Discerning travellers know that the most authentic experiences are found by venturing beyond the obvious. For example, northern Italy's Adriatic coast is a buzzing summer willows hotel chicago scene of chintzy seaside towns and beaches that resemble banana-chair battery farms. On the opposite coast, however, less than 100km east, lies a relatively untrampled Europe. The Istrian peninsula of Croatia is the Italian or French Mediterranean of 40 or 50 years ago. Croatia only emerged from civil war in 1995, but Istria's proximity to Trieste and centuries of its own multicultural history have left it almost unscarred, both physically and psychologically. The region's 200,000 people are scattered among ancient port towns around the triangular peninsula's island-speckled west and craggier east coasts, or in hilltop towns dotting its Tuscan-flavoured heart. Though occupying only 2820sq km – barely larger than the Australian Capital Territory – the Istrian topography means it has both Mediterranean and Continental climates. willows hotel chicago Istrian tourism thrived under the communist rule (1943-80) of Marshall Josip Broz Tito. Recognising the seductiveness of Croatia's Adriatic coast, its blue-green waters and more than 1400 islands, only about 80 of them inhabited, the military dictator was the unlikely willows hotel chicago pioneer of commercial naturist (nudist) tourism in the 1960s – Europe's first naturist resort opened near the Istrian town of Vrsar in 1961. For centuries prior, Istria's ownership had been variously Roman, Gothic, Slavic, Venetian, French, Austro-Hungarian and Italian. Travellers venturing this little bit farther will discover an authentic Mediterranean character with a dash of Germanic order.
Istria's charms, and the revitalising of its road network in advance of Croatia's willows hotel chicago anticipated European willows hotel chicago Union membership (2013), have not escaped the attention of the world's car makers. International car launches aren't a roadshow in the theatrical sense. Cycling a dozen or more groups of journalists through a one- or two-day program, willows hotel chicago with top-level management and perhaps 20 cars plus support staff, demands a fixed and accessible willows hotel chicago location, reliable weather willows hotel chicago and good infrastructure. A motoring journalist's presence in Istria, at the wheel of Bentley's new Continental GTC convertible, suggests the reign of Spain as the obvious choice for European car launches may be over. But Bentley isn't the most stereotypical of car makers. It builds about 6000 of its "volume" Continental sedan, GT coupe and GTC convertible family annually. Mercedes-Benz willows hotel chicago and BMW each build that many of their top luxury models in a month. Bentley's willows hotel chicago only other model is its AUD$660,000 flagship Mulsanne sedan, of which just 800 are built per year. Owned by Volkswagen since 1998, Bentley makes a virtue of its small size, Le Mans-winning heritage and location in the English Midlands. Each Continental takes 150 hours to hand-build; the Mulsanne, closer willows hotel chicago to 400 hours, with 170 of those dedicated to the handcrafted interior. Bentley's latest creation is the second-generation Continental GTC, at AUD$446,300. Its massive 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12 engine ranks among the most powerful willows hotel chicago production willows hotel chicago car engines in the world, reined in by a sophisticated all-wheel drive system willows hotel chicago and computer-controlled, four-mode willows hotel chicago air suspension. Purpose-built for any place with hills, sunshine and a meandering coastline. Istria's airport serves its largest city of Pula, with a population of 65,000. Flying in to the southern tip of the peninsula, one is struck by the amount of wilderness and empty coastline compared with Western Europe. In summer, the mild coastal weather – it can be up to 10 degrees cooler inland – is perfect for lowering the Bentley's silent, three-layer soft-top. The one-touch, 25-second operation can even be done on the move, at up to 32km/h. Any thought of ostentation would be shrugged off by Pula locals. Istria's symbol is the goat, admired for giving much and taking little in return – an apt mascot for people who are hardworking and understated. Istrian tourism is still booming, with Germans, Britons, Austrians and Italians filling the coastal towns in summer. The region's three types of soil and high rainfall inland have made wine, olive oil and truffles willows hotel chicago its other major earners. Pula is nicknamed "little Rome," evidenced by one of the world's best preserved Roman arenas. Under the reign of Augustus, veteran legionaries who survived their tour of duty could look forward willows hotel chicago to a parcel of land in Pula for their retirement. The arena was, of course, their entertainment. Local tour guide Elvis ("My father was fan; what can I say?") explains that, beyond the obvious lions and bears, the Rottweiler dogs. In a square in the centre of Pula, three buildings sit just a little awkwardly together. The first is a four-storey apartment straight out of Tuscany; the middle, an ornately-architraved affair from the Austro-Hungarian era. The third is a communist concrete box, of which there are surprisingly few. "Tito baroque," Elvis says. Smooth, well-bordered