The Mirna river — the largest in Istria — meets the sea immediately south of Novigrad, its estuary widening into shallow lagoons before reaching the Adriatic. The valley inland is the heart of Istria's truffle and wine country, and the road that follows it east takes you straight to Motovun and the truffle forests.
For Novigrad visitors the valley is the easiest way into inland Istria. A 30-minute drive puts you in Motovun; an hour reaches Buzet, the unofficial truffle capital, with its September truffle festival. Cyclists can use the Parenzana — an old narrow-gauge railway converted into a cross-Istrian cycling path — that passes within a few kilometres of Novigrad and links the coast with the inland villages.