Motovun Half-day Tour: Medieval Town & Grappa Tasting

Walk the 11th-century walls of a hilltop town, then taste brandies made on the slopes where they grow.

A half-day tour from Rovinj (or Pula or Poreč) to Motovun, a medieval hilltop town ringed by 11th-century walls, followed by a distillery visit in the Mirna river valley where you taste traditional grappas, jams and cookies made from wild herbs and fruits foraged on Učka mountain. The tour includes hotel pickup, a live English-speaking guide, and all admission fees. It runs about seven hours total.

Step-by-step itinerary

Motovun visit and brandy tasting

• Depart hotel
• Arrive at Motovun
• Motovun sightseeing and free time
• Depart Motovun
• Arrive at distillery in Buzet
• Distillery visit and tastings
• Depart to hotels

The experience

You start with hotel pickup and drive inland from the coast into green Istria, arriving at Motovun around 10am. The town sits on a hilltop surrounded by medieval walls that have stood since the 11th century. You walk the town itself: narrow streets, stone buildings, the layered history of a place that has held its shape for centuries. There's free time to move at your own pace before the group departs around 11:30.

From Motovun, the route follows the Mirna river valley south to Buzet, where a family-run distillery sits on the slopes of Učka mountain. The distillery produces grappas, jams, cookies and chocolate using wild herbs and fruits foraged in an ecologically clean environment: the same plants and berries that grow around the property. During the visit you learn how they're processed, then taste through a selection: brandies, jams, and cookies, all made in-house. The distillery uses what grows locally, so the flavors shift with the seasons and what the mountain yields.

The tour wraps by early afternoon, with departure back to your hotel around 1:30pm. Pickup is included from Rovinj, Pula or Poreč depending on which option you choose at checkout.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from Rovinj, Pula or Poreč.
• bus transport to and from Motovun and the distillery.
• admission to Motovun and the distillery.
• grappa, jam, cookie and chocolate tasting at the distillery.
• live English-speaking guide throughout.

Options for this experience

3 options

From PulaGuide in English · Available from 7 May 2027Pickup from Pula is included

From POREČGuide in English · Available from 7 May 2027Pickup from POREČ is included

From ROVINJGuide in English · Available from 7 May 2027Pickup from ROVINJ is included

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 7 May 2027

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (2 to 11 years) · Infant (under 2): free

GroupUp to 40

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 26 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Gulliver Travel

Is this one for you?Book from Rovinj if you're based on the coast and want to step away from the seaside for a morning. The 7-hour round trip fits easily into a half-day without eating into evening plans. Choose Pula or Poreč pickup if that's where you're staying: the route and timing stay the same, only the starting point changes.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 11 years); Infant (under 2): free.

How much time do I spend walking around Motovun itself?

Motovun gives you free time to explore on your own after arrival around 10am. The group departs at 11:30, so you have roughly an hour and a half to walk the medieval streets and walls at your own pace.

What exactly do I taste at the distillery?

The distillery tasting includes grappas (traditional brandies), jams, cookies and chocolate. All made from wild herbs and fruits foraged on the slopes of Učka mountain near the property.

Does the tour include lunch?

Lunch is not part of this tour. The distillery tasting includes small items like jams and cookies, but a meal is not provided.

Which pickup location works best for me?

You choose your pickup at checkout: From Rovinj if you're staying on the coast; from Pula if you're in the south; from Poreč if you're further north. Hotel pickup is included from whichever town you select.

Is Motovun walkable for someone with limited mobility?

Motovun is a medieval hilltop town with narrow stone streets and stairs. The terrain is uneven. The distillery visit is more accessible, but the town itself requires comfortable walking shoes and the ability to navigate cobblestone paths.