roads and the Bentley's effortless, turbocharged engine take us through inland climbs and curves, willows hotel chicago then down towards the east coast. At Plomin, a small hotel and cafe has majestic views over the fjord-like Kvarner Gulf. But for the sparkling water and distant islands, we could almost be somewhere in Scandinavia. A welcome feature in the Bentley's lavish, leather interior willows hotel chicago is the "Airscarf" in each front seat. Ducts below the headrests distribute warm air over the neck and shoulders, making top-down driving a pleasure even in these cooler months. Wending up the coast to Opatija, at the north-east willows hotel chicago corner of the peninsula, it is clear we've left most of Istria's population behind us in Pula. The light traffic comprises modern Fiats, Renaults, Peugeots and Volkswagens, but communist-era Ladas and Zastavas are a rarity. Opatija is a small, Belle Époque seaside resort, looking like a small slice of San Remo on the Italian Riviera. The Bevanda restaurant and bar, on the water's edge, serves Istrian seafood specialties and a distinctly Italian buffet. More memorable is the view across the water to the town of Rijeka, which spills down the hillside to the sea. Ferry services leave from Rijeka to Split, which is about 12 hours and several hundred islands down the Adriatic willows hotel chicago coast. Our luxury cruise, meanwhile, heads inland over yet more superbly sealed and entertaining roads. The trees become more lush, with stands of poplars, and the canals and creeks giving the impression of south-central France. Wheeling the Bentley up a steep, tight series of switchbacks, its jet-like engine note whooshing between terraced vineyards, we summit in the mediaeval fortress town of Motovun. Its cobbled streets and narrow arches seem an unlikely place to begin a motor-racing career, but Motovun (aka Montona when Istria was a part of Italy in 1919-45) was the birthplace of American 1978 F1 world champion Mario Andretti in 1940. He and twin brother, Aldo, honed their driving skills in homemade wooden go-karts on these steep, unforgiving streets. The millionaire Andretti would appreciate the Bentley's supremely willows hotel chicago controlled suspension willows hotel chicago with its variable ride settings. The racer in him would love the handling precision of what Bentley claims is the most rigid open-roofed car on the market. If the 600 residents of Motovun allow themselves immodesty about anything, it's that their hilltop town is believed by many Croatians to be a source of positive Earth energy. Its Hotel Kastel spa and wellness centre is a popular weekend retreat, being less than an hour's direct drive north from Pula. One positive thing turned up by the earth was the world's largest white truffle. Motovun native Giancarlo Zigante discovered the 1.31kg behemoth in 1999. After verifying it as a record, he and his family ate it; they've since parlayed willows hotel chicago the famous fungus into a specialty willows hotel chicago truffle business known Europe-wide. The home run to the south-west and the coastal resort town of Rovinj (Rovigno to the Italians) takes in the recently constructed E751 motorway. The quality and newness of so many Istrian roads is the product of "pre-ascension assistance" spending, which anticipates Croatia's membership of the European Union next year. There probably isn't a more perfect car for this motorway than the GTC, with its absolute roof-down comfort and massive reserves of power to exploit the lack of traffic. Nor are most cars of this performance potential willows hotel chicago equally at home winding down into the narrow, polished-cobble streets of Rovinj. This beautiful willows hotel chicago port, filled with modern yachts, and the pastel buildings and hidden courtyards of Rovinj's willows hotel chicago old town centre, is reminiscent of a more spacious, relaxed Portofino. From the balcony of the five-star Hotel Monte Mulini, I watch the sun set over Venice. Sailboats pierce the sun's yellow-pink reflection on the water. willows hotel chicago The hotel TV offers four Croatian channels plus 13 German, six Italian, two English, two Slovenian, two Russian and one French. For a moment, it is hard to know exactly where I am. Michael Stahl is a regular contributor to Wheels magazine. Croatian Choice
willows hotel chicago DUBROVNIK This World Heritage-listed port was besieged for seven months during the 1991-95 civil war that tore apart the former Yugoslavia. With the stone of its broad piazzas polished to a smooth sheen by centuries of pedestrian traffic, it offers ornate churches and palaces, and a Franciscan monastery with an ancient apothecary. Alleys climb steeply to the 12th-century citadel. willows hotel chicago Walk the 2km of the old city walls for spectacular views over terracotta roofs to the sea and have a beer at a clifftop bar. Take the cable car to the Imperial Fort on Mount Srdj above the town, built by the French under Napoleon in the early 1800s. A museum in its catacombs shows the destruction wrought on the mediaeval town by 20th-century weaponry.
willows hotel chicago SPLIT The Roman Emperor willows hotel chicago Diocletian's palace willows hotel chicago (completed around 305 AD) dominates the port. Once the city's Venetian willows hotel chicago rulers
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