Istria is located on the northern Croatian shores between the Kvarner Bay and Triest. The borderline shared by Croatia and Slovenia can be found on the peninsula. Istria is one of the most interesting and beautiful areas on the Croatian waters. You can see ancient towns, romantic fishing villages and uninhabited bays here. Nature is mostly unspoiled, and it is really diverse as well.
Read more information about yacht charter in Istria on the following tabs: About Istria, Istria weather. Get some inspiration from the Istria itineraries tab and start planning your next sailing itinerary, read detailed descriptions of Istria yachting destinations, or read our Istria yachting article.
As the saying of the sailors goes, “It is good everywhere, but the Adriatic Sea is the best!” The peninsula of Istria has greatly contributed to spreading this saying since its port cities make sailing routes possible that could get the dreams of any sailor to become real. Besides that, the romantic little villages and the amazing coast sections further increase the peninsula’s attraction. You can find parts with hills and mountains, abandoned villages from the Middle Ages on pleasant tops of hills and green meadows.
Location of Istria
Istria is a peninsula of the Adriatic Sea, which belongs to Croatia and it is the northern coast section of the country. Its area is 2, 820 km2. Istria is bordered by the bay of Trieste to the west, the Kvarner Bay to the east and the Cicarija mountains and the Ucka mountains to the north.
Geographical description of Istria
The peninsula can be divided into two by geography: beaches and internal Istria. Arising from its location it is made up by rocky coast, popular beaches, hills, mountains, meadows and historic towns. Istria’s popularity and magic lie in this easily accessible variability.
The most beautiful beaches in Istria
The peninsula has coast sections with both small pebbles and sand, thus visitors will easily find the kind of swimming opportunity they prefer. The 5 most popular beaches:
Bijeca – Medulin
It is referred to as the most beautiful beach in Croatia. It lies in a hidden bay for one kilometre. Visitors will find a very well-constructed coast section with sand. A further advantage is that its water is getting gradually deeper and the trees along the beach can give you a cool shadow.
Girandella – Rabac
It is basically a beach with small pebbles, but it also has some rocky parts and some with concrete. It is suitable for long sunbathing, scuba diving, various sports facilities, but also hosts festivals. Water quality is guaranteed by the blue flag distinction.
Blue and green lagunes – Porec
If natural sights are just as important as going to the beach for you, your best advice is to visit this coast section. It is 2 km from the town, which makes it available on foot, by a small train or by boat. The beach is located between two peninsulas surrounded by pine forests, offering a fantastic view.
Sol Polynesia – Umag
A very versatile coast section, where parts with sand, small pebbles, salt forest and shallow water follow each other. Among others, the town is famous for its tennis court. There is an exciting playground for kids close to the beach.
Koversada – Vrsar
If you look for a naturalist beach, this is your choice. The beach section is five kilometres long with sandy sections, rocky parts for scuba diving and little bays. Another advantage is that it is accessible for the disabled.
Towns in Istria
Besides, the beaches spend time to discover the towns of Istria, which offer great opportunities for you with many historic sights and rich cultural life.
Rabac
Rabac is one of the most popular tourist hubs of the peninsula. Young people love it for its music festivals, but besides the party atmosphere, it has also preserved its calmness.
Pula
The city of Pula has a history of 3, 000 years, but it is also famous for its cultural heritage. Its most popular sight is the Amphitheatre, which is also a venue of concerts and sports events.
Rovinj
Rovinj is considered to be a picturesque town with its winding roads paved with setts. It can be a real romantic target. Lovers of sports shouldn’t miss.
Porec
The town offers more than 70 kinds of sports both on the water and on the mainland. Further sights:
- Sergius-arch of triumph: Pula
- Saint Euphemia church: Rovinj
- Castle: Pazin
- National Park: Brijuni
- Limski fjord: Rovinj
Weather of Istria
Istria, which is Croatia’s most northern located coastal area, has a special climate due to its position. Mainly along the southern and western coasts, you have a mild Mediterranean climate with warm, but not hot summers and mild winters. If you travel into the heart of the peninsula, you’ll find continental climate there of course. Conditions are very pleasant for swimming and boating in the summer, because you can expect many sunny hours and supportive winds in the sparkling blue sea. Istria weather information
Rent a boat in Istria
The peninsula of Istria is rich in sailing programs too. One of the most popular ones is channel Lim (Limski fjord). You can make even more boat trips in the bay of the channel. The other is Brijuni National Park, the group of islands of Istria. The area that has 14 islands offers an unforgettable experience with its special world of plants and animals and fabulous environment. The peninsula of Istria can be an ideal travel destination for you. It has many beautiful coast sections and the atmosphere of the region is reflected by wonderful towns. In Istria, you find historic sights, cultural programs, authentic tiny villages, national parks, boating opportunities, so actually everything that you may need for a perfect holiday.
You can read about the best marinas offering high-quality services:
Port of Porec
The port of Porec is located in a well-protected bay directly next to the centre. It can accommodate up to 120 boats with a draft of 3.5 metres. Information about sailing in Poreč, or rent a boat in Poreč.
Marina Nautica port of Novigrad
There are berths for 365 boats overall with a maximum length of 50 metres. The port in Novigrad is world-class, and there is also a 4-star hotel here where we can require maintenance for our boat and charge our batteries as well in the form of relaxing wellness.
