"Motovun - the Heart of Istria" Top 5 Page for this destination Motovun by polardabar

Motovun Travel Guide: 96 reviews and 147 photos

Motovun [or Montona in Italian] is a small town situated on a hill in the central part of Croatia's biggest peninsula - Istria. It's only one of the numerous places like itself, but it got me with its charm - what can I say... I just hope I'll manage to make you love it too...

I've been returning there for the last couple of years [as many others] for several different reasons:

- wine is a big part of Istria - some of the best cellars in Croatia are situated & some of the best wines come from there. Families in Istria have been traditionally making wine for centuries now, so when you see a family name, you already know how the wine is! I've tried some great wines there & I think I grew a bit of a taste there, hehe! :)

- a lot of (young) people go there for the Film Festival, which is usually held around the beginning of Aug. I've never had the chance to go there actually, because I always end up being somewhere else at the time, but I've heard it's a great experience! Camping under the hill, hanging around with people, drinking wine, of course & watching great films in the evening... I'm definitely gonna have to go there one day!

- the scenery in & around Motovun is absolutely fabulous! I just couldn't stop taking photos - thank God I had a lot of memory on my memory card! :)

- interesting history & architecture which don't make Motovun a dull little village in the middle of nowhere - on the contrary! :)

There are a lot of things to see there, so I always try to talk people into going there! So, if you're fed up with touristy places, beaches full of kids & crowded clubs, go there! :)

I've been to Motovun a couple of times, since we do quite a lot of field work there. This last time I had a great opportunity to take part in a seminar about shamanism, which was really interesting! Since I'm studying Cultural anthropology (besides Linguistics & Scandinavistics), it was interesting to talk about that subject, especially because Istria is such a rich area when it comes to that. People still believe in witches & the great thing is no one is ashamed to talk about it! It's definitely a great place for field work...

We were situated in a house owned by the university right at the Main square, so we didn't have to bother with the everyday climbing up the narrow city streets.

The great thing about Motovun is that it's situated on a hill, so if the timing is right & the weather is nice, you can catch a glimpse of the beautiful surroundings - numerous other small hills, foggy valley & the river at sunset. If you're up really early, you might experience something really unique! Sitting in a bar, sipping coffee, watching the fog lifting up & showing you the beauty of the valley with other small towns floating on the white sea...

Our last field work was also very interesting [and we're gonna go again soon], but until then, read about it my Travelogue...

Pros and Cons

Pros:Beautiful, cozy & just magical!
Cons:Can get really crowded during summer months!
In a nutshell:Don't miss it, please!

Last visit to Motovun: May 2005
Intro Updated Dec 19, 2005
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Reviews (21)

Croatian way of building Favorites (1)

As you have probably noticed, the houses in the coastal part are built in a unique way. The people have to defend... more travel advice

Sitting, sipping & watching... Local Customs (5)

We had sat in a bar for a longer time, drinking coffee & debating. After that I had an introduction into Stockholm. Can... more travel advice

Gardens Local Customs (5)

I just loved sitting in the garden, sipping coffee & talking about witches... University life rules! :) more travel advice

Food! Local Customs (5)

This is the way we ate - quite good actually... Dig in! :) more travel advice

Off The Beaten Path (2)
See All A stroll around

Things to Do (13)
See All Cute small colorful windows

Travelogues (2)

1 - 2 of 2

Comments (11)

Callavetta Jun 23, 2009 at 5:49 PM Report Abuse

What a beautiful picture!
iandsmith Apr 7, 2008 at 12:27 PM Report Abuse

Never heard of the place. Looks nice, thanks for sharing.
tpal Aug 19, 2007 at 10:37 AM Report Abuse

Your page is terrific...as are your pictures. Carol & I have rented a cottage in Motovun for a week at the end of September. We are very excited to be visiting this beautiful area and now besides looking for truffles and can look for witches ;-) Thx...Tom
ivanab Oct 11, 2006 at 2:44 AM Report Abuse

you should really come to the festival next year...only after that experience, you can say you really saw Motovun :-))
M0B1US Jun 27, 2005 at 2:16 PM Report Abuse

What a wonderful looking place, great tips and pics! See what you'd be missing if you went on holiday to Iceland...;-)
chodearm Jun 2, 2005 at 12:48 PM Report Abuse

Your pages are filled with places I ain't ever heard of.
JLBG Nov 6, 2004 at 9:50 PM Report Abuse

I am back from Motovun and should soon build a page but the weather was not perfect and I will have to make another visit to improve my page !
hanaa Sep 8, 2004 at 1:42 PM Report Abuse

Exactly the atmosphere i'd be looking for.. it reminded me of Armenia somehow.. :-)).. great photos and tips :-)
diocletianvs Sep 7, 2004 at 11:16 AM Report Abuse

And when was the church built? Haha - just kiddin'. Everyone has its own style, I think you manage to capture the atmosphere of the place very well. Great flower pots photo, btw.
jenniferchin Sep 6, 2004 at 6:03 PM Report Abuse

A very interesting & pretty town !! I like :-)