CROATIA
Porec

Porec

Porec_{Photo: Sl-Ziga in the public domain}

Porec is a tourist destination on the west coast of Istria. Istria is a Croatian peninsula. The municipality of Porec has a coastline of no less than 37 kilometers. Porec is a city full of history, you will find forts, temples and winding old streets. The city also offers all the pleasures of a warm seaside resort. Porec is known to tourists as a city where many events and sports are offered, where you can eat well and where daily life is relatively cheap.

Location

Istria is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic, Porec is located in the west of this peninsula. Istria is the border between Italy and Croatia. Porec has an area of 126 square kilometers and about 17,500 inhabitants. The island of Sveti Nikola is located off the coast of Porec.

Weather

Porec has a Mediterranean climate. This means that the summers are warm and the winters are mild. In the summer months the sun shines for at least 10 hours a day and in winter it hardly ever freezes. The sea of Porec is usually nice and warm; the temperature of the seawater can even reach 28 ° C in the hottest months. The average temperatures in Porec per month are shown below.

Weather Porec January: 5 ° C

Weather Porec February: 6 ° C

Weather Porec in March: 9 ° C

Weather Porec April: 12 ° C

Weather Porec in May: 16.5 ° C

Weather Porec in June: 20.5 ° C

Weather Porec July: 23 ° C

Weather Porec August: 23 ° C

Weather Porec in September: 19.5 ° C

Weather Porec October: 15 ° C

Weather Porec in November: 10 ° C

Weather Porec December: 6.5 ° C

History

Fresco Eufrasian Basilica_{Photo: Georges Jansoone CC 4.0 International, no changes made}

It is believed that the place where Porec is now located has been inhabited for more than 6,000 years, due to archaeological finds that have been made there. Around 800 BC an Illyrian tribe, the Histians, lived in Porec. The Istrian peninsula owes its name to this tribe. Around 200 BC the Romans conquered Porec. Porec owes its current rectangular street pattern to this Roman occupation. In 539 the city became the property of the Byzantines, 261 years later they established a bishop's seat in Porec. During this occupation, the Byzantine Euphrasian Basilica was built, now one of Porec's most famous attractions.

After the Byzantines, it was the Venetians who ruled Porec from 1267. Porec owes many buildings, squares and streets in Venetian style to this occupation. In the 14th century it was the turn of the Genoese. Then came a bad period for the city: first the plague broke out and then a long war followed. Under the authority of the Austrians, Porec became the center of the shipbuilding industry from 1797. Around 1918 the city fell back into Italian hands.

After the WW II, Porec first became part of Yugoslavia. The city has been part of Croatia since 1991. We can therefore say that Porec and Istria have had a very turbulent history.

Sights

Porec Basilica_{Photo: Josep Renalias CC 3.0 Unported no changes made}

As mentioned, the Euphrasian Basilica is one of the most famous historical sights of Porec. Since 1997, the basilica has even officially been a World Heritage Site. The basilica is named after Bishop Euphrates. The Byzantine style in which the basilica is made is truly breathtaking. You will find beautiful mosaics and impressive statues.

The Porec museum is the oldest in Istria. The museum is located in the Baroque Sincic Palace that dates back to the 18th century. The museum houses more than 15,000 pieces from all periods of human life in the Porec area from the Paleolithic to the present day. There is also a section on the Partisan Struggle in the Second World War. The Hermes monument with grape pickers and olives is one of the highlights.

Cave of Baredine Porec_{Photo: Bernhard Wintersberger CC 2.0 Generic no changes made}

There is an interesting natural sight about 6 kilometers from Porec. Namely the Cave of Baredine. Here you can see the most beautiful underground gems such as crystals, stalagmites and stalactites. In addition, the cave has a fauna that is found nowhere else in the world. In and around Porec you will find more caves that are worth a visit.

Tips

The coast of the city is beautiful and it is certainly advisable to spend a day at the beach. Porec has both sandy and pebble beaches. Because the coastline of Porec is so extensive, it is almost never busy at the beach. There are also many water sports on the beach, such as snorkelling and water skiing.

A nice outing for adults and children is the Porec Aquarium. It is located right in the center and is open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. More than 70 different animals from the Adriatic can be seen.

Porec Beach _{Photo: Magnum35 CC 4.0 International no changes made}

Just like in Italy, wine and olive oil are produced in the vicinity of Porec that are in no way inferior to the Italian varieties. The Croats themselves say that Istria's cuisine is based on fruits from the earth and the sea. This results in many cozy restaurants where you can enjoy the tastiest snacks and drinks. To find out what the real taste of Istria is, you should definitely eat in the restaurants of Porec.