Vrsar

Vrsar climbs a hill above its harbour on the western Istrian coast, with the castle of the bishops of Porec at the top and terraced lanes below it running down to the water. Giacomo Casanova put in here twice in the 1740s and mentioned it in his memoirs, which the town has made the most of with a small festival. Just south is Koversada, opened in 1961 and one of the older established naturist resorts in Europe, on an island and shore that made the arrangement practical. The Lim channel cuts inland immediately south of the town, and boats run into it from the harbour.

Background

Vrsar, Orsera in Italian, lies in Istria 9 kilometres south of Poreč. Its historic centre sits on a hilltop around the parish church of St Martin and its 40-metre bell tower, and in the 20th century the town spread down the hill. The municipality covers 36.5 square kilometres and had 1923 residents in 2021. Today it lives on summer visitors, with large campsites, private rooms and a modern marina, and it is home to the Koversada naturist campsite, the oldest in Istria.

Source: Wikipedia, "Vrsar"

What to look for

• A town terraced up a hill - lanes climbing to the bishops' castle.
• Casanova's two visits - recorded in his memoirs, marked by a festival.
• Koversada since 1961 - among the older European naturist resorts.
• The Lim channel - cutting inland just to the south.

When to go

May to September. Half a day.

Things to know

The old town is small and the modern resort development around it is large. It is busy in high summer. The lanes are steep and stepped. Boat trips into Lim are commercial and heavily sold on the harbour.

Nearby

The Lim channel is south; Porec is north along the coast.

Key facts