Maslinica
The largest beach in Rabac: around 500 metres of pebbles, sun loungers and water sports, with part of the beach adapted for people with disabilities. A good choice for families.
Location
Between Labin, the sea and the rest of Istria
Villa Otello sits on a hill a few kilometres from Labin. The old town is about ten minutes away by car, the beaches of Rabac about twenty, and almost all of Istria lies within an hour and a half's drive.
Here we have gathered what we recommend to our guests ourselves: beaches, places for lunch and dinner, winemakers and olive growers, day trips and a few practical tips.
How far is it?
Driving times from the villa, without traffic. In summer, especially on Saturdays, allow a few extra minutes.
Labin, old town7 km · 10 min
Raša9 km · 15 min
Rabac, beaches11.5 km · 20 min
Duga Luka, Prtlog12 km · 20 min
Sveta Marina14 km · 25 min
Trget16 km · 25 min
Pazin33 km · 50 min
Pula47 km · 1 h
Opatija59 km · 1 h 5 min
Rovinj59 km · 1 h 15 min
Motovun53 km · 1 h 20 min
Poreč70 km · 1 h 20 min
Pula Airport44 km · 1 h
Rijeka Airport91 km · 1 h 35 min
Trieste99 km · 1 h 55 min
Ljubljana161 km · 2 h 30 min
Beaches
The sea, twenty minutes away
The nearest beaches are in Rabac: pebbly, lined with pine woods, with clear water and views across the Kvarner Gulf to the island of Cres. Quieter coves lie south of Rabac and in Raša Bay.
The list of Blue Flag beaches changes every year and is published in early June on istra.hr.
Rabac
Girandella
A beach below the Girandella resort, with pebbles, rocks and concrete sunbathing areas. There is a diving centre and water-sports equipment for hire.
Sveti Andrija (St. Andrea)
A string of small coves with white pebbles on the peninsula of the same name, quieter than the beaches in the centre of Rabac.
Quieter coves
Sveta Marina
A cove with a small harbour, a lighthouse from 1887 and protected Mediterranean vegetation. Popular with divers.
Prtlog, Duga Luka
A quiet cove at what was once Labin's harbour, a favourite with locals.
Trget
A fishing village in Raša Bay with a few smaller beaches.
Ravni
A small village with concrete and partly pebbly bathing spots, popular with locals and divers.
Tunarica
A cove and former fishing village known for tuna fishing. A footpath leads from here to Sveta Marina.
Labin and Raša
Two towns, one mining story
Coal was mined around Labin and Raša for centuries, and the last mine closed in 1999. The mining past is still visible at every turn.
Labin
Labin's old town sits on a hilltop above Rabac: steep stone streets, a Renaissance town gate with the Venetian lion, and squares looking out over the Kvarner Gulf.
- The Fortica viewpoint at the top of the old town, with views as far as Cres.
- The Town Museum in an 18th-century palace, with a walk-through reconstruction of a coal mine.
- Galleries and studios; in summer the Labin Art Republic festival turns streets and squares into a stage.
- The Dubrova Sculpture Park, just outside Labin.
More at rabac-labin.com.
Raša
Istria's youngest town was built in 1936–1937 for the miners of the nearby coal mine, to plans by the Trieste architect Gustavo Pulitzer Finali.
- The Church of St Barbara, patron saint of miners, is shaped like an upturned mine cart, and its bell tower resembles a miner's lamp.
- The main square with arcaded buildings, laid out as the heart of the planned town.
- The Kova Experience mine tour: go down into the mine where more than 10,000 miners worked between 1928 and 1966. Dates and bookings at arsiana.hr.
More at tz-rasa.hr.
Where to eat
Our tips for lunch and dinner
Restaurants and taverns we go to ourselves and recommend to our guests. In summer it is worth booking a table for dinner.
Kvarner
Traditional cooking on the edge of the old town: catch of the day, meat, pasta and Labin krafi (filled pasta) with walnuts. The terrace looks out to the sea and Cres. Also recommended by the Gault&Millau guide.
Rumore
Neapolitan pizza from a wood-fired oven, made with dough rested for more than 24 hours. A large terrace overlooking the Kvarner Gulf.
