Istria's Big Autumn Food Weekend: Prosciutto, Teran & Truffles

Every autumn, Istria turns its harvest into a party, but this year the calendar has done something especially useful for villa guests: three of the region's signature food festivals land on the exact same weekend, 16–18 October 2026. If you're staying anywhere in Centralna Istra or along the west coast, that means you can string them together into one unhurried, three-day gourmet itinerary without ever driving very far.

Here's how we'd plan it, straight from one villa base.

Friday 16 October: Prosciutto in Tinjan

Start inland, in the hilltop village that calls itself Istria's prosciutto capital. The ISAP – International Prosciutto Fair takes over Tinjan from 16 to 18 October, its 18th edition, with stalls of cured ham from across Europe, guided tastings, workshops and a lively sports and music programme, all set up in a festival tent in the centre of the village.

Friday is the day to arrive early if you can. Tinjan is attempting to break the world record for the most people slicing prosciutto at once, with the attempt taking place on Friday 16 October at 10:00, aiming to beat the current record of 205 simultaneous cutters. Even if you're only watching, it's a genuinely fun spectacle with the whole village in on the act.

Stay into the evening and the fair becomes a proper fešta: Severina and Skupina Tequila open the programme on Friday 16 October, Neda Ukraden and Mejaši play Saturday 17 October, and Night Express close the weekend on Sunday 18 October. Even if you don't stay for the concerts, an afternoon wandering the tent, tasting Istrian prosciutto and local cheeses, is time well spent.

Saturday 17 October: Teran and Truffles in Motovun

From Tinjan, head further into the hills to Motovun, one of Istria's most photographed hilltop towns, for the Teran and Truffle Festival. This year's edition runs 17–18 October on Trg Andrea Antico, Motovun's main square, bringing together the region's winemakers and truffle producers for two days of tastings.

Expect stalls of winemakers, truffle product producers and truffle-buying companies, with visitors able to taste teran, truffle-based delicacies and specially prepared dishes, all with live music and a relaxed, market-square atmosphere. It's the perfect excuse to pair a glass of the region's robust, dark-fruited teran wine with a plate of tagliatelle finished with shavings of white truffle from the Motovun forest just below the town walls.

Because Motovun sits above the Mirna valley, this is also a lovely spot to linger into the afternoon: wander the medieval walls, let the kids run around the main square, and simply enjoy the autumn colours the valley is known for before moving on.

Sunday 18 October: Mushroom Days by the Sea in Novigrad

For the third leg, swap the hills for the coast. Dani gljiva u Novigradu (Mushroom Days) also runs 17–18 October, organised by the local mycological society and set up on Novigrad's seafront Porporela. It's a smaller, homelier affair than the other two: the local mushroom association Russula presents an exhibition showcasing the richness of the region's forests, with visitors able to enjoy traditional autumn mushroom specialities and an entertainment programme.

Because Novigrad is a genuine seaside town with a walkable old core, this is a good way to close the weekend gently — a coastal stroll, a plate of mushroom risotto or soup, and a glass of wine looking out over the Adriatic, a nice contrast after two days of hill towns.

Making it work as a long weekend

All three villages are easy day trips from a base anywhere between the coast and Centralna Istra, which is exactly why this weekend works so well as one loop rather than three separate outings. A few practical notes:

• Go early on Friday if you want to see the Tinjan record attempt — it's scheduled for 10:00 and draws a crowd.
• Book a table if you plan to eat a sit-down truffle lunch in Motovun on the Saturday; festival weekends fill local restaurants quickly.
• Parking in all three villages gets tight by midday on festival dates, so arriving mid-morning gives you the best pick of spots and stalls before the lunchtime rush.
• Dress for hills — Tinjan and Motovun both involve cobbled slopes and some walking from parking areas to the festival grounds.

Three festivals, three very different Istrian landscapes, one weekend. If this sounds like the kind of fence-free, flavour-first holiday you're after, take a look at our villas in Centralna Istra and along the coast — a good base nearby makes it easy to catch all three without rushing.