Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Croatia's Istria: Rovinj, Pula, Motovun and Plitvice
7 days from Pula to Zagreb: three nights in Rovinj with Pula's arena and the Brijuni Islands, a truffle hunt and a night in Motovun, Opatija's seafront and Plitvice Lakes at opening.
7 days · Pula to Zagreb · up to 12 guests
Water spilling over travertine at Plitvice Lakes Photo: Trougnouf, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Water_flowing_through_a_narrow_passage_at_Plitvice_Lakes_National_Park_in_Croatia_(DSC_0348).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 7 days, 6 nights
- Start and end
- Pula to Zagreb
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
Most days are 2 to 4 hours on foot over stone streets, with steep cobbled lanes in Rovinj, Motovun and Grožnjan. Plitvice is split over two visits, about 4 km of the upper lakes in the late afternoon and 4 to 5 km of the lower lakes the next morning, on boardwalks and forest paths with steps. The Rovinj bell tower has steep wooden stairs, and the truffle hunt is about an hour on forest tracks. Each of these has an easier version, and the longest driving day is about 3.5 hours in two legs.
- Meals included
- 6 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 2 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 545 (estimated price)
- Season
- May to October
Highlights
Why this trip
- Pula's Roman arena at opening, before the coach groups, with the Arch of the Sergii and the Temple of Augustus
- A boat to the Brijuni Islands, Tito's summer retreat, with a Roman villa and a safari park
- Three nights in Rovinj, with St Euphemia's bell tower, Batana House and a free afternoon to swim
- A truffle hunt with dogs in the oak forest below Motovun, then a long truffle lunch
- Grožnjan's galleries, and an evening on Motovun's walls above the Mirna valley
- Opatija's Lungomare to the fishing village of Volosko for lunch
- Plitvice Lakes twice: the upper lakes as the crowds leave, the lower lakes at opening
- Zagreb's Upper Town by funicular, and a farewell dinner
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 545 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Pula, on to Rovinj
Pula Airport to Rovinj
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Rovinj
- Drive about 45 min
Fly into Pula Airport (PUY), a few kilometres outside the city, where a driver meets you in the arrivals hall whatever time you land. If you come by road from Trieste or Venice, we can meet you at a hotel in Pula instead.
Evening
Plan to arrive by about 4 pm for the evening briefing; if your flight lands later, the pick-up still happens and your guide briefs you at breakfast. It is about 45 minutes north through olive groves and oak scrub to Rovinj, where we stay three nights. The old town stands on what was an island until the channel was filled in the 18th century, its tall houses rising straight from the water to the church of St Euphemia on the top of the hill. At about 6 pm your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a short briefing on the week ahead, then walks us through the lanes to a welcome dinner of Istrian dishes, such as fuži pasta with local olive oil, with a glass of Malvazija if you like.
Included
- Pick-up at Pula Airport (PUY)
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Welcome dinner in Rovinj
Free time: Free until the evening briefing
Pula's arena and the Brijuni Islands
Rovinj to Pula, then Fažana and by boat to Veliki Brijun, back to Rovinj
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Rovinj
- Drive about 1.5 h
We leave Rovinj at about 7:45 for the 40-minute drive south, to be at Pula's arena when it opens, before the day's coach groups. Built in the 1st century AD, it is one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheatres anywhere, its limestone outer wall still standing to full height on the side facing the harbour. A licensed local guide takes us inside and down to the vaulted passages below the arena floor, where an exhibition shows how Roman Istria made olive oil and wine. Then we walk through the old town to the Arch of the Sergii, from the 1st century BC, and the Forum with the Temple of Augustus.
Morning
Late morning we drive 15 minutes to Fažana and take the national park boat across to Veliki Brijun, about 15 minutes. A park guide shows us the island by tourist train: Tito's summer residence, a safari park that began with animals given by visiting heads of state, and the ruins of a Roman villa on Verige Bay.
Afternoon
We sit down to lunch on the island and are back in Rovinj by about 5 pm.