ACI Marina Umag
The depth of water here is around 5 metres, and they offer the app. 480 berths for ships of all sizes. They can even accept 40-metre-long mega yachts. The port is clean, the staff is friendly and the restaurant is excellent. There is also free Wi-Fi, a charging station and a currency exchanger.
Marina of Vrsar
Vrsar is located in a bay perfectly protected by the surrounding islands. It is among the ports in the best condition on the northern shores of Istria. The port, which has 14-metre-deep waters, can accept 200 boats with a length up to 40 metres.
ACI Marina Pula
The port of Pula can be found in a giant natural bay. They have 200 berths for mega yachts as long as 40 metres. It is perfectly equipped. They have laundry, ATM and currency exchange. There is also a petrol station nearby, and we can rent a car, too. Information about sailing in Pula, or yachtcharter in Pula
ACI Marina Rovinj
It is a modern and cosy port with a wonderful view. Thanks to a 20-million-Euro investment, it is among the largest ports in Croatia. Everything is clean and in very good condition. They have excellent healthcare services. The port is divided into two parts. One of them is reserved for transit vessels, and the other was established for yachts stationing there during the whole year. 416 ships with a maximum length of 50 metres are allowed altogether.
Port of Rabac
It is located in a natural bay on the eastern shores of Istria. The port is perfectly protected from the northern and eastern winds. It was rebuilt and developed further recently. Information about sailing in Rabac, or rent a boat in Rabac Read about Istria sailing routes or choose another yacht charter in Croatia
The climate diagrams are based on 30 years of hourly weather model simulations. They give good indications of typical climate patterns and expected conditions (temperature, precipitation, sunshine, and wind). The “mean daily maximum” (solid red line) shows the maximum temperature of an average day for every month for Istria. Likewise, the “mean daily minimum” (solid blue line) shows the average minimum temperature.
The wind rose for Istria shows how many hours per year the wind blows from the indicated direction. The diagram for Istria shows the days per month, during which the wind reaches a certain speed.
Rent a boat in Istria, and cruise around Istria
Day 1. Pula – Medulin 32.41 km (20.14 mi), Day 2. Medulin – Unije 33.34 km (20.72 mi), Day 3. Unije- Vele Srakane 11.65 km (7.24 mi), Day 4. Vele Srakane – Martinscica 27.22 km (16.91 mi), Day 5. Martinscica – Cres 27.05 km (16.81 mi), Day 6. Cres – Rabac 24, 28 km (15, 09 mi), Day 7. Rabac – Trget – Pula 90.16 km (56.02 mi)
Read more Pula yacht itineraries
Day 1. Porec – Venice 105.75 km (65.71 mi), Day 2. Venice – Chioggia 23.86 km (14.83 mi), Day 3. Chioggia – Parco Regionale Veneto del Delta del Po – Ravenna 24.61 km (15.29 mi) – 80.49 km (50.02 mi), Day 4. Ravenna – Rimini 51.03 km (31.71 mi), Day 5. Rimini – Pula 135.44 km (84.16 mi), Day 6. Pula – Rovinj 30.79 km (19.13 mi), Day 7. Rovinj – Lim Fjord – Porec 7.14 km (4.43 mi) – 13.18 km (8.19 mi), 
Read more Porec yacht itineraries
Day 1. Rabac – Pula 71, 55 km (44, 46 mi), Day 2. Pula – Martinscica 63, 36 km (39, 37 mi), Day 3. Martinscica – Mali Losinj 38, 87 km (24, 15 mi), Day 4. Mali Losinj – Rab 33, 27 km (20, 67 mi), Day 5. Rab – Baska 44, 35 km (27, 56 mi), Day 6. Baska – Beli 43, 66 km (27, 13 mi), Day 7. Beli – Brseč – Rabac 16, 72 km (10, 39 mi) – 14, 62 km (9, 09 mi)
Read more Rabac yacht itineraries
Day 1. Rovinj – Umag 43.17 km (26.82 mi), Day 2. Umag – Triest 34.24 km (21.28 mi), Day 3. Triest – Lignano Sabbiadoro 50.09 km (31.12 mi), Day 4. Lignano Sabbiadoro – Venice 71.98 km (44.73 mi), Day 5. Venice – Chioggia 24.97 km (15.52 mi), Day 6. Chioggia – Pula 129.03 km (80.18 mi), Day 7. Pula – Brijuni National Park – Rovinj 6.97 km (4.33 mi) – 21.08 km (13.10 mi)
Read more Rovinj yacht itineraries
Day 1. Medulin – Rabac 45.59 km (28.33 mi) , Day 2. Rabac – Fiume 37.04 km (23.02 mi) , Day 3. Fiume – Omisalj 14.99 km (9.31 mi), Day 4. Omisalj – Krk 38.47 km (23.90 mi), Day 5. Krk – Lopar 24.39 km (15.15 mi), Day 6. Lopar – Ilovik 47.98 km (29.82 mi), Day 7. Ilovik – Susak – Medulin 19.77 km (12.28 mi) – 46.19 km (28.70 mi)
Read more Medulin yacht itineraries, or choose from Istria yachting destinations