Pizzeria Napoli
Neapolitan-style pizzas with Italian ingredients, on the main square of the old town.
Urban Grill
A grill restaurant in the lower part of Labin, with a modern interior and outdoor seating.
Konoba Rogočana
A family-run tavern since 1988: Istrian and Mediterranean dishes, fish and meat. The terrace looks towards Labin and the sunset.
Restoran Ferali
A family restaurant on the road to Rijeka: fresh fish, Istrian meat, homemade pasta and bread from their own oven. Large terraces and a car park.
Tri Murve
A family restaurant since 1975, now known for dry-aged beef and meat grilled over charcoal, as well as Kvarner scampi.
Stancija Stare Staze
A restaurant on a country estate with a large park, kažuni (traditional stone huts) and a children's playground; the cooking blends tradition with new ideas.
Tastes of Istria
Wine, olive oil and truffles
Istria is known for Malvazija and Teran wines, olive oils among the best rated in the world, and truffles from the forests around Motovun. The winemakers and olive growers listed here welcome guests for tastings, mostly by appointment, so get in touch in advance.
Near the villa
Turinela
A family farm, the closest to the villa, with olive oil awarded in the Flos Olei guide and homemade rakija. Tasting room by appointment.
Negri
Olive oil from groves above Raša Bay, among the best rated in the Flos Olei guide. Tastings take place in the Negri Palace in Labin's old town.
Fuhtar
A family winery: Malvazija, Teran, Merlot and Muscat, with some wines aged in the sea. Tasting room by appointment.
Olea B.B.
Single-variety olive oils (Buža, Rošulja), regularly among the best rated in the Flos Olei guide. Tasting room in Rabac.
Vina Juričić
A family winery near Labin: Malvazija and Teran, labels dedicated to Labin's mining history, and a disc golf course next to the winery.
Farma Drijade
Goat's cheese, skuta (a ricotta-style cheese) and whey from a family farm. Visits by appointment, especially fun for children.
Forto
Homemade hot sauces from more than 40 varieties of chilli grown in their own fields.
Wineries around Istria
Medea
Montiron single-vineyard Malvazija. Tastings at the ByIstria tasting room next to the winery.
Trapan Wine Station
Malvazija and Teran in a modern cellar designed like a railway station, with food-paired tastings.
Matošević
One of the pioneers of modern Istrian winemaking, known for its Alba Malvazija, including one aged in acacia barrels.
Tomaz
Barbarossa Teran and Malvazija; a new cellar with a terrace above the vineyards.
Benvenuti
Malvazija, Teran and the sweet San Salvatore Muscat, one of Istria's most awarded wines. Tasting room with a view of Motovun.
Clai
Natural wines, skin-macerated and unfiltered. For lovers of orange wine.
Kozlović
Santa Lucia Malvazija and a modern winery in the valley below Momjan. Visits by reservation.
Olive oil, cheese and truffles around Istria
Stancija Kumparička
An organic goat farm with award-winning raw-milk cheeses. Farm tours with tastings and dinners by reservation.
Chiavalon
Organic olive oil from their own mill among the olive groves, with tastings and guided tours.
Zigante
A shop and restaurant devoted to truffles, in the village where a 1.31 kg white truffle, listed in the Guinness World Records, was found in 1999.
Karlić Tartufi
A family truffle hunt with dogs, followed by a tasting of truffle dishes. By reservation.
Ipša
Oil from Istarska bjelica olives pressed in their own mill, with a tasting room and tavern. Easy to combine with a visit to Zigante.
Day trips
All of Istria within a day trip
Istria is small: Pula, Rovinj, Poreč and the hill towns inland are an hour to an hour and a half away, so you can easily be back for dinner by the pool.
Pula Arena
A 1st-century Roman amphitheatre, one of the best preserved of its kind. In summer it hosts big concerts, opera and the Pula Film Festival; see the programme at pulainfo.hr.
Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Rovinj
An old town on a peninsula, with narrow streets leading up to the Church of St Euphemia; climb the bell tower for views of the sea and islets.
