Istria, Heart-shaped peninsula in northern Adriatic Sea, Croatia.
Istria is a peninsula in the northern Adriatic Sea that belongs to Croatia and Italy and forms part of Istria County. The coast alternates between rocky sections and small bays, while the interior shows gentle hills with vineyards and forests.
Roman settlers built towns and trade routes here, later expanded under Venetian and Austrian control. After Yugoslavia ended, the territory was divided between Croatia and Slovenia, with a small part belonging to Italy.
The name comes from ancient Illyrian and Celtic settlers and carries traces from Roman times. Today, visitors notice this long history in bilingual town signs and in the way residents switch between Croatian, Italian and local dialects.
Summers are warm, while winters remain mild along the coast and snow rarely falls. The inland areas can be cooler, especially at higher elevations, where temperatures drop more noticeably in winter.
White truffles grow beneath oak forests in autumn and black ones in winter, because the soil holds a special mix of limestone and clay. Dogs help with the search, as the fungi stay completely underground and never push a visible part upward.
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