With a sensational food scene and ravishing coastline, Croatia offers fresh allure for anyone after a balmy summer break. 50 Best sets off for the Istrian peninsula to discover the best it has to offer
Few people could call Croatia a hidden gem today, but away from the tourist-clogged coastlines of Italy and France, there’s one stretch of shoreline that remains more shrouded in mystery than its European counterparts. Istria, set on some 200 miles of Adriatic coastline, is dotted with elegant resorts, pristine stretches of sand and drop-dead gorgeous landscapes.
It’s also known as Croatia’s pantry, home to an enviable diversity of fresh and organic produce. As part of the 50 Best Explores series, chef Jan Hartwig of Munich’s Restaurant Jan, ranked No.81 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024 extended list, tours the region, uncovering everything from award-winning wines to rare truffles.
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Set in the medieval municipality of Bale, Meneghetti Wine Hotel & Winery blends mind-stilling, verdant surroundings with world-class hospitality. Bed down in one of the hotel’s vintage suites, complete with timber beams, honey-hued walls and sprawling balconies, surrounded by 32 acres of vineyards and a vast olive grove. You can also book in for a tasting of the estate’s award-winning red wines and its own olive oil, the single variety of which has appeared in Flos Olei’s olive oil Hall of Fame.
2. Hunt for rare truffles 
Truffle-hunting is a year-round event in Istria: the period between June and August is the season of the black summer truffle, while September to December serves up the prized white variety. “I love working with truffle because it has a unique flavour – you can’t compare it with anything else,” says Hartwig. Set off into the ancient Motovun forest with expert hunter Nikola Tarandek and his truffle-hunting dogs. Tarandek, fluent in Italian and English, will reveal the secrets of the sport, and how to best use truffles in your cooking.
3. Dine in a 500-year-old olive mill 
Book ahead at the 14-seat Toklarija, set within a centuries-old olive oil factory. Here, chef Nevio Sirotić works wonders as the restaurant’s one-man band, preparing each dish himself using only seasonally available local produce. Don’t miss his minestrone – rich and moreish, having simmered on a stove top for 11 hours.
4. Fish on the open Adriatic
Set out for a sunrise sail with game fishing operator Tunana and try your hand at deep sea fishing bluefin tuna, mahi mahi and swordfish. Snagging a catch isn’t guaranteed, though likely, and if you’re extremely fortunate, pods of dolphins are known to loiter in these waters. All catches are returned to the water as part of a sustainability-led ‘catch and release’ policy.
5. Watch the sun set at Porer Lighthouse
Built in 1833, Porer Lighthouse is a lovely, secluded spot and the perfect place to watch the sun dip behind the horizon after a day at sea. It’s also where huge schools of fish gather: ask the lighthouse keeper for the best times of day for snorkelling.
6. Set off into nature at Kamenjak
Adventure seekers, assemble: Kamenjak Nature Park is your spiritual home, complete with craggy shores, coves and caves ripe for exploration. Ideal for hiking families, the coastal walk around Cape Kamenjak offers rugged paths for mountain biking, open swathes for sunbathing and a gorgeous holm oak forest perfect for picnicking.
7. Wander Rovinj’s cobbled streets
Spend a few nights in the Italianate town of Rovinj, woven with twee cobbled streets and pastel-painted houses that overlook the harbour’s lilting waves. The town is joyfully car-free, but you’ll want to hot foot it to Locanda Blu, where you’ll find creative spins on Mediterranean classics, from tempura courgette flowers to shrimp tagliatelle prepared by chef Antonio Ružić.
8. Visit a Roman relic
(Image: Ivan Sardi, courtesy of Croatian National Tourism Board)
Head to Pula for your history fix, just a 45-minute drive from Rovinj. The town is home to Pula Arena, which claims fame as the only surviving Roman amphitheatre to have preserved all four of its side towers. The relic is also the natural home to Pula Film Festival every summer. Founded in 1954, is the world’s oldest national film festival, and an elegant open-air spot to soak up some thought-provoking cinema.
9. Go wild for game
Alla Beccaccia dishes up all you could want from a konoba – what locals call an Istrian tavern. With a rotating seasonal menu, traditional and game-driven fare is heroed here, with veal, lamb and wild boar on offer. Chef Annamaria Kolić crafts hand-rolled pastas elevated with black truffle and goat’s cheese, hazelnut and mushroom reductions that will buoy vegetarians at the table.
After a heady few days on the go, Hartwig’s endorsement of this stunning region is glowing. “Istria has so much to offer,” says Hartwig. “The landscape, the people, the ingredients and perfectly prepared dishes. I’m sad I have to leave but I’m definitely coming back.”
Now join chef Jan Hartwig in his trip around Istria
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