Villa Nautica

The villa

This well-appointed, sea-view villa lies just 2km from the coastal town of Novigrad in Croatian Istria. With four bedrooms, Villa Nautica accommodates up to eight guests and features an impressively spacious terrace with outdoor pool.

As well as the pool, you can enjoy a luxurious hot tub on the upper deck, complemented by a sunbathing area and a fantastic sauna cabin. A spiral staircase leads down to the lower level where there is a covered terrace with seating, TV, barbecue and dining area. Beside the pool, you have plenty of sun loungers, lawn areas and more seating, as well as a shower.

Inside, you’ll find an open-plan living area with air conditioning, incorporating a lounge with sofa seating and a large, widescreen TV with satellite channels. The dining area enjoys views out to the pool area and lies conveniently close to a very stylish kitchen with dishwasher, coffee machine, microwave and a large fridge freezer.

Each with access to either the lower or upper terrace, four elegant bedrooms are equipped with a TV and an en suite bathroom with shower. One of the bedrooms offers direct access to the area where the hot tub and sauna are found.

The nearby town of Novigrad offers excellent restaurants and a pretty waterfront promenade. Novigrad is situated just a 5-minute drive from the popular Aqualand Istralandia water park and hosts an annual food festival among other special events. Also nearby, you can take a guided tour of the cave of Špilja Mramornica.

Down the coast you will find big-name Istrian destinations such as Poreč and Rovinj, while charming Umag and the border with Slovenia lie within driving distance to the north. From Novigrad, it’s also easy to reach local favourites such as Motovun and the stunning Učka Nature Park.

On the Istrian coast, Novigrad is one of the highlights of the north. Famed for its excellent restaurants and colourful waterfront, it’s quieter than the likes of Rovinj and Poreč, and makes a lovely place to take a break.

Notable for its streets being adorned with brightly hued umbrellas, the picturesque Old Town is surrounded by 14th-century town walls which provide one of Novigrad’s points of architectural interest. The Church of St Pelagius and St Maximus, with its tall bell tower, is another distinctive landmark. At the Lapidarium Museum you can find artefacts collected from the church.

You have a couple of family-friendly excursions nearby - the Špilja Mramornica caves and the big Aqualand Istralandia water park. During the year, Novigrad also hosts lots of cultural festivals and events.

The Gnam-Gnam Fest is one highlight, showcasing the area’s foodie credentials. You will find at least a couple of the town’s restaurants in the Michelin Guide, Marina and Damir & Ornella being the big names. There’s good dining to be found in many places around Novigrad, however, with plenty of seafood and local takes on pizza and pasta. Istrian wine is a discovery well worth making too - look out for the local Malvasia.

Head further north and you’ll come to pretty Umag shortly before you reach the Slovenian border. Another quieter alternative to the big resorts further south, this historic town has nice beaches and good Mediterranean-style eateries in its labyrinthine Old Town streets. A town museum and a local winery are among the sights you could explore, as well as the nearby Savudrija Lighthouse.

While one of the coast’s most touristy spots, Poreč is well worth a visit. The Roman Old Town, where the Zuccato Palace and Euphrasian Basilica can be found, is the main attraction - the latter, famed for its stunning mosaics, being Poreč’s big hitter. Boat trips out to the nearby island of Sveti Nikola are also popular.

Another Poreč highlight is the spectacular Baredine Cave, some 60m underground, which contains incredible rock and stalactite formations. During summer, you will find all sorts of concerts and festivals around town, including those devoted to jazz and classical music.

East of Novigrad, the town of Motovun lies high on a hilltop, surrounded by verdant countryside. This especially picturesque place hosts an annual International Film Festival each summer, but is a local favourite at any time of year. On the eastern side of the Istrian peninsula, the mountainous Učka Nature Park and glamorous resort of Opatija are more than worth the drive of just over an hour.