Included
- Pula arena entry at opening with a licensed local guide
- Pula old town walk: the Arch of the Sergii, the Forum and the Temple of Augustus
- Return national park boat from Fažana to Veliki Brijun
- Brijuni National Park tour by tourist train with a park guide
- Sit-down lunch on Veliki Brijun
Easier option: Stay on the arena's ground level and skip the old town walk with a coffee on the Forum, then rejoin the group for the drive to Fažana.
More active option: On Veliki Brijun, leave the train at the main harbour and walk the shore path to the Roman villa on Verige Bay (about 1 hour), meeting the group for lunch.
Free time: Evening free in Rovinj
Activity: About 2 hours on foot in Pula, mostly level, with steps inside the arena. The Brijuni tour is seated on the train with short walks.
Rovinj on foot, then a free afternoon
On foot in Rovinj's old town
- Breakfast
- Stay in Rovinj
A slower day in Rovinj, which is why we stay three nights. At about 8 am, before the day visitors arrive, a licensed local guide walks us up Grisia, the steep cobbled lane of artists' studios, to the baroque church of St Euphemia at the top of the old town. Its bell tower, about 60 m high and modelled on St Mark's in Venice, carries a copper statue of the saint that turns with the wind; climb the wooden stairs inside for the view over the red roofs and the islands. Down by the harbour we visit Batana House, a small museum of the flat-bottomed wooden fishing boat that Rovinj still builds and sails, recognised by UNESCO in 2016 for how the town keeps that tradition alive. We finish at the Valdibora market among stalls of Istrian cheese, honey, olive oil and truffle products.
Evening
The afternoon and evening are yours: swim from the rocks in the Golden Cape forest park, a 20-minute walk south, take a boat into the Lim Fjord, or watch the fishing boats come in.
Included
- Rovinj old town walk at 8 am with a licensed local guide
- St Euphemia's church and bell tower entry
- Batana House
- Valdibora market
Optional experiences
- Boat trip into the Lim Fjord (extra, price shown at booking)
- Bike hire for the Golden Cape forest park (extra, price shown at booking)
Easier option: Skip the bell tower stairs and wait in the shade of the church square, then walk down to Batana House with the group.
More active option: In the free afternoon, walk or cycle the coast path through the Golden Cape forest park to the coves beyond it and back (about 2 hours).
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: About 3 hours on foot in the morning on steep, polished cobbles. The bell tower stairs are narrow wooden steps with ladders near the top.
A truffle hunt, Grožnjan and Motovun
Rovinj to the Mirna valley, then Grožnjan and Motovun
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Motovun
- Drive about 1.5 h
We leave Rovinj at about 8:30 and drive an hour up through the green middle of Istria to the Mirna valley, below Motovun. The oak forest along the river is where Istrian truffles grow. A local truffle-hunting family takes us into the woods with their dogs, which find the truffles by scent while the hunters dig them out; a find is never certain, which is part of the fun.
Afternoon
Then we sit down to a long lunch built around truffles, shaved over fuži pasta or eggs, with local cheese, ham and wine. In the afternoon we drive 20 minutes to Grožnjan, a hilltop village that was half empty until artists were invited to take over its houses in 1965; today its lanes are full of galleries and studios, and in summer you hear music students practising.
Evening
Late in the afternoon we drive up to Motovun, a walled town on a hill about 270 m above sea level, and walk its ramparts as the evening light falls on the forest and vineyards. Dinner tonight is your choice.
Included
- Truffle hunt with dogs and a local family in the Mirna valley
- Truffle lunch
- Grožnjan, the artists' village
- Walk on Motovun's town walls
Easier option: Stay at the forest edge during the hunt and meet the group as the dogs come back; in Motovun, ride the hotel shuttle to the top.
More active option: Walk up to Motovun from the valley on the old stepped path (about 40 minutes, steep) instead of riding.
Free time: Evening free in Motovun
Activity: About an hour on forest tracks for the hunt, which can be muddy, and steep cobbles in Grožnjan and Motovun. White truffles are in season from about September, black truffles in spring and summer.
