Motovun is a small hilltop town in central Istria, perched above the Mirna River valley with sweeping views over truffle-rich forests. The old walled town is beautifully preserved — climb through the outer gate and up the stone streets to find a tight cluster of Romanesque and Gothic buildings around a main square with a campanile.
The town is best known for the Motovun Film Festival, held every summer, which takes over the hilltop with open-air screenings. Outside festival season it is quieter but no less charming — a good base for exploring Istria's interior, sampling local truffles in the forests of the Mirna valley, and driving the hill towns circuit that includes Groznjan and Oprtalj. The medieval walls and ramparts can be walked in an hour and give views over the whole valley.