Lanterna Holiday

Just over 10km from Istria's tourist capital of Porec is the peaceful Lanterna peninsula, providing the perfect antidote to the bustle of Porec. Situated between two beautiful creeks with pebble and sand beaches, the peninsula is believed by locals to have magical properties and its tip is known as Rat Zub (cape tooth), after a new set of white teeth was magically bestowed on a fisherman's wife as she waited for her husband to return from the sea!

The peninsula provides hotel and rented accommodation as well as campsites, but the development of a tourist infrastructure has gone hand in hand with preserving the environment. Few stretches of coastline are endowed with such natural beauty and crystal clear seas, and care has been taken to protect the unspoilt Mediterranean scenery.

Although there are shops, including a supermarket and market stalls, and restaurants, Lanterna itself is not the destination for people who need a wide range of activities, unless they are prepared to cycle or drive into Porec. Lanterna is more for those who want to relax on the beach or by the swimming pool and soak in the serenity and beauty of the area.

Beaches

The beach, or rather the selection of beaches around the peninsula and in the neighbouring bays, is what many visitors come for. Pristine, clear seas, lapping white sand or pebble beaches surrounded by native green and fragrant bushes, soon wash away the stresses of working life in the city.

Shopping

A supermarket provides for basic needs and there are market stalls with fresh fruit and vegetables as well as other basic shops. The nearby town of Tar has a better selection and can provide for most requirements but for everything else, head 10km down the road to the city of Porec. As the country's tourist mecca, it has excellent shopping facilities catering to all tastes and requirements.

Nightlife

Discos are available at some hotels, and live music and dance terraces can be found at restaurants, particularly in neighbouring Tar.

Local Specialities

Lanterna and the nearby town of Tar and fishing village of Vabriga between then have a host of local restaurants (konobe) specialising in delicious Istrian cuisine. Fish is the backbone of most menus, all of it supplied by local fishermen and including shrimps, lobsters and spiny lobsters and, of course, the Mediterranean standards: octopus, mussels and squid. From the interior come a variety of forest game, lamb, the famous Istrian smoked ham (proscuitto), sheep cheese and wild asparagus, mushrooms and truffles. Many dishes come with a home-made pasta. One local speciality not to be missed is young goat roast over an open fire. And to wash it all down there is the local Istrian wine whose varietals include Malvasia, Teran, Merlot, Hrvatica, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot, Borgonja and Muscat.