The 15 Best Istria & Truffle Hunting Tours

1.National Park Brijuni Island Visit & Dolphin Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 788 reviews · 5h 30m · from $76Our pick

Join Korkyra Tour for a 330-minute cruise from Pula around Brijuni National Park. Guides including Mario and Larissa share island stories in several languages. You get about 2.5 hours on St. Jerolim for swimming and walking, then enjoy drinks, a meal option, sunset views, and a dolphin search before returning past Pula Arena.

“We had such a wonderful time at the boattrip to Brijuni Island and the dolphin watching! Our tourguide was very knowledgeable and she easily switched between languages. She kindly made sure everyone on the boat was comfortable. The food options were communicated clearly beforehand as well as the chance of seeing dolphins that day! We were delighted to actually see them which made this tour complete for us.. The island you visit is also quite beautiful with lots of flowers, birds and butterflies. And of course the peacocks! It is wise to wear a warm sweater or something on board as the wind might make it a bit chilly. But…”

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2.Brijuni Sunset Dolphin Cruise with Dinner & Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 764 reviews · from $62

Spend three hours cruising from Pula toward all 14 Brijuni islands while a multilingual guide shares stories of the park and its wildlife. Watch for dolphins at sunset, then enjoy grilled mackerel, chicken, or vegetables with bread and coleslaw. The Europa boat has shaded decks, an air-conditioned lounge, toilets, a bar, and Wi-Fi.

“This was a gift to my daughter and family - which they loved so no changes here 😊”

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3.Fantastic DOLPHIN & SUNSET TOUR with dinner ( Pula-NP BRIJUNI )

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 618 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $66Top rated

Sail from Pula toward Brijuni National Park on a three-hour evening cruise with grilled fish or meat, salad, bread, wine, juice, and water included. Look for wild dolphins near the islands, pass Tito’s former residence and Fort Minor, then return past Pula’s illuminated Lighting Giants. The boat has WiFi and outdoor seating.

“Great experience on a comfortable ship with friendly staff, delicious food and we saw plenty of dolphins swimming”

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4.Brijuni National Park Sunset, Dolphins & Dinner Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 607 reviews · 3 hours · from $64

Spend three hours on a traditional wooden boat from Pula, cruising past the harbor and Brijuni Islands National Park. The crew serves mackerel, chicken, or a vegetarian dinner, with unlimited water, orange juice, and white wine. Dolphin sightings are likely but never certain. Bring a jacket for the open sea.

“It was awesome! Sea and dinner was great, dolphins too. Staff was very nice and pleasant. Totally recommend”

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5.Brijuni National Park Tour with Island Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 599 reviews · 5 hours · from $67

Cruise from Pula along Fažana and around every Brijuni island with a live guide in Croatian, English, German, or Italian. Stop at St. Jerolim for swimming and free time, watch for dolphins and exotic animals, and enjoy unlimited wine, water, and soft drinks. Food is ordered separately, and the island charges a cash entrance fee.

“It was amazing. The Island was beautiful, the boat manager was very kind and he did extra stop to see the dolphins as an bonus.”

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6.Dolphin Sunset Cruise to Brijuni with Dinner & Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 511 reviews · from $58

Sail from Pula on the spacious Ananda catamaran, pass the Roman Arena and Uljanik’s glowing cranes, then search for dolphins near Brijuni National Park. Selma and the multilingual crew share information about the islands while you enjoy fish, meat or vegetarian dinner, unlimited wine and soft drinks, and a sunset over the Adriatic.

“The ride itself was wonderful and the crew was really nice. We got to see some dolphins which was actually really amazing but my disappointment was the dinner and drinks: I had fried chicken which was served with a cabbage salat and bread, no real side dish, and only alcoholic drinks available were red wine and beer- the description of the tour advertised a bigger variety of drinks.”

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7.National Park Brijuni Dolphin Cruise with Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 423 reviews · from $67

Sail from Pula along the coast toward Fažana and Brijuni National Park while guides explain the area and help you spot dolphins. Dinner includes fish, meat, or vegetarian dishes, with unlimited white wine, mineral water, Coca-Cola, and Fanta. Expect a relaxed sunset cruise with binoculars and a route map provided onboard.

“It was really great boat tour! We saw many dolphins and had tasty dinner onboard with drinks included. Guide told us about places we saw on the way. Lovely!”

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8.Brijuni National Park Scenic Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 376 reviews · from $41

From Fazana, board Kristina for a scenic cruise past all 14 Brijuni islands, Roman remains, old villas, forts, and Pula’s Peneda lighthouse. A multilingual crew provides commentary and cold drinks before you stop at St. Jerolim for optional swimming, snorkeling, lunch, and up to five hours ashore.

