Poreč — Byzantine Mosaics & Istrian Coast 🏛️
A 2,000-year-old Roman and Byzantine old town on a pine-fringed peninsula, with a UNESCO-listed basilica at its heart and the whole of the Istrian Adriatic stretching out from its doorstep. Hand-picked stays and must-book experiences — every link takes you straight to Trip.com to check live prices and book.
🏨 Where to Stay
- Valamar Riviera Hotel & Residence ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — adults only — an award-winning boutique hotel right in the heart of Poreč's old town, on the water's edge with the Adriatic wrapping around three sides. Champagne breakfasts, a Michelin Guide-listed stay, and free boat rides to Sveti Nikola island — genuinely one of the most romantic bases in Istria.
- Valamar Parentino Hotel ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — smart pick, family — ranked #1 in Poreč, five minutes' walk from the old town on a pebble beach, with heated pools, a kids' club and a genuinely well-run family resort feel without straying into mega-resort territory.
- Isabella Island Hotel & Villas — hidden gem — a genuinely unique stay on the traffic-free island of Sveti Nikola, a short boat ride from Poreč's old town, with a private beach, spa and the kind of car-free calm that's rare on this coastline.
- Boutique Hotel Mauro ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — a historic building right on the seafront promenade at the edge of the old town, moments from the Euphrasian Basilica, with sea-view balconies and a genuinely intimate, family-run feel.
- Hotel Molindrio Plava Laguna ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — attainable pick — a beachfront hotel in the green, pine-shaded Zelena Laguna resort area, with two pools, a wellness centre and a boat shuttle into town — rated highly by couples for a relaxed, well-priced Istrian break.
✈️ Flights
- Flights to Pula (PUY) — seasonal direct Jet2 flights from Manchester (around 2 hours 30), landing at Istria's only airport, roughly 45 minutes' drive south of Poreč.
🎟️ Experiences
- Euphrasian Basilica — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the finest surviving examples of early Byzantine architecture in the Mediterranean, with 6th-century mosaics rivalling those of Ravenna. Climb the bell tower for sweeping views over the old town and the Adriatic.
🚗 Car Hire & Transfers