The lush inland areas of Istria are increasingly becoming popular as a tourist destination, in addition to the region’s well-known and beloved coastline. This part of Istria, known as “Green Istria,” is a lush landscape filled with pretty villages, incredible natural beauty, hiking trails, excellent things to eat, and some wonderful wineries. While Croatian wine might not be the most famous in the world, this region produces some remarkable wines that are well-worth exploring and getting to know better. If you book a vacation rental in Istria, we highly recommend diving into her food and wine culture and if you are travelling in May, then you should experience Croatia’s largest wine festival Vinistra, in the town of Poreč.
Poreč, itself, is actually located on that more famous coastline and is along a stretch of it that has been the most visited tourist area in Croatia since the 1970s – so this wine festival is actually a great opportunity to experience the best of both worlds and the best of what this region in Croatia has to offer. A day in a beyond charming seaside town that dates back 2000 years, sipping wine and enjoying your scenic surroundings? That sounds pretty damn dreamy to us!
The Vinistra Festival will take place from the 9th to the 11th of May in 2025. As noted, it is one of the largest wine events in the country and offers the opportunity to sample amazing wines from the region as well as brandies and other spirits produced in Croatia in addition to olive oils and other culinary specialities from the locality. Over 120 exhibitors come to showcase their products with the greatest emphasis on wine, wine-growing techniques and tools, and indigenous grape varieties from Istria and Kvarner.
From Istria’s mild, temperate, verdant hills, varied soils, and sea breezes come a range of red, white, and rosé wines – as well as some sparkling varieties, to a lesser extent – produced in a truly ideal setting. Among these is the Malvasia Istriana, the best-loved white wine in all of Croatia. Additionally, Istria’s Teran and Muscat wines are also key products that you should be sure to sample.
Of the Kvarner wines, you get many using the indigenous Žlahtina grape variety, which makes wines light and refreshing. This is where sparkling wine fans will be pleased as the local sparkling wines made with this grape variety are a real delight. Spicy reds and lively pink wines also come from this region so the showcase of the wines from these two areas of Croatia really has something for everyone!
Tickets are now on sale and if you have found your holiday rental in Istria and know you are going to be in the area for the event, it is a great time too book your tickets for Vinistra as you can avail of Early Bird prices. For serious wine-lovers there are tickets that allow entry for all three days of the event for €84 while the average visitor is more likely to be interested in the one-day tickets available for the price of €28 currently (full-price tickets after the Early Bird run are €35). So, book now and save!
Find your villa in Istria and spend a dreamy day enjoying local wines and the beauty of the town of Poreč on a vacation in Croatia this May.