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9.Lim Fjord Boat Tour with Swimming near Pirate’s Cave

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 322 reviews · 2 hours · from $29Best value

Join the Sveta Ana boat from Vrsar for a relaxed cruise along 10 kilometers of Lim Fjord. A Croatian captain and crew guide the trip, with German audio support, complimentary wine, lemonade, and water, plus a 50-minute stop for swimming and Pirate’s Cave. Bring cash for the €1 cave ticket and expect 50 steps inside.

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10.Lim Fjord, Rovinj, and Vrsar Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 276 reviews · from $47

Set out from Poreč with a friendly Victoria Tours crew for a full day on Istria’s west coast. Explore Rovinj for about two hours, eat grilled fish, meat, or vegetarian food aboard a traditional wooden boat, sip wine along Lim Fjord, stop at a pirate cave, and swim or wander in Vrsar before returning around 4:30 pm.

“Was just a fabulous day out, from start to finish. Lovely scenery, plenty of time available to spend in Rovinj (2hrs 15 mins) and Vrsar. Plenty of nice food and wine, a fab day out !”

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11.Truffle hunting & cooking tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 257 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $130

In Paladini near Motovun, the Karlić family introduces you to Istrian truffles through a short forest hunt with trained dogs, a visit to Croatia’s first truffle museum, and a three-course meal. Guides such as Benjamin, Phillip, and Ivana explain the work, while the kitchen prepares truffle eggs, local specialties, and a chocolate dessert.

“This experience was so much fun! The dogs were very engaged, and we found 2 truffles in a short amount of time. Our guide was very informative and passionate about what he does. And we were served a delicious meal in a beautiful space. Tip for dressing: the hike is not strenuous or long at all. While you do need sneakers or hiking shoes, you do not need athletic clothing. I would have been fine with jeans or casual trousers. They also gave us something to cover our sneakers so we did not get muddy.”

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12.Dolphins Watching in the National Park Brijuni from Pula

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 233 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $56

Sail from Pula at 5:30 pm for a three-hour sunset cruise near Brijuni National Park. A guide explains the islands, dolphins, and sea life while you watch from the deck or use the onboard binoculars. Dinner, white wine, mineral water, and soft drinks are included. Dolphins are common but never guaranteed.

“The boat doesn't guarantee you will see dolphins so we were pleased that we saw 5 at a distance. They did what they could to get as close as possible without distrubing the dolphins The vegetarian option was nice (fried corgette and aubergine with salad) and the meat option was two burgers. The tour guide was multilingual and informative but did spend significant amounts if the trip smoking. I would reccomend if possible sit on the left side of the boat as they got much better views of the islands.”

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13.Brijuni National Park Cruise, Lunch and Fažana Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 229 reviews · from $62

From Pula Harbour, you’ll cruise around Brijuni National Park aboard the Europa, with live commentary in English, German, or Italian. Lunch, unlimited soft drinks, water, iced tea, and wine are included. The main stop is 2.5 hours in Fažana for swimming, cafés, and waterfront time.

“Fantastic day out. Just the right amount of time, cruising around the islands, then an hour and a half at Lost Bay, which is beautiful, for a swim and drink at the bar. Highly recommend!”

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14.Lim Bay, Pirate Cave and Rovinj Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 201 reviews · 5 hours · from $35

From Vrsar, you cruise the calm Istrian coast to Lim Bay and its Pirate Cave, then continue to Rovinj for two hours of free time. Expect drinks, scenic views, a swimming stop, and multilingual staff. Bring swimwear, a towel, sunglasses, and your phone ticket. A smaller wooden boat may be used.

“von der Abfahrt bis zur Rückkehr super! Getränke inklusive.”

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15.Brijuni National Park Boat Excursion from Pula. With a visit to the island

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 179 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $66

Spend about five hours cruising Brijuni National Park from Pula on a traditional vessel with a multilingual art historian guide. You’ll hear stories about Tito and the islands, enjoy drinks and a Mediterranean-style meal, then spend roughly two hours swimming or snorkeling at St. Jerolim. Bring water shoes, sunscreen, and cash for the island entry fee.

“Sehr netter Empfang auf dem Schiff.....tolle Reiseführerin mit mehreren Sprachen. Essen gut und Getränke ausreichend. Insel Ausflug von gut 2 Stunden zum selbst gestalten. Die Tour ist sehr zu empfehlen !!!!!!”

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