VISIT ISTRIA a wine lover's tour

With its promise of medieval hilltop vistas, Mediterranean-influenced fine dining and truffle hunts, not to mention a glut of Croatia's best wineries, who could resist a gastronomic stay on the Istrian peninsula?

- JANE FOSTER

Comombining a blissful rugged coast and a lush green interior, the Istrian peninsula offers views of the towering mountains of Slovenia and Italy to the north, and the glistening blue Adriatic to the east and west. This is where Central Europe meets the Mediterranean. The industrial port city of Pula, founded by the Romans, sits on Istria's southern tip, while the cheerful seaside resorts of Rovinj and Poreč lie on the west coast. Inland you'll find undulating hills carpeted with vineyards, olive groves and oak forests (concealing pungent truffles), overlooked by medieval-walled hilltowns such as Motovun and Grožnjan in the north.

Culturally, the Illyrians, Romans, Byzantines, Venetians and Austro-Hungarians have all left their marks here. Much of Istria came under Venice from the 13th century until the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1798, and the Italian influence is apparent in the centuries-old fortifications, churches and loggias, in the local cuisine (lots of pasta, gnocchi and risotto dishes, as well as fresh Adriatic seafood) and the dialect.

Whether you are a keen wine enthusiast after new discoveries or just looking for the perfect weekend getaway, Istria has plenty to offer.

Pula 

The skyline of Pula is dominated by an impressive Roman amphitheatre (pictured opposite), while the site of the forum is now the main square, overlooked by the proud temple of Augustus. Roman relics are displayed in the Archaeological Museum of Istria. Explore the covered market for deliciously fresh seafood in the morning and in the evening enjoy the sunset, followed by the multi-coloured illumination of the industrial port zone. Winery to visit Benazić (vinabenazic.com)

Bale