Istria Coastal Road

The Istrian peninsula hangs like a leaf into the northern Adriatic, and its coastal road is one of the most refined drives in the Mediterranean. This is a landscape shaped by two thousand years of Roman, Venetian, and Austro-Hungarian presence — ancient amphitheatres, frescoed churches, hilltop towns built to withstand pirates, and an Italian-flavoured culinary tradition that produces world-class olive oil, truffles, and malvazija wine. The 150-kilometre loop from Pula to Umag delivers all of this at a pace that suits a classic van perfectly.

Pula anchors the southern tip with its Arena — the sixth-largest Roman amphitheatre ever built, with seating for 23,000 and an exterior so perfectly preserved you half expect gladiators. The coastal road north leads to Rovinj, consistently voted Croatia's most romantic town: a maze of cobblestone alleys tumbling down to a Venetian-style harbour around the baroque tower of St Euphemia. Poreč follows, its Euphrasian Basilica — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — decorated with sixth-century Byzantine mosaics that glow gold in the afternoon light. Then the road climbs inland to the truffle country of Motovun: a walled hill town at 280 metres that presides over the Mirna River valley and the oak forests where the prized Tuber magnatum truffle is found every autumn. Nearby Grožnjan is an artists' colony so picturesque it regularly appears on European travel lists.

For a VW T3 the coastal sections of Istria are excellent — well-paved, gently undulating, with broad enough roads to feel relaxed. The inland hill towns require care: the access roads to Motovun and Grožnjan are narrow and steep for their final kilometre, but they're short and paved. Park at the bottom and walk up — the views from the walls repay the effort. Istrian campsites are among the most developed in Europe: the Lanterna, Polari, and Amarin sites near Rovinj and Poreč offer full facilities and direct sea access. In June and September they're quieter and bookings easier to come by than in peak July and August.

The best approach for this loop is to drive the coast southbound from Umag in the morning light when the Adriatic glitters silver, and return through the inland hills in the afternoon when the truffle towns glow warm. A three to four day stay allows time to swim at Crvena Luka beach, try fritaja (truffle omelette) in Motovun, and do a malvazija tasting at a family winery without rushing.