Istrian wine and food tasting from Piran: Three villages

Taste your way through three hilltop villages and their signature foods

A full-day tasting experience from Piran that takes you to three inland Istrian villages: Hum (the world's smallest town), Motovun (a medieval hilltop settlement famous for truffles), and Grožnjan (an artist village surrounded by vineyards), where you taste local wines, liquors, cheeses, truffle products and marmalades with a guide. Pickup is included from your hotel, cruise terminal or station in Piran, Portorož or Izola. The guide speaks English, Italian or German.

Step-by-step itinerary

Istrian villages tasting tour

• Pick up at agreed starting point
• Visit Hum, taste local liquors and truffle products
• Explore Motovun, taste wines and local cuisine
• Visit Grožnjan, discover art and traditional food

The experience

You're picked up at your hotel, cruise terminal or station in the morning and driven inland to three villages that sit at the heart of Istrian food culture. The route takes eight hours total, moving through the Mirna River valley where medieval towns cling to hilltops and vineyards spread across the surrounding slopes. Each stop is built around a tasting: local liquors, wines, cheeses, truffle products and marmalades appear as you move through the villages, and the guide (speaking English, Italian or German) explains what you're tasting and where it comes from.

Hum, with only 20 inhabitants, claims the title of world's smallest town and sits in the heart of Istria. The village is known for biska, a spiced brandy made with mistletoe according to an old local recipe. Motovun rises on a hilltop above the Mirna River and is ringed by vineyards that produce some of Istria's finest wines. The town's forest is a hunting ground for truffles, the underground fungus prized for its aroma. Grožnjan, surrounded by green hills and white soil, holds 28 artist ateliers and hosts jazz and classical musicians in summer. Its restaurants and taverns serve traditional Istrian cuisine built on olive oil, seafood, seasonal vegetables and the wines grown in neighboring vineyards.

Transportation, the guide and all tastings are included. You return to your starting point by late afternoon. The experience suits anyone with an afternoon free during a stay in Piran or the nearby coast who wants to move beyond the waterfront and taste the region's food and wine without arranging the route themselves.

What’s included

• Pickup and drop-off from your hotel, cruise terminal, bus station or train station in Piran, Portorož or Izola.
• transportation between the three villages.
• a live guide in English, Italian or German.
• tastings of local wines, liquors, cheeses, truffle products and marmalades.
• and insurance.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish, German and Italian

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 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a full-day immersion in Istrian wine and food production across inland villages. The eight-hour format means early departure and late-afternoon return, so plan your coastal time accordingly.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, German and Italian.

What exactly do I taste during the three village stops?

Local wines, liquors (especially biska from Hum), cheeses, truffle products and marmalades appear at each village. The guide explains the origins and production of each item as you taste.

How far is each village from Piran, and how much time do we spend at each one?

The villages sit inland in the Mirna River valley. The full experience runs eight hours from pickup to drop-off. The itinerary moves between Hum, Motovun and Grožnjan with tastings and time to walk through each village's historic center.

Is Hum really the smallest town in the world?

Hum holds only 20 inhabitants and is recognized as the world's smallest town. Local legend says it was built with stones left over when giants were constructing towns in the Mirna River valley.

What makes Motovun's wines special?

Motovun sits on a hilltop surrounded by vineyards on all sides. The region produces some of Istria's finest wines. The town's forest is also famous for truffles, which grow underground and are prized for their distinctive aroma.

Can I book pickup from somewhere other than a hotel?

Pickup is included from your hotel, cruise terminal, bus station or train station in Piran, Portorož or Izola. Contact the operator after booking to confirm the exact meeting point.