Tom Salmon · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Euphrasian Basilica, Poreč
A 6th-century episcopal complex with Byzantine mosaics, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.
Shesmax · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Motovun
A walled medieval hilltop town looking out over the Mirna valley and the forests where truffles are hunted.
Ekaterina Polischuk · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Učka and Vojak
Vojak (1,401 m) is the highest peak in Istria; from its stone tower you can see the Kvarner Gulf and its islands. Učka Nature Park has trails for walkers and cyclists.
Hikingtravelivana · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Opatija
Croatia's oldest resort, with Austro-Hungarian villas and the Lungomare seaside promenade.
Berthold Werner · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
More day trips
Brijuni, from Fažana
A national park: about fifteen minutes by boat from Fažana, then a tourist train through the safari park, past Roman remains and on to dinosaur footprints.
Cape Kamenjak
The protected southern tip of Istria, with wild coves and a rocky shore. Good for a whole day by the sea.
Pazin Cave and Castle
A canyon and chasm around a hundred metres deep, below the largest preserved medieval fortress in Istria. Jules Verne set part of his novel Mathias Sandorf here. From May to September a zip line crosses the chasm.
Hum and the Glagolitic Alley
Hum bills itself as the smallest town in the world. The seven-kilometre Glagolitic Alley leads to it from Roč.
Grožnjan
A town of artists since 1965, with galleries and studios, and concerts by young musicians in summer.
Lim Bay
A drowned karst valley with steep wooded sides, known for its oysters and mussels. Boat trips leave from Poreč, Vrsar and Rovinj.
Baredine Cave
A guided tour through the cave down to an underground lake where the olm, the “human fish”, lives. It is about 14 °C inside, so bring something warm.
Dvigrad
The ruins of a medieval town abandoned after the plague, open to walk around.
Frescoes in Beram
The little Church of St Mary at Škriljine, with frescoes from 1474 including the famous Dance of Death. A villager keeps the key, so arrange your visit in advance.
With children
Aquarium Pula
An aquarium in the Austro-Hungarian Verudela fortress, with Adriatic and tropical species and a sea turtle rescue centre.
Dinopark Funtana
A dinosaur theme park with shows and rides. Open from spring to autumn.
Aquacolors
A large water park with plenty of slides, wave pools and a lazy river. Summer only.
Istralandia
A water park with around twenty slides and a big wave pool. Summer only.
Motodrom Poreč
A 600-metre go-kart track, a separate beginners' track and electric karts for children from age three, plus paintball and quads. From spring to autumn.
Activities
On the water and in the hills
The coast around Rabac and Sveta Marina is good for diving, kayaking and stand-up paddling, and the hills above it for walking and cycling. Učka is an hour's drive away.
Walking
Waymarked trails run between Labin and Rabac, including a forest path to the Sentonina waterfall. From Sveta Marina a trail leads to Tunarica and up Oštri (531 m), with views of Cres and Lošinj. For a full day: Učka, from the Poklon pass to Vojak.
Cycling
The roads around Labin are good for road cycling, with plenty of climbing, and bikes can be hired in Rabac. For mountain bikes there is the Parenzana, a trail along the old Trieste–Poreč railway line.
Diving and snorkelling
There are diving centres in Rabac and Sveta Marina. Maps of the underwater sites are published by the Raša tourist board.
Kayak and SUP
Kayak and stand-up paddle hire and guided tours start from Rabac.
Horse riding
Several ranches around Labin offer riding for beginners and experienced riders.
List of providers: rabac-labin.com, sport and recreation.
Practical info
What's where
Doctor and emergencies
The health centre with an emergency medical service is in Labin (Svetog Mikule 2). The nearest hospital is Pula General Hospital, about an hour's drive. Emergency numbers: 112 and 194 (ambulance).
Petrol stations
There are petrol stations in Labin and along the main road to Rijeka.
Route from the villa:
INA Labin
Send us your dates
We're happy to advise you on anything that isn't on this page. We reply personally, usually the same day.
Send an enquiryEvents and news: rabac-labin.com · tz-rasa.hr · istra.hr. We checked this information in October 2026; please confirm opening hours and prices with each place.