From Hilltop Motuvun to Medieval Trogir
Croatia: Istria and the Dalmatian Coast
Overview
In the Dalmatian Coast’s sunny north (and away from the big cruise ships), we bring you a journey of vineyard hikes, walks in truffle and olive oil country, island hopping, and seaside rambles along the blue Adriatic. We’ll hike to castle-topped Motovun, with a walk on its ancient walls, explore the Kvarner Gulf by sailboat, enjoy swim stops, and see the grand Roman amphitheater at Pula. Along the way, our Trip Leaders introduce us to fascinating people, great wines, and regional delights (think freshly grilled calamari, enjoyed waterside!). Our journey begins in Slovenia’s lovely capital, Ljubljana, and our finale is in the medieval island-town of Trogir, a World Heritage Site.
Arrive: Ljubljana, Slovenia
Depart: Split, Croatia
Highlights
- Hike up to the fairy-tale hill town of Motovun in Istria's wine country, with a walk on the ancient walls
- Follow the Parenzana Trail to the hill town of Zavrsje, enjoy lunch at a farm
- Explore the huge Roman amphitheater at Pula
- Walk through forests of holm oak on beautiful Rab Island, swim in Rab's lovely bay
- Ferry to rugged Cres Island, with its stone-built hamlets
- Sail by private boat in the Kvarner Gulf, with a lunch of fresh seafood prepared on board by the crew
Itinerary
From Ljubljana, we head to Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula for a hike across rolling vineyards and a zig-zagging walk up to the hill town of Motovun, which we enter through its medieval gates. After our hike on the Parenzana, a trail linking Slovenia, Croatia, and Italy, we visit the artists’ haven of Groznjan, once a Venetian fortress town.
We walk another stretch of the Parenzana, head to Porec, where we can climb up its cathedral’s bell tower for sea views, then explore Pula’s amazingly well-preserved Roman amphitheater. Overnights are in Rovinj, with its quayside cafes, yachts, Venetian mansions, and distinct Italian flavor.
On rugged Cres, an island of tiny stone villages, we hike from clifftop Lubenice down through pine forests to the bay of Martinšica for a picnic and a swim. Our walk along the seaside promenade to Veli Lošinj, a village set around a natural harbor, leads us up a ridge to the church of St. Ivan, overlooking the sea.
By private sailboat, we head out to the Renaissance-era island of Rab, and we’ll hike in Krka National Park to enjoy its karst landscape of cliffs and canyons. Our trip ends in Trogir, with its medieval Old Town surrounded by the sea. Depart on Day 11 via Split.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is rated a Level 2+ (Easy to Moderate) according to our trip grading system. You will need to be comfortable hiking 8 miles a day and being on your feet for up to 4 hours a day. Trail conditions, weather, and the group's level of fitness can affect hiking times and pacing.
Average Hiking Day
Review Trip Level Details
Average Hiking Day
- 5-6 miles
- 3-4 hours
- 200-350 feet gain/loss
The terrain can be hilly and rocky with many sets of stairs on both ascents and descents. There are a couple short, steep downhills, including one that is exposed. Some hikes are very rugged, and hiking poles are recommended.
We strongly urge you to train for your trip, as your enjoyment will be highly dependent on your level of fitness. The best training for a hike is to hike, especially over hills or rough terrain. Next best are running, swimming, bicycling, or other cardiovascular exercise. Stair climbing machines are excellent preparation for hiking uphill. Your feet should also be well prepared—make sure your hiking boots are sturdy, comfortable, and thoroughly broken-in.
Spring and fall are the best times to visit, as it is less crowded and humid. The climate is typical of the Mediterranean. It can be cool and pleasant, hot and muggy, or damp and chilly, and cool breezes and showers are possible at any time.
Our accommodations are in charming inns and hotels. Since they are often in historic buildings, the rooms are not always of uniform or international size. Our leaders do their best to assign rooms in a fair way so that all participants experience an equal advantage throughout the trip as a whole. Hotel Angelo D'Oro doesn't have an elevator, but the staff will help with your bags. Single rooms can be requested but are not always available, due to the limited space in the hotels. If you prefer a single room, please make your request as early as possible.
Our lunches are in restaurants, on boats, or picnic-style. Dinners are at local restaurants or our hotel. The cuisine is typical of the Mediterranean with salads, vegetables, pasta, meat, and seafood. Please note that in Europe, the dinner hour is considerably later than what it is in the US. We do our best to secure early reservations for our groups, but most often the evening meal will be at 7:30 pm.
Our van will transport the group's luggage, so you only need to carry a daypack for items you need for the day (rain gear, sweater, camera, water bottle, etc.). Trip members are always free to skip a day's hike and travel to the next destination in the support vehicle (or remain at the hotel if we are not transferring that day).
Client Testimonials
"This was an amazing overview of the region, and we covered a lot of ground and different kinds of territory. The walks were beautiful and the people were great. I really enjoyed my time on this trip!"
Andrea B.
New York, NY
"Our guides were superb—professional, friendly, knew their culture, excellent hiking guides, connected openly and warmly with everyone. A+ people and guides all the way around."
Bruce F.
Berkeley, CA
"This was our fifth trip with Wilderness Travel and they all have been excellent!"
Carolyn S.
Santa Rosa, CA
"A terrific trip, with nice diversity of hikes and cultural opportunities."
Charlie and Cathy K.
Santa Fe, NM
"This was a great trip for seeing Croatia. You captured the essence of the country and got us away from the crowds between Split and Dubrovnik."
David S.
Carson City, NV
"Great guides, good food, nice hotels, and many beautiful, memorable walks. Lovely mixes of scenery with wildflowers and olive groves, coastal walks with views of the Adriatic, walks with views of villages with red tile roofs—many photographic moments!"
Dorothy D.
Denver, CO
"Excellent trip all around. Fantastic guides and great travel companions—our small 9-person group was a plus."
Gary J.
San Francisco, CA
"Great trip, lovely scenery, friendly people, easy hiking—and great seafood almost everywhere!"
Jay B.
San Rafael, CA
"Excellent trip—loved the places we visited!"
Karen S.
Tesuque, NM
"We really enjoyed this trip. Itinerary was really well designed with a perfect mix of culture and hiking and swimming. The days went quickly but we never felt rushed."
Marcella S.
Los Altos, CA
"Thank you for offering this trip. It is wonderfully choreographed experience in beautiful countries that includes hiking, expertly guided tours, a national park visit, boat and ferry rides and showcase of local cuisines. We are very grateful to the leaders, Stan and Ingrid, and to the Wilderness staff for all the work it takes to put together this experience. Thank you very much."
Pat D.
Cambridge, MA
"First-class all the way—a lot of fun!"
Ron K.
Scottsdale, AZ
"I'm so glad that I chose the Croatia trip. The itinerary was beautiful and provided a mix of hiking, history, culture, and even boating! Both of the trip leaders are top notch. Bravo, Wilderness Travel!"
Susan M.
Woodbury, MN
"I had a blast!"
Tiffany D.
Nashville, TN
"This trip delivered so much more than I was expecting! Every day, it seems, I was surprised, impressed, and wowed by something."
Tori H.
Cincinnati, OH
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Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult.