“This summer we spent a fantastic week in Casa Mire. The house is even more beautiful than on the pictures. Decorated with great care and taste and equipped with all modern conveniences. The children really wanted nothing more than to stay at home all day because of the pool, but every now and then we persuaded them to come along to the beach, or to the restaurants in the nearby village. The trips from the list with travel tips from Josee and Jochem are all recommended. Istria has surprised us in a positive way: nice historical towns and villages, magnificent views and beautiful beaches.”
Reviews Casa Mire
“This house is an ideal base for exploring Istria. The beautiful house is fully equipped and was, also because of the stylish design, a wonderful place for us (2 families with young children) to rest. In the evenings with a glass of wine and a spectacular view on the veranda, this is really a place to enjoy!”
Caroline“This summer we spent a fantastic week in Casa Mire. The house is even more beautiful than on the pictures. Decorated with great care and taste and equipped with all modern conveniences. The children really wanted nothing more than to stay at home all day because of the pool, but every now and then we persuaded them to come along to the beach, or to the restaurants in the nearby village. The trips from the list with travel tips from Josee and Jochem are all recommended. Istria has surprised us in a positive way: nice historical towns and villages, magnificent views and beautiful beaches.”
Robert“We have visited Casa Mire twice now. In spring we did many activities and explored the surroundings. Because the garden faces south, you can soon enjoy the beautiful spring weather, but in the evening it cooled off quite a bit, so we could sit by the stove in the tastefully decorated living room. In summer, the weather was fantastic and the children enjoyed the swimming pool. The surroundings, the sea and the restaurants around the corner make the party complete. One of our favourite holiday destinations!”
Michiel and Sabine
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WANDER AROUND FOR HOURS
The location of our house offers a perfect start for visiting the many historical mountain villages that can be found in the surroundings of Tar-Vabriga. Inland Istria is characterised by beautiful hilly landscapes full of forests, vineyards and olive groves with a village on almost every hilltop. There are too many beautiful hilltop villages to name them all here, but Motovun is perhaps the best known and is especially known for its truffles and the international film festival that takes place every year in July. In the ancient mountain village of Groznjan, local artists can be visited in their tiny studios and galleries that are dotted around the small streets of the village. Music festivals are also held here regularly. Each mountain village has its own specific attractions, but the greatest unknown is the smallest town in the world: Hum. Hum is located in the centre of Istria and the road to it is already worth the effort.
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EXPERIENCE ISTRIA
The beautiful Istrian peninsula is located west of Croatia and is considered the country’s most popular holiday destination. The house is located between the famous coastal towns of Novigrad and Porec, making it a great starting point for various trips to explore the area. The house is easy to reach as it is close to the coastal motorway A9 (from the Slovenian border to the southernmost tip of the peninsula). Istria is about 1400 km from Utrecht and during the high season it is also easy to reach by plane. The nearest Pula airport is half an hour’s drive from our house and on certain days there is a direct flight from Rotterdam and Amsterdam www.transavia.com or Dusseldorf-Airport www.eurowings.com.
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SIGHTS
With a coastline of 445 kilometres, Istria offers a lot of water fun and opportunities for water sports and deep-sea diving. In the nearby town of Porec, you can swim with dolphins or take a boat trip to the many small islands along the coastline or even a day trip to Venice (duration: 3.5 hours). In Istria, you can also go cycling or mountain biking on challenging routes through hilly terrain and picturesque landscape, including the popular Parenzana; a cross-border route on a former abandoned train track from Porec (Istria) to Trieste (Italy) with a total length of 123 kilometres. This route includes nine tunnels, eleven bridges and six viaducts and is a gem of architectural heritage from the beginning of the 20th century. The route also passes through the centre of the truffle world Livade, which is especially worth a visit in autumn, because of the famous “truffle hunt” with dogs and markets with traditional local dishes.
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PAZIN
In the peninsular capital of Istria, Pazin, you can enjoy hiking in and around the impressive Zarecki Krov waterfalls or the Pazinska Jama caves, which can also be reached by a spectacular zipline during the season from 1 May to 30 September. Apart from these sports activities, Pazin also offers art and historical culture, where a visit to the medieval castle and the Istrian Ethnographic Museum located in it is definitely worthwhile.
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BRIJUNI NATIONAL PARK
One of the most famous island groups is the Brijuni National Park; a group of 14 beautiful small islands that can be reached by boat from Fazana or Pula. Brijuni was the refuge of the former Yugoslav head of state Tito and he welcomed many international stars and world leaders in his summer house on one of the islands. With the exotic animals he received from his visitors, he set up a true safari park, which can still be visited. A tour of the island by train is also worthwhile. The train ride leads you past many archaeological and historical sights.
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ROVINJ
Rovinj is one of the rare and beautiful coastal towns of Istria. This town is situated on a hill and through the old town you reach the highest point with the famous church of St. Euphemia on it and of course a breathtaking view of the sea with its many islands along the coast. The traditional Batana boats are moored in Rovinj’s harbour, and there are many nice local fish restaurants.
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PULA
Pula is the largest coastal city in Istria and is located at the southernmost tip of the Istrian peninsula. In this city, you will find one of the best preserved amphitheatres in the world, which is definitely worth a visit. In the underground rooms and corridors, there is a museum about the making of olive oil. This impressive Roman arena is still used a lot for festivals and performances of famous artists like Elton John, Pavarotti and Joe Cocker.
Besides the amphitheatre, Pula has many other important Roman monuments, such as the Temple of Augustus, the Triumphal Arch of Sergii and the famous Twin Gates.
Of course, you can also enjoy shopping and wander around for hours in the narrow alleys with its small boutiques where art is displayed and sold.
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POREC
Less than 10 kilometres from our house is the tourist port of Porec. In front of the famous port there is a small island Sveti Nikola that protects the port. The harbour is especially worth a visit in the evening hours. You can stroll along the historic city wall and along the harbour with its many stalls and fairground attractions. The famous Euphrasius basilica in Porec is on the UNESCO World Heritage List and besides this beautiful church, there are more impressive historical buildings in the old centre. Take a tour with one of the many city guides and discover the cultural Porec in the old Roman streets.
Apart from culture, in Porec you can also enjoy the beautiful beach and a visit to the Aquarium is especially worthwhile with children. This small museum shows well what kind of animal species the Adriatic sea has to offer.
Furthermore, Porec is known for its nice shops, restaurants and many places of entertainment. Only 3 km from Porec, there is a fantastic Aquapark with open-air pools and challenging water slides