Motovun and Grožnjan, Hill Villages

What it is

Motovun and Grožnjan are two medieval villages on the tops of two hills in inland Istria, on either side of the Mirna river valley. They are easily seen in a single morning or afternoon by car, with a truffle lunch in between, and are the opposite face of the coast: stone, silence, vineyards, oak woods and long views over the valley.

Motovun

Motovun is the best-preserved medieval fortified village in Istria. It occupies the top of a steep hill where Illyrian and Celtic hill forts once stood; its old name, Montona, is of Celtic origin and means "town on the mountain". It first appears in a document of the year 804, the Plea of Rižana. In 1278 it asked to come under Venetian rule, and Venetian it remained until 1797. The old town has 26 protected monuments and is on UNESCO's tentative list.

The best thing is to walk the wall: the walk along the ramparts shows you the whole Mirna valley, with the oak woods where Istria's white and black truffles are hunted. At its foot runs the old Parenzana railway line, now a cycle route.

Events. In summer there is an open-air cinema in the garden of the wall. In October the Teran and Truffle Festival is held, with tastings of the local red wine and truffle products: in 2026 it was on 17 and 18 October.

Eating and sleeping. Konoba Mondo is a small konoba for trying truffle without hotel prices. If you want to see the village without day-trippers, the Hotel Kaštel Motovun is inside the old town; it closes in winter and reopens on 1 March 2027.

Grožnjan

Grožnjan is the village of artists. Since 1965, when it was declared a "city of artists", its cobbled streets have filled with workshops: today there are about thirty houses, galleries, studios and workshops, and more artists than permanent residents. Its name may come from the Latin Grisium or Graeciniana, stone hill. It is also the only municipality in Croatia with a majority ethnic Italian population.

Events. The village is the international seat of Jeunesses Musicales Croatia, with courses and concerts in summer, and of an international film school. In mid-July the Jazz is Back festival begins, lasting two or three weeks, and at the end of September the Ex tempore brings together more than 300 painters who in one Sunday turn the village into an open-air gallery.

It is about 30 minutes from the beaches of Umag and Novigrad, in case you want to end the day at the sea.

How to organise it

1. Morning in Motovun. Arrive early, before the groups, and walk round the wall.
2. Lunch. Truffle in Motovun or the area.
3. Afternoon in Grožnjan. A stroll through the workshops and galleries.

You need a car: inland Istria has almost no buses, as the listing for the coastal buses explains. The old towns have narrow, steep streets: leave the car outside the walls and go in on foot.

When to go

All year. In autumn the white-truffle season and the Motovun festival coincide. In summer, the Grožnjan festivals. In winter, workshops and restaurants may open fewer days: confirm before going.

With children

Children like Motovun's walls. The slopes of both villages are steep and cobbled: with a pushchair, a carrier is better.