IstriaCoastal town

Rabac and Labin – pebble beaches below an artists' town

Rabac lies in a deep, green bay on Istria's east coast and has what the west coast lacks: pale, fine pebble beaches with crystal-clear water and views of the island of Cres. Five kilometres uphill sits Labin, a colourful hilltop town with artists' studios and an unusual history as a mining town. Together they make one of Istria's most varied holiday spots.

At a glance

Region: Istria, east coast (Kvarner Bay)
Airport: Pula (approx. 45 km), Rijeka (approx. 70 km)
Rabac – Labin: approx. 5 km, footpath and bus
Best time to visit: June, September
Ideal for: families, beach lovers, hikers
Beaches: fine pebbles, some rock

Rabac: the beaches

Rabac was a fishing village before it became a resort in the 1960s. Today hotels line the wooded slopes, but the bay remains photogenic. The beaches consist of pale, smoothly rounded pebbles – more comfortable than the rock slabs of the west coast.

Girandella large Blue Flag pebble beach, promenade, good with children
Maslinica sheltered bay north of the village, water sports, beach bars
Lanterna and Prklog quieter coves further north, Prklog only on foot or by boat
Promenade runs several kilometres along the coast – shady even in high summer

Labin: old town and mining

Labin sits on a hill about 320 metres above the sea. The old town with its gate, Renaissance palaces, loggia and colourful façades is enlivened by studios and galleries. From the Fortica viewpoint you can see as far as Cres and Učka.

Coal was mined beneath the town until 1999; the town museum in the Battiala-Lazzarini palace features a reconstructed mine tunnel. In nearby Raša, a miners' town planned in the 1930s with a striking church shaped like an upturned mine cart, this industrial history is even more visible. Labin is also the birthplace of the Reformation theologian Matthias Flacius Illyricus.

Active and day trips

Signposted footpaths link Rabac and Labin and run along the coast. The Učka mountains with Vojak peak (1,401 m) are under an hour away. Boats go to Cres; Opatija and Rijeka are about an hour's drive.

Honest verdict

Rabac is a classic resort with large hotels, busy in summer, but with Istria's loveliest pebble beaches. The bay is surrounded by hills, the access road is steep and parking is scarce in summer. If you're after culture, stay in Labin and drive down to swim.