SEPTEMBER 2023
Sometimes you still stumble upon a hidden gem and Kotli was that hidden gem on our latest trip. The inland of Croatia is often overlooked, because so many tourists immediately flock to the stunning coast line. I wanted to make a stop in Kotli as I had heard that this little village was surrounded by waterfalls, where you are allowed to take a swim. If I hear that you are allowed to swim in a waterfall, I usually add this destination to my itinerary right away as it is such a lovely way to immerse yourself in nature. Kotli is located in the truffle area of Croatia, so you can make the perfect combination by adding a truffle restaurant to this day!
About Kotli
Kotli is situated in Istria, in the north of Croatia. This little village is gaining traction because you can swim in a waterfall landscape. Currently, it still is somewhat of a hidden gem, the parking spots are very limited so it cannot get very busy.
We visited in the height of summer and got lucky, because it had been relatively wet. Apparantly, the waterfalls can be less than impressive in a dry period. We didn’t walk all the way down to the watermill, because that area is not as good for swimming. We stayed in the area near the bridge, where you could find little pools where you could take a refreshing dip.
Kotli reminded me of a very green and less touristy Pamukkale! It is (still) free to visit, so why not bring a visit?
In Kotli you will find one restaurant/Konoba, but it is closed on thuesdays so we didn’t get lucky with that. We accidentally drove past nearby Roc, where we discovered the heavenly restaurant Rocka Konoba. Istria is famous for its truffles, so of course tried a truffle dish. The truffel dishes were very affordable, especially when you take into account how much truffle was served! The scenery was very beautiful, they had wine barrel seats and the wine was just over 1 euro per glass. I highly recommend stopping here to experience some Istrian authenticity.
