Istria and Kvarner share their natural heritage
An intermediary between Central Europe and the Dinaric Alps, Istria forms a link between the Pannonian plain and the Mediterranean rim. This mountainous barrier divides the Croatian mainland from its seafront, creating two distinct parts that have culturally shaped two different faces. In the north-west of the peninsula, Istria(Istarska županija) and Kvarner border each other. The coast stretches across a large gulf, which gives its name to the Kvarner region, including the sub-region of the Opatija Riviera, the historic seaside resort. In the center of this wide bay, Rijeka was built, and is now the largest port and third-largest city in Croatia.
A panel of natural colors
To the north, in the mountains of the Učka Nature Park, Mount Vojak peaks at 1,401 m, while the Čičarija massif is linked to the Dinara range. In this high-altitude mineral landscape, we speak of white Istria, as the sedimentary rock of limestone origin is pale, chalky. Eroded by water, the friable rocks have shaped karst landscapes. Giant holes (dolines), caused by land subsidence, have appeared, often in groups (ouvala), forming pits (foibe), crevasses, chasms and other lapiaz. Gradually declining towards the west, we find limestone sediments covered by a layer of reddish earth, hence the toponymy Red Istria.
Further down, forested valleys (oak, beech, chestnut and horse chestnut) are criss-crossed by rivers, lakes and waterfalls. The subsoil hides a network of caves such as Jama-Grotta Baredine, 6 km northeast of Poreč, Feštinsko Kraljevstvo and Pazin, the best-known in central Istria.
On this arable land with fertile clay soil, especially in the Puljstina region (southernmost Istria), Mediterranean food crops are grown alongside cereals.
Green Istria is aptly named..
In the inland parts of the peninsula, the region known as Green Istria (Zelena Istra) is best known to tourists. Made up of gentle hills, forests and clearings, this hinterland is highly picturesque. Small roads punctuated by cypress trees lead to hilltop villages (Motovun, Grožnjan, Buzet, Labin, Oprtalj, Buje, Bale, Hum). Also known as the Tuscany of Croatia, this rural territory has made the most of water-based ecotourism: fishing, "no kill" courses, bathing in waterfalls such as the Zarecki Krov Falls on the Pazinicia River a few kilometers from Pazin, or the Kotli Waterfalls near Pula. The region is also home to wine tourism, with the wine route often intersecting with the olive-grove route, agrotourism, which follows the rhythm of farmers on their large estates, and rural tourism, in the peace and quiet of restored country houses or superb architect-designed villas. But the great wealth of green Istria is also its truffles, white and black, which connoisseurs dig up almost all year round, especially in the Buzet countryside.
Another curiosity is the large, crystal-clear sea grooves that enter the land, wrongly named fjords. Istria has several of these. The Limski Kanal, south of Vrsar, is the most visited. This inlet is 10 km long, the Raški zaljev, 12 km southwest of Labin, and the smaller Duga Luka and Plomin Luka on the west coast.
The Great Blue Sea borders the entire coastline
At the north-western tip of the peninsula, Blue Istria begins with the gulf of Trieste, follows the Slovenian coast to Cape Savudrija, topped by a lighthouse. Completed in 1818, it is the oldest operational light on the Adriatic. The coast then follows a north-west/south-east coastline, 242.5 km long to Cape Kamenjak, where it bends and follows a south-west/north-east line, 212.4 km long to Kvarner Bay on the east coast.
The Opatija riviera hugs the coastline for 25 km, from Volosko to Mošćenička Draga, at the foot of the Učka mountain. Some of its eight seaside resorts have retained the charm of historic tourism. One of the most famous resorts on the Adriatic, the Riviera was visited by many crowned heads, artists and famous writers. In the 1900s, a pedestrian promenade was opened along the seafront, called Lungomare. Between Preluk and Lovran, a 12 km stretch of elegantly crafted coastline is lined with sumptuous holiday homes, lush parks and gardens.
In a general south-south-easterly direction, the coastline is very jagged right up to the tip of the peninsula, which the Cape Kamenjak Nature Park is trying to preserve from concrete. Offshore: islands, reefs and archipelagos, including the famous Otoci Brijuni (Brioni Islands) opposite the port of Fažana, some ten kilometers from the town of Pula, a prosperous ancient city and regional capital that has become a major strategic port and a booming tourist resort.
A peninsula divided between tourism and ecology
After the Second World War, Croatia quickly turned its natural resources into a veritable mono-industry, especially in Istria. Today, however, the region is no exception to the global paradox. Istria, which inaugurated the notion of tourism as early as the 19th century, is under environmental pressure from overtourism.
Its crystal-clear waters in the Adriatic Sea are attracting ever-increasing numbers of visitors. Overcrowding, especially in summer, on the coasts around historic ports (Rovinj, Poreč, Pula, Opatija) or in large seaside resorts such as Portorož, is affecting the ecosystem. The economic stakes linked to tourism are based on the appeal of heritage, but above all on the pleasures of the sea or pleasure boating. Having the chance to enter unspoilt nature, diving off a cliff, finding a deserted island, observing the seabed, encountering marine mammals or large birds... all this is possible in Istria. But the concreting of the coastline is compounded by the increasing number of cruise ships, offshore exploitation and the discharge of plastics and other pollutants into the sea. How can we find a compromise between exploiting nature for tourism and preserving our common heritage? This is the enormous challenge facing Croatian political leaders, local authorities and civil society as a whole.
