Istria by Motorcycle: Hill Towns, the Lim Fjord and the Učka Mountain Road

Istria is the heart-shaped peninsula at the top of the Adriatic, mostly in Croatia with a slice in Slovenia. Its coast is busy with summer visitors, but inland it is a different place: green hills, vineyards and olive groves, oak woods where truffles are dug, and old hill towns perched on every high point. The roads that link them are small, quiet and winding, and the distances are short, which makes Istria ideal for a relaxed riding break. On its eastern edge, the Učka mountain range rises steeply from the sea and gives the peninsula a proper mountain road.

Planning an Istria trip

Rovinj, on the west coast, is the most attractive base: an old town on a small peninsula, with the Lim fjord and the inland hills close by. Pazin, in the middle of the peninsula, is quieter and more central. Motovun and the hill towns have small guesthouses for riders who want to wake up above the mist. Two or three nights covers the routes below.

From Austria and Germany, most riders come through Slovenia via Ljubljana, then cross into Istria. Croatian motorways are tolled at booths, and the main Istrian motorway, the Istrian Y, includes the Učka tunnel, which also carries a toll. Slovenian motorways need an e-vignette, so plan your route if you are only crossing Slovenia briefly. Croatia is in the Schengen area and uses the euro.

Day one: the Lim fjord and the hill towns (about 150km)

Rovinj to the Lim fjord (about 15km). Leave Rovinj north toward Vrsar and the Lim fjord (Limski kanal), a narrow sea inlet that runs about 10 kilometres inland between steep wooded hills. The road along the southern rim gives views down onto the water, and at the head of the inlet there are restaurants serving oysters and mussels farmed in the fjord.

Inland to Motovun (about 45km). Ride north-east through Kanfanar and Pazin, or along the minor roads through vineyards and villages, to Motovun. The town sits on the top of a hill above the Mirna valley, ringed by walls you can walk around for views over the forest below. The road up winds round the hill, and you leave the bike at the car park below the old town. The oak forest of the Mirna valley floor is the heart of Istria's truffle country.

Motovun to Grožnjan and Buzet (about 35km). From Motovun, cross the valley and climb to Grožnjan, a small hill town full of artists' studios and galleries. Then ride east along the ridge roads toward Buzet. These are the best riding roads of the day: narrow and quiet, with bend after bend over the hills and views down into the valleys.

Hum and back to Rovinj (about 55km). Just south of Buzet, a small road leads to Hum, which calls itself the smallest town in the world: a single street inside its walls. The road to it, past a series of stone monuments along the Glagolitic Alley, is a lovely, winding ride. Return to Rovinj through Pazin and Kanfanar.

Day two: Učka and the Kvarner coast (about 150km)

Rovinj to Pazin (about 35km). Ride inland to Pazin, where a castle stands at the edge of a deep chasm that inspired a scene in Jules Verne's novels.

Over Učka on the old road (about 40km). East of Pazin, the motorway goes through the mountain in the Učka tunnel. Instead, take the old road over the top. It climbs through forest in a long series of bends and hairpins to a pass below the summit of Vojak, then drops down the eastern side toward Opatija with the whole Kvarner gulf below you, and the islands of Cres and Krk floating in the sea. It is the best mountain road in Istria, quiet on weekdays and well surfaced, although the descent is steep and narrow in places. A short side road climbs to the Vojak summit itself and a stone lookout tower.

Opatija and the coast south (about 75km). Opatija is an old resort of Austro-Hungarian villas along the sea. From there, ride south along the coast road through Lovran and Plomin, with the islands across the water, and turn back west through the hills to Rovinj. Pula, at the southern tip, has one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheatres anywhere and is worth a stop if you have time.

The roads

Istrian roads are generally well surfaced, but the inland lanes are narrow, with blind bends and stone walls. Limestone roads can be very slippery after the first rain following a dry spell, and on hot days the tarmac can be greasy in the bends. Coastal roads fill with traffic in July and August. Watch for the bura, a strong, cold wind that can blow across the Kvarner coast and over Učka without much warning, and makes bridges and exposed corners hard work.

In Croatia, helmets are compulsory; ride with dipped headlights on and check the current lighting rule before you go. Speed limits are generally 50km/h in towns and 90km/h on open roads. Check the Croatian Automobile Club (HAK) for current rules and road conditions before you travel.

When to go

April to June and September to October are the best months: warm, green and quiet. July and August are hot and busy on the coast, though the inland roads stay calm. Autumn is truffle season, and the hill towns hold truffle and wine festivals.

Food and stops

Inland Istria is known for its food: truffles from the Mirna valley forests, olive oil from the hillside groves, Malvazija white wine and fuži, a hand-rolled local pasta often served with truffles or game. Konobas, simple village restaurants, serve the best of it. On the coast, fish and shellfish from the Lim fjord and the Kvarner gulf are the thing to order.

Where to stay

Rovinj for the coast and the evenings, Pazin or Motovun for the hills. See our Istria biker hotels. From Istria, the Vršič pass and the Soča valley are about two and a half hours north through Slovenia, and the Lake Garda roads make a good stop on the way back west.