Rustic villa with breathtaking views in Istria, Croatia

Beautiful three floor villa with 2 large living rooms and 2 bedrooms (sleeps 9) in Oprtalj, a medieval hilltop town in central Istria. The villa has gardens with breathtaking views over valleys, vineyards, olive groves and distant mountain ranges. Quiet & peaceful location very reminiscent of Tuscany. Paradise for gourmets in the heart of the truffle and wine region. Ideal for relaxing, touring, cycling, walking and trekking. The west coast of Istria with beaches is within easy reach.

This delightful house is perched above the medieval town walls of the hilltop town of Oprtalj in Central Istria and has breathtaking views over valleys, vineyards, olive groves and distant mountain ranges. The landscape is wonderful; in the spring and summer you are surrounded by lush greenery, and in the autumn a whole range of colours is dazzling – from yellows and golds, to pinks, bright reds and browns. The view towards the town is also charming – sitting on the terrace, among the fig and palm trees you can discern the white Venetian church bell tower across the road, on the little town square.

The house is in the medieval town of Oprtalj also known by its Italian name Portole. The population there is bilingual - Croatian and Italian. All around the town are panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. The house is south facing with a terrace planted with vines and a private garden. The garden is planted with a large fig tree and rosemary bushes, and typical Mediterranean vegetation.

Accommodation
The villa has four large rooms: two living rooms, one double and one twin bedroom. It can sleep four further people on a sofa beds in two sitting rooms and one more person on an additional full size single bed in the big double bedroom. From the cobbled road the house is reached through a pedestrian private arched alleyway. It is an extremely quiet and peaceful location very reminiscent of Tuscany. The region is renowned for its food and wine and there are many excellent restaurants within easy driving distance whilst the interior of Istria with hilltop towns and beautiful landscape is ideal for touring, cycling and walking. The village store, post office and restaurant are just a couple of minutes walk.

The ground floor is a large modern lounge. It contains a sofa bed to sleep two people. Widescreen TV and DVD player. On this floor is the first bathroom with shower, WC and hand basin.

The first floor has the living room with stylish furniture and views across open countryside. It contains also a sofa bed to sleep two people. On this floor is the kitchen with dining area. The kitchen is fitted with electric hob and oven, dishwasher, fridge with freezer. On this floor is also the second bathroom with shower, WC, hand basin and washing machine. Outside the terrace has a dining table and chairs.

The second floor has two bedrooms furnished with antique beds and furniture. Bedroom 1 has a double bed and an additional full size single bed and can sleep three people. Bedroom 2 has two single beds.

All rooms are air-conditioned with warm air heating and additional electric heaters for the wintertime. Bed linen and towels are provided.

Outside the garden provides a panoramic view across central Istria. Private garden with outside seating and dining area, barbecue, areas for relaxing in sun or shade. Below the house and forming part of the garden are two terraces of vines where in September/October guests can pick their own grape. Garden furniture and sun loungers are provided.

Dogs on request, at extra cost.

Other things to note
Central Istria is often compared to Tuscany. The undulating landscape with vineyards, olive groves, woodlands and river valleys is studded with numerous hilltop towns and villages, many originating from the medieval period and earlier and almost all offering spectacular vantage points over the surrounding countryside. The guide books pick out the hilltop towns of Motovun and Groznjan but there are many others worth exploring.

Istarske Toplice thermal resort is less than 15 minutes drive from Oprtalj. Located in beautiful and dramatic countryside, it has a hot mineral spring that is beneficial for the treatment of chronic rheumatic diseases, dermatological and other diseases. The resort offers a variety of beauty treatments and massages and can also provide simple relaxation and swimming in the outdoor or indoor pools.

The west coast of Istria is within easy reach. Many of the towns on this coast are communities first established in the Roman era or earlier but the dominant influence that can be seen today is Venetian. Most of the major coastal towns were under the control of the Venetian Republic during the medieval period. At the northern end of the coast the charming town of Novigrad is worth visiting; it has an attractive harbour crowded with local fishing boats and an old town surrounded by fortifications and on the outer side (away from the harbour) a lungamare (promenade) providing a pleasant walk along the coast and an ideal place to sunbathe and swim.

Further down the coast Rovinj is unquestionably the most picturesque of the medieval Venetian towns on the Adriatic. Every guide book features the colourful facades of the tightly packed houses that encircle this tiny peninsula with the cathedral of St Euphemia and its dominating 60 metre bell tower standing over the town.
Excellent wines are produced in the area and well marked wine routes lead you through charming countryside to wineries where you can sample some of the best Croatian wines. Notable are the Kozlovic and Markezic wineries.

The area around Oprtalj is one of the principal areas in Europe for finding truffles. The largest ever truffle (as recorded in the Guinness book of records ) was found in the Motuvun forest just a few kilometres from Oprtalj. The local restaurants specialise in providing dishes incorporating truffles and a grilled steak covered with a thick layer of fresh truffle shavings will cost less than a regular steak in London or Paris.