Motovun

Motovun is a medieval hilltop town in the heart of the Istrian peninsula in Croatia, rising 277 metres above the Mirna River valley on a distinctive isolated butte visible from surrounding vineyards and truffle forests for many kilometres. The town's double ring of medieval walls dates from the 13th and 14th centuries and can be walked along a promenade that circumnavigates the upper town, offering a panoramic view across the Mirna valley, Istrian wine country, and on clear days the Julian Alps to the northeast. A steep cobblestone staircase rising from the lower car park leads through two medieval gates into the upper town, where a Romanesque-Gothic campanile and the Church of Saint Stephen anchor the central piazza, flanked by the old Venetian Rector's Palace and a handful of restaurants specialising in Istrian cuisine. The forests surrounding Motovun — particularly those of the Mirna valley to the south and east — are among the world's most productive truffle grounds. White truffles (Tuber magnatum pico) harvested here between October and January are among the most valuable food products by weight in Croatia; local restaurants serve truffle shaved over pasta, eggs, and risotto, and specialist shops in the town sell jarred truffles and truffle-infused products year-round. The Motovun Film Festival, held over five days in late July, screens international art films outdoors in the lower town and draws crowds from across Croatia and beyond. The town is approximately 55 kilometres from Rovinj and 65 kilometres from Poreč and pairs well with visits to the wine villages of Buje and Grožnjan.