Local insights: discover Poreč

Poreč is one of those cities you just have to visit. In Poreč, you can do anything, but let’s focus on the concrete. What to see? Where to eat and drink? Where to take a swim? The answers to these and many other questions come directly from the Poreč locals.

So – keep reading and start planning your camping vacation in Poreč right away!

Source: YouTube (TouristPoreč)

What to see

Situated on a peninsula, the old town of Poreč is full of sights and provides an ideal setting for a pleasant stroll. This walk through history will take only one hour, and below we give you the route:

Euphrasian Basilica → Istrian Parliament → Temple of Mars → Marafor Square → Romanesque House → Zuccato Palace → House of Two Saints → Poreč Aquarium → Pentagonal Tower → Church of Our Lady of the Angels

After a history lesson, take a walk along the sea. The Poreč Lungomare starts in the center of the city and goes all the way to the village of Funtana.

While walking along the sea, you cannot miss the nearby island of St. Nicholas. If you want to visit it, all you have to do is get on a boat that leaves from the center of Poreč and you will be there in a few minutes.

Where to eat

In Poreč you will find a number of quality restaurants offering meat and fish specialties. Here are the restaurants recommended by the locals:

• Hrast – long-term quality, terrace with the best view and ever fresh fish
• Sveti Nikola – fresh fish and seafood, a combination of traditional cuisine and fine dining
• Pizzeria Dolio – the best pizza in Istria
• Fora Le Porte – Istrian delicacies in a modern way (boškarin, homemade pasta)
• Peterokutna kula – a stylish restaurant with a terrace on top of the tower
• BurgeriJa – reasonably priced burgers, homemade sauces and fries
• Tunaholic Fish Bar – fish street food with specialties like tuna hot dog or shark burger

Where to drink coffee

In Poreč, coffee lovers will certainly not be left without their favorite beverage. There is no better way to enjoy a cup of coffee than with a view of the sea, and below you can see where you can get it:

• Garaž Beach Bar – one of the best places for a morning coffee or an evening cocktail with a view of the old town and the sunset
• Cafè Habitat – the most pleasant place in town for coffee and freshly squeezed juice
• Caffe_IN – a pleasant place outside the city, offering specialty coffees and after-work aperitifs
• Peschiera Cocktail Bar – a great place to have a morning coffee or an evening cocktail, with a view of the old town
• La Riva – an excellent selection of homemade cakes (including gluten-free options) and ice creams, beautiful sea views

Insider tip:

On weekends, I go for a walk around the old town and the waterfront with my friends, and then we sit down for coffee at Habitat, where the coffee turns into an Aperol spritz. In the summer, I spend most of my time at Tequila Beach Bar in a pine forest overlooking the city, where good music and company make every summer night special.

Julijana Veršić, Villas Specialist (VillasGuide)

 

Where to have fun

Night bars and clubs

If you belong to the group that identifies fun with socializing and nightlife, Poreč will not disappoint you. Here are some of the places where you can go out in Poreč:

• „Wine street“ with bars Wine Corner, Wine bar Old Town, Bacchus
• Byblos – the biggest night club in Croatia, themed nights and performances
• Villa Club – bar and nightclub right by the sea, DJ performances until the early morning hours

Entertainment

Poreč is a great place for a relaxing, but also active vacation. We have already mentioned the promenade by the sea, where you can be active every day, and there are numerous other activities for children and adults:

• Cycling (bicycles can be rented at the Bike Center)
• Children’s playground at the town beach
• Half-day boat trips: Vrsar – Rovinj – Limski zaljev; Dolphin watching
• Papago park
• Baredine Cave
• Aquapark Aquacolors

Insider tip:

I love the Lungomare promenade because it’s all along the sea and beautifully landscaped. It’s our favorite place to ride bikes, rollerblade, and walk the dog.

Isabela Knežević, Villas Specialist (VillasGuide)

Where to swim

The Poreč coast stretches for 37 km and is adorned with 21 beaches, many of which have been awarded the Blue Flag. There are all kinds of beaches – pebble, concrete, rocky and even sandy ones!

• Beach Parentino – a pebble beach with an accessible sea entrance, ideal for families with children
• Beach Parentium – a nicely decorated concrete beach, with shade
• Beach Materada (Hawaii for locals) – a pebble beach north of the Materada hotel in Špadići, has a café/fast food
• Val Maro Family – a sandy beach on the island of St. Nicholas, it is possible to rent sunbeds and umbrellas
• Beach Galijot – a concrete-rocky beach in Plava Laguna

Where to stay

And where to look for accommodation? We vote for campsites! In the Poreč area you will find a number of campsites with mobile homes suitable for different types of vacation. There are family mobile homes, mobile homes by the sea, but also naturist mobile homes. Some of them are located in their own themed villages, suitable for families, couples and even pets. From the long list of campsites we will highlight Lanterna, Santa Marina and FKK Ulika.

Where to buy unique souvenirs

And finally – shopping! We all love to bring home original souvenirs that remind us of the destination we visited. Below are some of the souvenir shops in Poreč that offer unique local handmade products:

• Lely Art – original handmade souvenirs characterized by bright colors and colorful Mediterranean houses
• Fish4Wish – handmade, unique ceramic fish that will cheer up both young and old
• Parenzo In Ceramica – hand-painted, unique ceramics – bowls, oil bottles, vases

And that’s it! We hope that our little guide has been useful and that you too will soon set off on your journey to Poreč. And most importantly – explore it the way the locals do. Have a nice trip!