Walks from Hilltop MOTOVUN to Medieval Trogir
Croatia: Istria & 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 well-preserved 12th century walls, explore the mountain-ringed 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, with its historic castle, 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 fairytale 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 Završje, enjoy lunch at a farm
- Explore the huge Roman amphitheater at Pula, sail by private boat in the Kvarner Gulf
- 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
- Enjoy amazing cuisine and “foodie” delights throughout the journey
Itinerary
We’ll explore Ljubljana, Slovenia’s charming capital, crowned by a hilltop castle and full of red-roofed Baroque townhouses, then 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, a medieval jewel of a town hidden in Istria’s rural interior.
We walk another stretch of the Parenzana, then head to Porec. We can climb up the bell tower of Porec’s UNESCO-listed Euphrasian Basilica for grand Adriatic views before we head to Pula, a working port city full of Roman ruins. We explore the most impressive one, an immense Roman amphitheater built during the reign of Emperor Augustus (31 BC-14 AD). Our overnights are in Rovinj, one of the most beautiful towns on the entire Adriatic coast, picture-perfect with its tall pink clock tower and honey-colored buildings terracing to the water’s edge.
On rugged Cres, an island of tiny stone villages surrounded by an azure sea, we hike from the village of Predošcica down through forests, fields, and pastures to the town of Cres for a port-side lunch. 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
"The trip was very well planned with a lot of variety in hikes, landscapes, hotels, cuisine, and activities. It was perfect for seeing a country I wasn't very familiar with, and I feel like we saw the best parts of Croatia, not just where tourists are expected to visit. I loved arriving in towns on foot, in some instances. Such a great perspective! "
Jim B.
Boulder, CO
"Excellent trip—loved the places we visited!"
Karen S.
Tesuque, NM
"I have taken many excellent trips with Wilderness Travel and other companies, but this was one of the absolute best. There was so much variety in the hiking and other physical activities, as well as the history, culture, and cuisine offerings. The two guides were superb: well organized, able to adapt seemingly seamlessly to client needs and weather, and wonderfully knowledgeable, responsive, caring, and all around delightful human beings."
Kathleen H.
Philadelphia,PA
"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
"One of the best Wilderness Travel trips, we've taken. The excellent guides, the luck compatibility of other travelers, and the hikes, views, food, and scenery all made this a very memorable tour. "
Marsha W.
Kirkland WA
"The trip was very well planned with a lot of variety in hikes, landscapes, hotels, cuisine, and activities. It was perfect for seeing a country I wasn't very familiar with, and I feel like we saw the best parts of Croatia, not just where tourists are expected to visit. I loved arriving in towns on foot, in some instances. Such a great perspective! "
Molly O.
Lafayette, 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
"Such a great trip! So much natural beauty mixed with so much historical and cultural learning. A great mix of activities. Fantastic guides who facilitated everything flawlessly, imparted so much knowledge to us, and really were great at fostering a sense of personal connection."
Susan B.
Boulder, CO
"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
"Our third trip with Wilderness and our favorite— a super combination of hiking, culture, food, and community. We loved how we were in less touristy parts of Croatia. It felt like we got to see a beautiful side of Croatia most tourists don’t see."
Suzan M.
Superior,Colorado
"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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Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
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.