Istria
Istria is the largest Croatian peninsula.
The name derives from the prehistoric Illyrian people called Histris who lived here in Roman times. The Romans called Istria the Magic Land (Terra Magica). Through history, the region was ruled by the indigenous Histris, the Romans, the Goths and Lombards, the Franks, the Venetian Republic, the Habsburg Monarchy, Napoleon, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy and Yugoslavia. In 1991, Istria became a county within the independent Republic of Croatia.
Istria has about 208,000 inhabitants.
It is known for its natural beauty, its culture, the sports and other attractions such as the Brijuni National Park, the Roman amphitheatre Arena in Pula, the Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč, the nature park Učka, the Lim fjord, Hum - the smallest town in the world, the Baredine cave and many others.
The pleasant Mediterranean climate favours the cultivation of organic food, quality wines, olives and figs. Istria is also famous for one of the world’s most revered aphrodisiacs – the precious truffle mushroom, which is used to prepare many gourmet specialties.
Istria is the most important and most visited tourist region in Croatia.
