Baron Gautsch Wreck (off Rovinj)

Brijuni National Park

Cape Kamenjak Wall

Cesare Rossarol Wreck (Pula)

Coriolanus Wreck (Porec)

Flanked Wreck (Pula)

Kamenjak National Park (Premantura)

Pula Amphitheatre Area (Pjescanau Uvala)

Rovinj Reefs (Sv. Ivan, Sv. Ivan na Pucini)

Istrian food is a delicious blend of Italian and Croatian coastal traditions. The region is famous for its truffles, prized white and black, which appear in pasta, eggs and oils, alongside fresh Adriatic fish, squid and shellfish. Peka-cooked meats, pršut (air-dried ham) and sheep’s-cheese fritaja are staples, and Istria produces outstanding Malvazija and Teran wines. After a day on the wrecks, the seafood restaurants of Rovinj and Pula are a highlight of any trip.

Grand Park Hotel Rovinj

Hotel Adriatic

Hotel Park Plaza Histria

Hotel Medulin

Hotel Riviera

Istria is the heart-shaped peninsula that forms the northwestern coast of Croatia, and it is the country’s most celebrated wreck-diving region. Sheltered from the open sea by the Kvarner gulf, its clear Adriatic water hides an extraordinary concentration of shipwrecks from the Austro-Hungarian era through both world wars, most famously the passenger steamer Baron Gautsch off Rovinj. Beyond the wrecks, Istria offers coral-encrusted torpedo boats, fortified reefs, sea caves and the protected underwater archaeology of the Brijuni islands. The coast is lined with historic towns - Pula with its Roman amphitheatre, Rovinj with its Venetian old town, and Poreč with its basilica - all of which double as comfortable dive bases. Visibility regularly exceeds 25 metres, the marine life is classic Mediterranean with groupers, gorgonians and clouds of seabream, and the infrastructure of professional dive centres is mature. Istria is where most divers first fall for Croatian diving: easy access from Italy and Central Europe, warm summers, and a wreck for every certification level.

Istria (West Coast)

Fly into Pula Airport (PUY) for the south of the peninsula, or into Trieste (TRS) and Ljubljana (LJU) just across the border, and drive in. Rijeka (RJK) and Zagreb (ZAG) are also within reach. A rental car is the easiest way to tour the Istrian coast and reach the small harbours where dive boats depart.

Dive Sites in Istria (West Coast)