Vrsar, on the coast south of Porec, is a quaint village known for its marina. Lined with yachts, the walk around the bay is infused with sea and salt, palm and pine. The church spire sits majestically at the apex of the steep hill, proudly surveying her neighbours and the sea far below. Close by are the mussel beds of Lim fjord. Fishing boats ply their trade along the marina; their catch is snapped up by restauranteurs filling their customer's wish lists.
One of my favourite haunts in Vrsar is
Trost, a restaurant situated at the very brink of the sea, boasting stunning views both of the stone houses hugging the hill, and the marina dressed in its yachting best. It was here that I tasted my very first shark, succulent scampi, fresh calamari, sea bass, seafood risotto. Delightfully prepared on the large marble hearth, grilled to perfection on the coals, it remains the best seafood I have had to date.
The village above does not top the list of must-sees for 'quaint' or 'old' in Istria - but is well worth the stop. The vistas are engaging and the streets twist and curve capriciously at almost impossible angles, winding their way in a series of steps and steep sections to the top. I stopped under a spectacular tree to take in the tranquil Adriatic, a pleasant place in which to count travelling blessings. Or to try to scrape what a dog left behind from the bottom of your shoe, which was my task on one visit. So mesmerised was I at the beautiful sights, so taken by the sea and sensory overload, I turned my eyes everywhere but down, to my profound regret.
We had to double-bag my shoe and stow it in the trunk to head home that night - and we could still smell it! That darn shoe caused me no end of grief for the remainder of our trip - I couldn't seem to remove the smell entirely.
Being the Clumsy Traveller, there had to be something amiss with my visit-but the accoutrements of Vrsar can't be stained or overpowered by a dog (or a 'clumsy traveller' misstep)...
When I return to the area, it will be among my first stops!
The village above does not top the list of must-sees for 'quaint' or 'old' in Istria - but is well worth the stop. The vistas are engaging and the streets twist and curve capriciously at almost impossible angles, winding their way in a series of steps and steep sections to the top. I stopped under a spectacular tree to take in the tranquil Adriatic, a pleasant place in which to count travelling blessings. Or to try to scrape what a dog left behind from the bottom of your shoe, which was my task on one visit. So mesmerised was I at the beautiful sights, so taken by the sea and sensory overload, I turned my eyes everywhere but down, to my profound regret.
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