Halfway between Rovinj and Novigrad on Istria’s busy west coast, Poreč has long been given over to tourism, even before Croatia’s current boom. This doesn’t mean that this former Roman colony doesn’t have a history. Known to Italians – and the rest of the world until 1947 – as Parenzo, Poreč contains the Euphrasian Basilica, a 6th-century wonder of Byzantine architecture. The once uniform hotel stock has improved no end, though tourists strolling along focal historic Decumanus will still be pestered by restaurant barkers.
1. Enjoy an elegant repast
Overlooking bobbing catamarans and Sv Nikola island beyond, Divino is where diners are happy to pay that little bit more for that significant extra quality. Here the fillet of sea bass is stuffed with scampi and truffle mousse, the salmon is sprinkled with mustard seeds and the lobster is baked in Mediterranean herbs… and the duck breast comes with a Cointreau sauce, the foie gras is served with strawberry and red pepper, and prunes and bacon accompany the pork fillet. For all that, Divino is far from snobby, a children’s menu for ‘little gourmands’ including spaghetti pomodoro – with fresh tomatoes, of course. Presentation is exquisite, service fitting with the surroundings.
2. Stroll around a Roman forum
At the head of Decumanus, the main Roman road that bisects the outcrop of land that holds Poreč, Trg Marafor was the showcase square when the Emperor Augustus made this former fortified military camp a city in the first century AD. At that time, two temples stood here, one dedicated to Mars, the other to Neptune. Without the expanse or detail of the Roman forum in Pula, Trg Marafor requires a little imagination to conjure up images of toga-clad citizens strolling around it, chatting – the former temples are piles of undocumented rubble, with stubs of columns scattered around. The unkempt, balding grass on which they sit hardly adds to the experience. But, taken together with ever lively Decumanus, Trg Marafor does give an idea of the lay-out of this seafaring settlement 2,000 years ago, and could probably do with some kind of visitor-friendly artist’s impression or annotated diagram.
3. Enjoy a quality meat-free meal
That rarity of rarities, a decent vegetarian (and vegan) restaurant deep in tourist central, Bistro Artha makes best use of its location – close to Poreč city market. The menu has plenty of options without forcing you to resort to pizza, and whatever you choose – pasta with truffles in a creamy sauce, say – you can accompany it with a tasty, fresh salad. The desserts are top-quality too, and a handy carrot to have if you’re persuading the kids not to have hamburgers or chicken for once. Management puts a lot of love into the place, and it shows. Hibernates from December until March.
4. Splash about at Croatia’s largest water park
With 13 waterslides, including the Looping Rocket, the Space Boat and the Magicone, two large pools, one with a half-hourly wave feature, and half a kilometre of Lazy River, Aqua Colors Poreč offers a fun, family-friendly day out close to the Zelena tourist complex outside town. To one side are a children’s playground with climbing frames, beach volleyball and another outdoor sports court, with competitions held at various points of the summer. Grown-ups can also order an on-site, whole-body massage. Opened in 2016, Aqua Colors is still finding its way in terms of other entertainment – an Animation Corner has been set up on the other side of the complex from the Sports Zone. Admission is structured in whole-day, six-hour and 210-minute price bands.
5. Tuck into traditional family food
In a town developed for package tourism during the 1970s and 1980s, Hrast has been an independent and homely exception to menus with numbered photographs and one-time visits. Unveiled in 1971, its terrace with a perfect view of the historic centre of Poreč just around the bay, Hrast insists on producing as much as possible in-house. This includes the Istrian fuži pasta twists, the njoki dumplings, the cheese ravioli and even the bread you’ll be served – not to mention the Muscat wine and olive-oil cake, arancini riceballs and shrimp soup. Don’t miss out, either, on the prawns in brandy or fish al forno. There’s meat too – the veal medallions in red-wine sauce is recommended. Oh, and course, it’s all family-run.
6. Marvel at Byzantine architecture
No other man-made sight in Croatia is as stunning as the Euphrasian Basilica by the northern shore of the Poreč peninsula. It was here that the first Christians in the area worshipped – several places of worship, and a Roman villa, were built here before Bishop Euphrasius himself got to work in the mid 500s AD. The complex is quite extensive and you’ll need at least a couple of hours to explore it, taking in the baptistry, the bell tower and what’s left of the Bishop’s Palace from where Euphrasius directed operations. And there’s little doubt this is his work, the bishop having left his likenesses and inscriptions all over the strikingly bright mosaics around the Basilica. Glittering gold colouring and sparkling semi-precious gems all feature amid the sumptuous mosaics, a pristine example of Early Byzantine architecture. Construction is said to have taken ten years, though various elements, such as the 13th-century cimborium based on St Mark’s in Venice, were added much later.
7. Admire art in a Gothic palace
Right on Decumanus, on a prominent corner with Cardo Maximus, the Zuccato Palace retains its historic Gothic exterior, partly made from stone all the way from Korčula. The interior has been transformed into the Zuccato Gallery, the most radical and active on the local arts scene. Recent exhibitions have featured the works of Petra Grozaj, whose paintings have been shown in Zagreb, Berlin, Graz and Venice, and conceptual artist Radomir Damnjanović Damnjan, whose solo shows across Europe date back to 1958.
8. Watch art in action
Every year, in the abandoned quarry of Montraker outside Vrsar, close to Poreč, a unique arts project takes place. The Montraker International Sculpture School involves a gathering of students whose task is to transform lumps of stone into finely crafted works of art. In order to do this, they are instructed by tutors over the course of these three weeks in September. Members of the public can go and watch the sculptors in action, and see the progress they make. The best creations, including ones from the current summer batch, are then placed in prominent places around Vrsar, parks, squares and on the waterfront.
9. Try then buy Istrian wines
Close to the Euphrasian Basilica on Eufrazijeva ulica, Bacchus is wine bar, eaterie and delicatessen all in one, all purveying authentic but affordable Istrian products. Malvazija, Muškat and red Refošk are sold by the glass, allowing you sit outside on the rustic terrace on a pretty open courtyard. Family-made rakijagrappas – honey-flavoured medica, biškafrom mistletoe and fig-based smokva – may also be sampled. Istrian platters of smoked hams, cheeses and olives can be shared among two or four people, and there are sardine, seafood and truffle versions too.
10. Go waterskiing
Opened with a live show by Elvis Jackson in 2010, the Ski Lift Poreč near the Zelena Laguna holiday camp and Byblos nightspot is a station that provides access to a cable 650 metres in length. Several kinds of waterborne activities can be tried here, including wakeboarding and mono-ski slaloming. Beginners can pay by the hour for instruction and practice, with helmet and equipment thrown in for a few extra kunas. The Ski Lift station doubles up as a summer attraction even for those not taking part, as its bar and restaurant are popular hangouts. There’s also beach volleyball, sand football and various other land-based games alongside. Ski Lift Poreč stays open from Easter to the middle of November.