01How Much Does a Trip to Motovun Cost?
Motovun is a small hilltop town in central Istria, and its prices reflect its popularity. Lodging and truffle dishes cost more than in typical inland Croatian villages. Entering the old town and walking the ramparts is free. Most of the budget goes to accommodation and meals. Croatia uses the euro, so every price below is in €.
Daily Budget by Travel Style
| Style | Per person per day (excluding flights) |
|---|---|
| Day trip from the coast | €30–50 |
| Mid-range stay | €70–110 |
| Comfortable with a truffle hunt and wine | €130–200 |
These ranges assume two people share a room, eat one restaurant meal a day and have a light second meal. Summer weekends and the autumn truffle season push costs toward the upper end.
02Accommodation Costs in Motovun
The old town has few beds, which keeps prices firm. The best-known address is Boutique Hotel Kaštel, a 3-star hotel in a 17th-century palace at Trg Andrea Antico 7, at the top of the hill. It has about 34 rooms, an indoor pool, a spa and a restaurant. Typical rates for a standard double run from roughly €100 to €150 a night, and weekends in peak season can go higher. Booking.com rates it 9.6/10 on more than 700 reviews.
Other options include Villa Borgo B&B, the winery hotel Roxanich, and apartments such as Casa Rossa. Roxanich and rooms in the countryside usually cost more than basic guesthouses. Budget travelers can find private rooms and agroturizam stays in the villages around Motovun. These are often cheaper than anything inside the walls, and they typically include free parking.
Parking: The Hidden Cost
Cars are not allowed to drive to the top of the town. Visitors use a public car park below the walls. Hotel Kaštel guests pay about €9–12 a day, and the hotel runs a shuttle up the hill. Other visitors should check the tariff on arrival. Call the hotel from the car park to request the shuttle. A parking fee of €12 a night on a two-night stay adds €24 to the bill.
Tip: The walk from the lower car park to the top takes about 15–20 minutes and is steep. Travelers with heavy luggage should use the hotel shuttle.
03Food and Drink Prices
Truffles drive restaurant prices. The standard order is fuži with truffles, a hand-rolled Istrian pasta.
- Truffle pasta
- €15–25 at simpler konobas. Dishes with fresh white truffle shaved at the table cost €25–40 and can reach €60 in peak season.
- Main courses at Konoba Mondo
- €15–28, with truffle dishes priced higher. The truffle steak, the fuži and the truffle-and-cheese starter are the usual orders.
- Konoba or fish meals
- €15–30 across Istria.
- Other well-reviewed restaurants
- Pod Napun, Pod Voltom, Montona Gallery (terrace with views) and the Hotel Kaštel restaurant all fall in the mid-price band. Main courses at the hotel are often €15–20 or more.
- Coffee and snacks
- Cafés in the old town charge a little more than in nearby towns. A coffee is typically €2–3.
A lunch of one truffle pasta, a glass of Malvazija or Teran and a coffee costs about €30–40 per person. A full dinner with a starter, a main course and wine usually costs €45–70 per person.
The Fine-Dining Option
Restaurant Zigante is in Livade, about 5 km below Motovun, and is not inside the town. It is more formal than most Istrian restaurants and serves truffles year-round. Set truffle menus cost about €55–85 per person. For most visitors, the full tasting menu is not worth the extra cost. A simple truffle pasta at a konoba gives the same flavor for about a third of the price.
04Truffle Hunting and Tours
Guided truffle hunts in the Motovun forest cost about €40–80 per person, and many include a tasting or a truffle lunch. Karlić Tartufi in Paladini, about 15 minutes by car from Motovun, runs hunts with trained dogs. The Karlić family has hunted in the Motovun forest for more than 40 years. Book ahead in October and November, when white truffles are in season and demand is highest.
Truffle prices at shops and stalls vary a lot:
- Truffle oil and small jars: from about €15.
- Small fresh white truffle portions (5–10 g): €20–40 from market vendors in Motovun and Buzet.
- Whole fresh white truffles: hundreds of euros, with prices of €900–5,000 per kg in the market.
- Black truffles: about €300–500 per kg.
Insider tip: Buy a small piece of truffle from a vendor and ask a restaurant or your apartment host to prepare it. This is cheaper than ordering the supplement dish at a restaurant.
05Best Time to Visit for Value
Summer (July–August) is the busiest and most expensive period. October and November are the white-truffle peak, and demand and prices rise. May, June and September offer the best balance of weather, availability and lower room rates. Winter is cheap, but some restaurants and rooms close or have shorter hours.
06Getting There and Getting Around
Motovun is about 30 km from the nearest beach. Most visitors arrive by rental car from Poreč, Rovinj, Pula or Umag, so budget for fuel and parking. Public transport is limited, which makes a car or a guided tour the practical choice. Tours from coastal resorts that combine Motovun with truffle tasting and wine usually cost more than driving yourself.
07Ways to Save Money
- Visit as a day trip from a coastal base, where rooms are cheaper, and skip the hotel parking fee by using the standard car park.
- Eat lunch rather than dinner for truffle dishes. Some restaurants charge less at midday.
- Choose house wine by the glass. Malvazija (white) and Teran (red) are local and cost less than imported labels.
- Walk the ramparts yourself. They cost nothing and give the best views over the Mirna valley.
- Book accommodation in nearby villages and drive up for the evening.
08Sample Budgets
Day trip for two: parking €5–10, two truffle pastas €40–60, drinks €10–15, a small truffle purchase €20–30. Total: about €75–115.
Two-night stay for two: room €200–300 for two nights, parking €18–24, two dinners €90–140, lunches €60–80, a truffle hunt €80–160. Total: about €450–700.