Opatija's seafront, then Plitvice's upper lakes
Motovun through the Učka tunnel to Opatija and Volosko, then Plitvice Lakes
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Plitvice Lakes
- Drive about 3.5 h
We leave Motovun at about 8:30 and cross Istria to the east, through the Učka tunnel under the mountain, to the Kvarner coast, about an hour. Opatija grew in the 19th century into a resort for the Habsburg court and its visitors, and its villas and gardens still face the sea.
Afternoon
We walk through the park of Villa Angiolina, planted with trees from around the world, then follow the Lungomare, the 12 km seafront path, for about 2 km north to Volosko, a fishing village of narrow lanes, for a sit-down lunch at about 11:45 of Kvarner fish or scampi by the harbour. Then it is about two and a half hours inland by motorway, through the forested hills of Gorski kotar, to Plitvice. From June to September, at about 4 pm as the day visitors leave (about 2 pm in May and October, when the park closes earlier), a park guide walks us along the upper lakes, where the water steps down through small falls and pools in the late light. The longest driving day, about three and a half hours in two legs.
Evening
Few places to eat near the park, so dinner is included.
Included
- Villa Angiolina park in Opatija
- Lungomare walk from Opatija to Volosko with your guide
- Sit-down lunch in Volosko
- Plitvice Lakes National Park two-day entry, starting with the upper lakes in the late afternoon with a park guide
- Dinner near Plitvice Lakes
Easier option: Walk only the first stretch of the Lungomare and ride with the vehicle to Volosko; at Plitvice, ride the park shuttle and walk only the short loop around the lowest of the upper lakes.
More active option: At Plitvice, carry on to the top of the upper lakes at Prošćansko jezero and ride the shuttle down (about 6 km).
Free time: Evening at the hotel near the park
Activity: The longest drive of the trip, about 235 km in two legs. The Lungomare is level and paved, about 2 km; the upper lakes are about 4 km on boardwalks and forest paths, some wet, with gentle climbs. Swimming is not allowed in the lakes. In May and October the park closes earlier and ticket sales end mid-afternoon, so we leave Motovun at about 7:45, shorten Opatija to the Lungomare and lunch, and start the upper lakes at about 2 pm. The park guide can cut the walk short if the group is tired.
Plitvice's lower lakes at opening, then Zagreb
Plitvice Lakes National Park, then north to Zagreb
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Zagreb
- Drive about 2 h
We are at the gate when the park opens, about 7 am in summer and 8 am in spring and autumn, on the second day of our park ticket. Plitvice Lakes, Croatia's oldest national park and listed by UNESCO in 1979, is a chain of 16 lakes held back by barriers of travertine that the water itself builds.
Morning
This morning the park guide takes us down the boardwalks of the lower lakes, in the canyon below yesterday's walk, to Veliki slap, at 78 m the highest waterfall in Croatia, before the coach groups arrive, then across Lake Kozjak on the electric boat.
Afternoon
By late morning we are on the road north, about two hours via Slunj and Karlovac, and sit down to lunch in Zagreb's Lower Town. At about 3 pm a licensed local guide takes us up to the Upper Town on the funicular, running since 1890, past the tiled roof of St Mark's Church and through the Stone Gate.
Evening
The late afternoon is free, and we end the week with a farewell dinner.
Included
- Plitvice lower lakes at opening with a park guide, to Veliki slap
- Electric boat across Lake Kozjak
- Sit-down lunch in Zagreb
- Zagreb Upper Town with a licensed local guide: the funicular, St Mark's Church, the Stone Gate
- Farewell dinner in Zagreb
Easier option: Walk only to the viewpoint over Veliki slap and back up to the entrance (about 2 km), then wait at the café by the gate; in Zagreb, rest at the hotel and meet the group for dinner.
More active option: In Zagreb's free late afternoon, walk up to Mirogoj cemetery's arcades and back (about 1.5 hours).
