Dangling off the coast of Slovenia, and just south of Trieste, Italy,  is a small, triangular peninsula known as Istria.  Most recently a part of Italy, it now belongs to Croatia.  Yet its history of invasions is evident with every step over its craggy hills, sand-swept beaches and ancient villages.

       

With the personality of an island-nation, Istria’s people move through their days as they have throughout their long history.  Grapes are crushed for wine.  Olives plucked for oil.  Truffles routed for discriminating palates.  

Oddly enough, there is an Austrian flair to Istria, and that can be explained by the wealthy Hapsburgs who vacationed for years along Istria’s coastline.  But the influences of nearby Italy are most prevalent, from street signs to menu items.  

While the Istrian coastline remains spectacular in peoples’ minds, it is the interior of the peninsula that take you to another place and time. 

History abounds in every hilltown, where Roman churches, medieval structures and the Venetian style of life greet you at every corner.  Your nose will awaken to the aromas of olive oil, figs and fresh cheese as the daily routine kicks into gear.  Vineyards blend with the elusive truffle, and a lifestyle similar to that found in Provence and Tuscany can be lived in Istria for a fraction of the cost.

The southern tip of Istria welcomes visitors to Pula, where its Roman amphitheatre sits as a beacon to the jet airplanes flying overhead.  It is in Pula where the pages of centuries past fly open with every step you take. 

Istria is the beneficiary of a new, multi-million dollar highway system that opens the peninsula up to travel north, east and west.  This puts the Istrian Peninsula at the center of a hub that is again, making history.

Let us not leave this pocket of tranquility without mentioning the people of Istria.  They are welcoming, warm, inviting and eager to share their bounty with visitors, as they have done for centuries. 

To live in Istria is to take the pages of the history of the past two millennia and compound the best of each one into a lifestyle fit for the person who cherishes the past. 

More information on Istria can be found at the Istria Official Tourism website:  http://www.istra.hr/