Villa Petra is a modern, brightly furnished four-bedroom villa located in the quiet village of Hreljići on the southeast side of Istria and close to the coastline and small town of Rakalj. The city of Pula is just 30 minutes away by car.
Petra is a spacious property with an open-plan layout. On the ground floor the stylish kitchen features orange units, modern appliances and stainless-steel surfaces with an archway off to the dining area. There is a double bedroom with en-suite bathroom with a jacuzzi bath and sliding doors to the garden. The living room has an L-shaped sofa and huge sliding doors on two sides. One opens out onto a covered dining terrace with dining furniture and a built-in barbeque perfect for al-fresco dining. The second terrace has comfortable seating ideal for lounging in the shade with a good book.
Upstairs there are three bedrooms, two of which have direct access to the hot tub on the upper terrace overlooking the pool and gardens below.
The villa sits on a large garden plot with well-tended lawns surrounding the large swimming pool with plenty of space for sun loungers and an additional built-in seating area and table perfect for playing cards in the sunshine.
The cuisine in this part of Croatia is fantastic, with a heavy Italian influnce, make sure you try the local Istrian and Mediterranean specialities: truffles, olive oil, Istrian ox boškarin, prosciutto, fish…the list is endless!
NB There is a contemporary open staircase leading to the first floor. Due to its design care should be taken with young children (please refer to the photograph of the staircase).
Istria, Croatia
The coastal regions of Croatia are comprised of the three old Croatian states of Istria, Kvarner and Dalmatia. Dalmatia, or the Dalmatian Coast as it is more commonly known. In turn, the Dalmatian Coast is divided into three regions: North Dalmatia, which includes Sibenik and Zadar, Central Dalmatia; including Trogir, Split, Hvar and Brac, and finally South Dalmatia; Korcula and Dubrovnik.
Miraculously, The Croatian coast has escaped the worst of the 20th and 21st Centuries and its natural beauty is enhanced by the wonderful architecture found in Pula, Zadar, Sibenik, Trogir, Korcula, Split and the pearl of the Adriatic, Dubrovnik. Many of the smaller towns are equally impressive and charming and the landscape is quite simply breathtaking. With over 1000 islands, it is not surprising that boating and water pursuits play a big part in Croatian life. There are a multitude of beaches and coves, or small bays and marinas, nestled...
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all along the coast of Croatia. All manner of boats can be hired, you can water ski, jet ski and there is some excellent scuba diving. Add to this the Mediterranean climate, balmy enough for olives, figs, vines, oranges and lemons to grow in abundance and it is easy to see why this is such a perfect destination for a holiday. One of the other main attractions is the big heartedness of the Croatian people. They are delighted to see tourists and are keen to share both their history and their culture. The cuisine is superb too – with a heavy Italian influence but taking advantage of the abundance of amazing seafood and fish dishes. If you haven’t yet visited Croatia, we envy you – at first glance it is unlike any other country combining just about everything you could want for a relaxing holiday in amazing surroundings.