Free time: Late afternoon free in Zagreb
Activity: About 4 to 5 km in 2.5 to 3 hours on boardwalks with steps in the morning, then about 1.5 hours on foot in Zagreb.
Depart from Zagreb
Zagreb to Zagreb Airport
- Breakfast
- Drive about 30 min
Morning
The last morning is free until your transfer.
Afternoon
If you fly in the afternoon, it is a good time for what you missed: Dolac market under its red umbrellas, where farmers from the hills around the city sell cheese, cream, honey and fruit; a coffee on Ban Jelačić Square as the blue trams pass; or a walk round the green horseshoe of parks and squares in the Lower Town, laid out in the 19th century between the main station and the old centre.
Evening
Your guide checks your flight times the evening before, and our driver takes you to Zagreb Airport (ZAG), about 17 km and half an hour south of the city, whatever time you fly. If you would like to stay on, we can book extra nights in Zagreb, or add our Zagreb to Dubrovnik trip afterwards, which you can ask about when you request to book.
Included
- Drop-off at Zagreb Airport (ZAG)
Free time: Free until your airport transfer
Activity: Any flight time works; for a free morning in Zagreb, book a flight after about 1 pm.
- Pulastart
- Rovinj3 nights
- Motovun1 night
- Plitvice Lakes1 night
- Zagreb1 night
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: May and June are warm and green, with the sea warming through June. July and August are hot and busy, and Motovun's film festival in late July fills the town. September brings the warmest sea and the start of the white truffle season, which runs into the winter; October is mild and quiet, with the truffle season at its height and Plitvice turning gold. Some boat and attraction hours shorten in May and October; at Plitvice the park closes earlier and ticket sales end mid-afternoon, so in those months the upper-lakes walk moves to about 2 pm and the Opatija stop is shorter.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who have seen Dalmatia, or want a quieter Croatia, with Roman sites, hill towns and food
- Food and wine lovers: a truffle hunt, Istrian olive oil and Malvazija, Kvarner fish
- Those who prefer three nights in one seaside town to packing every morning
- Solo travellers who want a small group, a set price and one guide throughout
Not for you if you want
- Step-free access: Rovinj, Motovun and Grožnjan are steep cobbled towns, and Plitvice has steps and boardwalks
- Travellers who want Split, Hvar and Dubrovnik (see our Zagreb to Dubrovnik trip)
- A beach holiday: swims fit into free time, but most days are walking and sightseeing
- Anyone wanting nightlife or a party trip
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
6 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Rovinj3 nights
- Motovun1 night
- Plitvice Lakes1 night
- Zagreb1 night
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 6 nights: 3 in Rovinj, 1 in Motovun, 1 near Plitvice Lakes, 1 in Zagreb
- Central hotels of at least 3-star-plus standard, named when we confirm your dates, walkable to the old town in Rovinj, Motovun and Zagreb
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Pula Airport (PUY) on day 1 and drop-off at Zagreb Airport (ZAG) on day 7, whatever your flight times
- Our own air-conditioned vehicle and driver from Pula to Zagreb
- Return national park boat from Fažana to Veliki Brijun and the tourist train on the island
- Electric boat on Lake Kozjak and the park shuttle at Plitvice
- The Zagreb funicular
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group for all 7 days
- Licensed local guides in Pula, Rovinj and Zagreb, park guides on the Brijuni Islands and at Plitvice, and a local truffle-hunting family in the Mirna valley
Activities
- Pula: the Roman arena at opening, the Arch of the Sergii, the Forum and the Temple of Augustus
- Brijuni National Park: the boat from Fažana, a park guide and the tourist train on Veliki Brijun
- Rovinj: guided walk, St Euphemia's church and bell tower, Batana House and Valdibora market
- Mirna valley: truffle hunt with dogs and a truffle lunch
- Grožnjan: the artists' village
- Motovun: the town walls in the evening
- Opatija: Villa Angiolina park and the Lungomare walk to Volosko
- Plitvice Lakes National Park: two-day entry, the upper lakes in the late afternoon and the lower lakes at opening, with the boat and shuttle
- Zagreb: Upper Town walk with the funicular, St Mark's Church and the Stone Gate
Meals
- 6 breakfasts
- 4 sit-down lunches: Veliki Brijun, the truffle lunch in the Mirna valley, Volosko and Zagreb
