Town in Istria
Poreč
- Best time to go
- May, June, Sept
- Part of
- Istria
Poreč is a compact harbour town on Istria's west coast, best known for the Euphrasian Basilica and its glittering 6th-century mosaics.
Its old town sits on a small peninsula laid out on a Roman street plan, with the main street, the Decumanus, still running down the middle. Around it stretches one of Croatia's biggest holiday areas, with resorts, campsites and easy family beaches.
Things to do
Don't miss in Poreč
- Visit the Euphrasian Basilica, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and climb its bell tower for a view over the town.
- Walk the Decumanus to Marafor square, where you can see the remains of Roman temples.
- Take the short boat ride across the harbour to St Nicholas island for a swim.
- Explore Baredine cave, a few kilometres inland, with its underground chambers and stalactites.
- Cycle the Parenzana, the trail along a former narrow-gauge railway that once linked Poreč with Trieste.
- Taste Malvazija and other Istrian wines at family wineries in the countryside around town.
- Follow the seafront path south to the Laguna beaches and swim in the shallow coves.
Where to stay
Pick your neighbourhood
Old town
couples who want the basilica, the harbour and the restaurants on the doorstep
Plava and Zelena Laguna
families who want big resort hotels and campsites with pools and beaches, linked to town by a coastal path and a summer tourist train
Špadići and the north coast
quieter apartments near the sea, a walk or cycle from the old town
Inland villages
drivers who want a stone holiday house with a pool among vineyards, close to the hill towns
Tours and getting around
Day trips from Poreč
From Poreč, boats run along the coast to the Lim Bay and Rovinj, with fish picnic and dolphin-spotting trips in summer. On land, popular trips go to the hill towns of Motovun and Grožnjan, truffle hunts in the Mirna valley, and Pula's Roman sites.
You can manage without a car if you stay in town or in the Laguna resorts, as paths and summer buses link them. To reach the inland villages, wineries and hill towns you will want a car. Bikes are excellent here, for the coastal paths and the Parenzana trail, and small boats can be rented in the harbour.
Getting there
How to get to Poreč
Pula Airport (PUY) is about an hour's drive south, and Trieste and Ljubljana airports are within about two hours. The Istrian Y motorway runs just inland of the town, and the drive from Zagreb takes about three hours. Buses connect Poreč with Pula, Rovinj, Rijeka and Zagreb. The old town is pedestrian, so use the car parks around its edge.