Motovun

Motovun is the best known of the hilltop towns of inland Istria, a walled medieval town crowning a green hill high above the Mirna valley. A walk along its ring of walls opens views over vineyards, forests and villages as far as the mountains on a clear day. The oak forest in the valley below is one of the richest grounds in Europe for the white truffle, and local guides lead truffle hunts with their dogs. In autumn the nearby village of Livade holds a truffle fair, and the Parenzana, a cycle path on a former narrow-gauge railway, winds past the town. Istrian wines such as Teran and Malvazija complete a stay.