Croatia & Slovenia - Spring in Istria

Lying just to the south of Trieste in Italy, the triangular peninsula of Istria projects into the warm waters of the Adriatic Sea. Split between Croatia and Slovenia, this delightfully unspoilt region of the Mediterranean brims with historical charm and boasts a rich natural history as well as an acclaimed cuisine. During this singlecentre holiday we will be based in the far north of Croatian Istria, from where we will explore the region’s diverse habitats, from the dry Mediterranean grasslands of the Premantura Peninsula to the subalpine meadows and cool Beech woodlands of the Ćićarija Mountains and Dinaric Alps. Although Istria covers only 15% of Croatia’s surface area, it is home to nearly 50% of its higher plants! This rich biodiversity extends across the board to its birds, butterflies and other wildlife and, once the region’s interesting archaeology and delicious food are added to the mix, it becomes evident that Istria offers the perfect blend of natural history, landscapes, culture and cuisine for a fascinating and enjoyable week.

We begin our holiday with a flight to the historic city of Trieste in Italy. Next, we continue by road, first across the border into Slovenia and then into Croatia. Our base for the week is the San Stefano thermal spa, a comfortable and modern hotel that is tucked away in the attractive valley of the River Mirna in northern Istria. The nearby medieval city of Buzet is widely known as the ‘City of Truffles’, as the surrounding woodlands not only yield excellent birdlife, such as Golden Oriole, Wryneck and Hawfinch, but are rich in this sought-after delicacy too. During our stay at San Stefano we will dine out each evening at a local ‘trattoria’, where the acclaimed truffles and local wild asparagus are sure to feature on the menu!

We will keep the exact itinerary of our week flexible in order to take account of such factors as the weather and the advice of our local guide. However, our time here will include two full days exploring the immediate surroundings of our hotel on foot. Nesting Alpine Swifts, Blue Rock Thrushes and Black Redstarts are all likely to be seen amongst the towering limestone cliffs, whilst the adjacent Mediterranean scrub holds Sardinian and Subalpine Warblers, Nightingale and Cirl Bunting. Peregrines nest on the karst rock face close to our hotel, and a variety of other raptors, including Shorttoed Eagle and Goshawk, may be seen soaring over the plateau above. The botanists amongst the group will not have to go far to enjoy their first orchids, for the nearby golf course is home to Adriatic Lizard, Monkey and Bee Orchids, whilst Erect Clematis and Sword-leaved Helleborine can be found in the woodlands nearby.

During our stay we will also explore Istria’s delightful coastline. The wetland reserve at Škocjanski Zatok in Slovenia is especially rich in birdlife and attracts a variety of herons and egrets, plus Garganey, Pygmy Cormorant, Melodious and Great Reed Warblers and plenty of passage waders if water levels are suitable. Back in Croatia, we will visit a site overlooking the Bay of Piran, where the dry Mediterranean grasslands and scrub hold Tawny Pipits, Bee-eaters, Blackheaded Buntings and the occasional Olivaceous Warbler. Further south still lies the Premantura Peninsula, the most southerly point on the Istrian Peninsula. This is not only a great spot for migrant birds — and butterflies such as Osiris and Mazarine Blues — but also one of the most botanically-rich areas of southern Europe, home to numerous Mediterranean specialities.

On another day we will travel further north into Slovenia to explore Lake Cerknica and the Rakov Škocjan Gorge, both sites of incredible biodiversity. The lake has been designated an ‘Important Bird Area’ and the surrounding damp meadows are not only home to Corncrake and Red-backed Shrike, but filled with orchids, scabious and other wild flowers, together with numerous butterflies and Fire-bellied Salamander.

Weather permitting, we will spend our final day exploring the Ćićarija Plateau and Dinaric Alps, an attractive upland region of northern Istria clothed in Beech forest and topped with subalpine meadows. The woodlands on the lower slopes are home to Grey-headed, White-backed and Black Woodpeckers, plus the magnificent Ural Owl, whilst above the tree-line we can look for Golden and Short-toed Eagles, Rock Partridge and Ortolan Bunting. The botany is also fascinating and includes a wide variety of orchids: amongst these are Lady Orchids, some of which can reach half a metre in height! Our stay in the mountains will conclude this Naturetrek wildlife holiday in Istria … and provide a fitting finale before we must head north once more, back into Slovenia and then Italy, to catch our return flight home.