Five kinds of Istria tour
The word tour covers very different days out. A guided walk on Veliki Brijun has little in common with a boat ride along the Rovinj coast, except the water. Decide which of the types below suits you, then compare operators. The table sums them up, and the sections after it give the details for 2026.
Operators publish their own prices, dates and meeting points, and these change by season. Many tours do not run every day, so check the date you want before you plan around it.
Istria tour types compared
What each type gives you and what to check.
| Type | Time | Price in 2026 | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brijuni guided tour | About 3.5 hours | €35 or €50 adult | Boat from Fažana, train, safari park, museum |
| Brijuni app tour | – | €30 or €40 adult | Self-guided, not the same as the train package |
| Boat trips from Rovinj | – | – | Round trips, fish picnic, glass-bottom and evening boats |
| Limski Canal | – | – | Flooded valley near Vrsar, wind and weather |
| Truffle hunt and tasting | – | – | Season, reservation and meeting point |
If you want one clear day with fixed content, the Brijuni tour is the easiest to plan. For a lighter day, a boat ride from Rovinj fits around a walk through the old town. Truffle hunts suit autumn best. The Brijuni page and the Rovinj page go into more detail.
Our picks: tours compared
A boat tour, a day trip to the hill towns and a truffle walk.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Day trip to Poreč, Grožnjan and Motovun
Air-conditioned transport with a driver and guide, a tasting of truffle products and walks through all three towns. The Motovun town wall costs €5 and the Euphrasian Basilica €10 extra.
Check availability →
Red Island and Lim Bay boat tour with lunch
Five hours with an appetizer, canapés, lunch, white wine, soft drinks and water. The pirate cave costs €1 per person extra.
Check availability →
Guided truffle hunting walk in Livade
A guided walk, with boots and a rain jacket if needed.
Check availability →Istria tours and day trips
Boat trips, truffle hunts and day trips from the coast and the hill towns, with live prices and availability.
Brijuni island tour
The guided day trip from Fažana to Veliki Brijun.
What the tour includes
The regular guided tour covers the return boat from Fažana, a guided visit, a ride on the tourist train, the safari park and the museum exhibitions. It takes about 3.5 hours, and the train ride is about 1 hour. A private boat ride around the islands is not the same as a visit on land.
Prices for 2026
Low season runs from 1 January to 31 May and from 1 October to 31 December, high season from 1 June to 30 September. An adult pays €35 or €50. Students and seniors from 65 pay €30 or €40, and children aged 7 to 18 pay €15 or €20. The self-guided app tour costs adults €30 or €40, and children under 7 go free.
Booking and groups
Individual guests are advised to buy ahead for the tour language they want. Groups of 25 or more must reserve. Discounted tickets are reserved by email and paid 30 minutes before departure at the park office at Brionska 10 in Fažana.
Open days and dogs
From 23 October to 1 November 2026 the guided tour costs €17 for adults and €12 for children aged 7 to 18. Dogs stay on a lead on the island and may not enter the train, the museums or the safari park, apart from assistance dogs. A road near Fažana is closed until 13 January 2027.
Brijuni National Park →
Limski Canal
The Limski kanal lies on the west coast near Vrsar. It is a flooded karst valley, often called a canal or fjord. The sea inlet is almost 13 km long, and together with its continuation on land it reaches 35 km. The landscape has been protected since 1964 and the sea area as a reserve since 1980.
Fresh water rises under the sea and lowers the salt level in the inner part, and mussels and oysters are farmed there. That is no statement about swimming, so ask locally before you get in the water. A boat trip does not guarantee wildlife sightings.
Boat trips from Rovinj
Short rides along the coast and around the islands.
Types of trip
The local tourism portal lists several operators for round trips around the Rovinj islands, fish picnics, glass-bottom boats and evening cruises. Prices and departure times differ by operator.
Dolphins and etiquette
Do not count on seeing dolphins. At Kamenjak the code of conduct asks boats not to chase or approach dolphins directly, to move parallel and slowly, and to allow at most 1 boat within 100 m and 3 boats within 200 m.
Weather
Wind and swell can change or cancel a trip. Ask the operator about the policy for bad weather before you pay.
Truffle hunts and tastings
A walk with a dog, then a plate on the table.
Hunts all year
One provider near Buzet, with its meeting point in Paladini, offers hunts with trained dogs and a tasting all year, and you can reserve a date. A tour offered all year does not mean white truffles all year.
Seasons by type
White truffle: 15 September to 31 January. Black winter truffle: 1 November to 15 March. Tuber brumale: 1 October to 15 March. Summer truffle: 1 May to 31 October. This is a season overview, not a guarantee of a find.
Truffle Days in Livade
The Zigante Truffle Days run from 3 October to 1 November 2026, on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 to 19:00, with free entry to the fair. The fair's demonstration hunts are listed at about 45 minutes with no dogs brought from home and disposable rain gear if it rains. Check the current terms and prices when you book.
Istria truffles →Where to go next
Pages that help you pick and plan a tour.
Istria tours: frequently asked questions
What is the best tour in Istria?
It depends on the day. For a full excursion with fixed content, the guided tour of Veliki Brijun is the clearest choice. For a lighter day, take a boat trip from Rovinj or a truffle hunt in autumn.
How long is the Brijuni tour?
The guided tour takes about 3.5 hours, including the train ride of about 1 hour. Boat and opening times change by season, so check the departure for your date.
Can I take my dog on the Brijuni tour?
Dogs must be on a lead on the island, but they may not enter the train, the museums or the safari park. Assistance dogs are an exception. Other dogs pay a €15 fee.
Do the boat trips from Rovinj run every day?
Operators set their own schedules, and not every trip runs daily. Check the date and the meeting point with the operator before you plan around a trip.
When are truffle hunts possible?
One provider near Buzet offers hunts all year. The white truffle season runs from 15 September to 31 January, so hunts in autumn and early winter are the time for that type.