Charming, medieval and truffled. Sounds very Shakespearean! In reality, it is the perfect half-day trip destination.

Tucked on a small hilltop village overlooking the surrounding landscapes. It’s known for its medieval stone streets full of history, encircled by beautiful castle walls with views over neighboring forests and endless vineyards. Add a handful of delicious restaurants!

The name of the village is also of Celtic origin, derived from Montona, meaning “a town in the hills”.

On the inner walls are several coats-of-arms of different Motovun ruling families and two gravestones of Roman inhabitants (dating from the 1st century).

The captivating landscapes of Istria are often compared to Italy’s Tuscany, with small hilltop towns dotted across the region. I am not a fan of making a place popular by comparing it with another fashionable destination. However, I do admit – there are similarities in landscape, cuisine and language (Istria is bilingual, meaning people born here speak at least 2 official languages: Croatian and Italian.)

The foodie scene in Croatia is a lot of scrumptious fun, with superb wines and fresh local cuisine quite easy to access (if you follow my insider secrets). 🙂 Probably, the most decadent delicious fun to be had is with the amazing unrivaled fresh truffles. In Motovun, this is a must do and must eat!

Locals organise the hunting on truffles during the season. Most of the time, the hunting is with dogs . Although pigs have better developed smell than dogs, it is harder to hunt as they do like to eat what they found. Lol.

Istria is a wine region. Mostly because of its mild temperature and red dirt. I always admire to this type of soil when I come to Istria – rich in agriculture and quite specific.

Nevertheless, you will not be hungry here. Wherever you eat, as long as it is local konoba – you can’t miss it.

A local hero (must have been because of the truffles!) is Veli Jože – a friendly and good-hearted giant, whose life was recorded in the novel of Vladimir Nazor (20st) interpreting hard life under the foreign rule. To be more accurate: the novel is taking place on the Istrian peninsula during Venetian Republican rule that was dominating the lives of locals. If you look careful enough, you will find him around the city, observing and protecting.