off many centuries ago as fortified settlements on the top of the hill. They were rebuilt in the Middle Ages and then strengthened further under Austrian or Venetian colonisation.

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Grožnjan in Istria

After the second world war most of the Italian Inhabitants abandoned Grožnjan. But in the 1960s it regained something of its previous success and the town was designated as a ‘City of Artists’.

Now, visitors can arrive and park on the edge of the town, then wander through the church square and through the pedestrianised lanes.

Many of the picturesque old stone buildings have been converted into art galleries, selling ceramics, paintings, jewellery and gifts. There’s also the odd stalls selling honey and other local produce.

When we visited, we had just missed the summer Jazz festival, Jazz is Back. There was a stage set up in the local square and performances occured every night throughout July. I’d have loved to have sat in the balmy air in a cafe listening to the music.

I had to console myself with lunch in one of the main tavernas, Bastia. I enjoyed a plate of pasta in creamy sauce with the local truffles shaved over it.

Motovun in Istria

When you reach this old hill-top town in the province of Istria in Croatia, you have two choices for parking. Park for free at the bottom of the hill, or pay a small amount to park higher up at the edge of the pedestrianised area.

Walk up through a stone gateway with carved Venetian stonework on display inside the archway. The old medieval town still has the old fortified town walls encircling it. You can walk all around them with fantastic views over the valley and looking down onto the terracotta tiled roofs below.

Food in Motovun

Motovun is particularly known for the local food and wine specialities that are sold in many of the shops, often with the opportunity to taste before you buy. There are also many restaurants serving the local specialities and a pleasant Kastel Hotel with a garden where I wouldn’t have minded staying.

By the time we’d done out little walk around, it was late afternoon and there were rumbles of thunder in the distance, so we hurried back to our car before the storm blew in.

Even if you’re based by Istria’s beautiful coastline for sea and swimming, I’d highly recommend you hire a car for a day or two and explore some of these beautiful hill-top towns. This is the gourmet heartland of Istria, so do time your visit to take in a good lunch and taste the local specialities of the region.

Read more from our trip to Istria

Cycling by the sea in Istria
A room with a view – staying at Plava Laguna Resort in Istria

Many thanks to the Istrian Tourism board who hosted* me on this visit to Istria in Croatia.

* More info on my policies page

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com

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