- 3 dinners: welcome dinner in Rovinj, dinner near Plitvice Lakes and farewell dinner in Zagreb
Not included
- International flights to Pula and from Zagreb
- Travel insurance
- ETIAS travel authorisation fee, if it applies on your dates
- Lunches and dinners not listed
- Drinks
- Tips
- Optional activities: a boat into the Lim Fjord and bike hire in Rovinj
- Transfers from Trieste or Venice, quoted on request
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 545 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Six nights in central hotels, 6 breakfasts, 4 sit-down lunches and 3 dinners, airport transfers at Pula and Zagreb, our own vehicle and driver, your See Sight Tours guide for all 7 days, local guides, and every entry in the day plan: Pula's arena, the Brijuni Islands, Rovinj's bell tower, the truffle hunt and lunch, and Plitvice.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. That is small enough to follow a truffle dog through the forest together, sit at one table for lunch in a village konoba, and be first through the gate at Plitvice, and everyone can hear the guide in the arena's passages.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from Pula to Zagreb for all seven days. Licensed local guides lead the walks in Pula, Rovinj and Zagreb, park guides join us on the Brijuni Islands and at Plitvice, and a local family runs the truffle hunt with their dogs.
How fit do I need to be?
Moderately fit. You should be comfortable on foot for 3 to 4 hours on steep cobbled lanes and steps. Plitvice is split into two walks of about 4 km each, and the truffle hunt is about an hour on forest tracks. Each demanding day has an easier version, such as a shorter loop at Plitvice or riding up to Motovun.
I am travelling solo. Is there a single supplement?
Yes, and it is shown before you book: a room of your own is from CAD 545 more than the shared price. There are no other solo charges and no local payment on arrival. If you would like to share a room with another solo traveller, say so when you request to book and we will tell you what is possible on your date.
When is the best time to go to Istria?
May to October. May and June are green and warm, September has the warmest sea, and October is quiet with the white truffle season under way. July and August are hot and busy, and Motovun's film festival in late July fills the hill towns, so we book those dates further ahead.
How does booking work?
Choose your start date and send a request to book. No payment is taken at that stage. We check hotels, the Brijuni boat and the Plitvice slot for your date and confirm your place within 24 hours, then send the payment details and your final itinerary.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. The trip also runs privately for your party only, on a date you choose, with your own guide and vehicle, from CAD 5,750 per person sharing. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask from the dates section and we will quote the same hotels, truffle hunt and local guides without a group.
Do I need a visa for Croatia?
Canadian, US, UK and Australian passport holders do not need a visa for a stay of up to 90 days in the Schengen area, which includes Croatia. The EU Entry/Exit System records fingerprints at the border, and the ETIAS online authorisation is not yet in force; we confirm what applies to your dates when you book.
Will we actually find a truffle?
Usually, but it is never certain, because the dogs work by scent in wild forest. Black truffles are hunted in spring and summer and the more prized white truffles from about September; we confirm the season and how the hunt runs with the family at booking. Lunch is built around truffles whatever the dogs find that day.
How do I get to Pula?
Pula Airport has direct flights from several European cities, more in summer than in spring and autumn, and connections through Zagreb. Many travellers fly into Trieste or Venice instead; we can quote a transfer from either airport to Rovinj. The trip ends at Zagreb Airport, which has wider year-round connections. If you land after 4 pm, the pick-up still runs and your guide briefs you at breakfast.
How long are the drives?
Short on most days, the longest being day 5, Motovun to Opatija to Plitvice, about three and a half hours in two legs with a walk and lunch between. Rovinj gets three nights, then days 4 to 6 each move to a new bed, for Motovun's evening and Plitvice at opening, with early starts at about 7:45 on day 2, 8:30 on day 5 and 7:00 on day 6.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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