Casa Matiki – Experience a True Oasis in the Heart of Istria
For a truly authentic Croatian experience, listen to a local! Our Tasteful Croatian Journeys Concierge, Mirela Benic, shares her review of the endlessly charming Casa Matiki, a cozy retreat in the Istrian countryside that’s perfect for family travel.
Casa Matiki – a place where guests become friends
When you are traveling on a holiday with family, especially small children, there are always compromises when it comes to choosing a destination as the location, lodging, and activities must be something that satisfies all generations.
Well, in that case, Casa Matiki is a perfect choice; a perfect combination of comfortable accommodation surrounded by beautiful nature and plenty of activities both at the property and in its surrounding area.
Casa Matiki is an idyllic Istrian countryside farmhouse with typical Istrian stone houses surrounded by lush gardens. A mixture of olive oil trees and lavender, as well as other plants and flowers provide pleasant views from every corner of the property. Designed and reconstructed with care and attention to detail, Casa Matiki offers a truly unique and traditional experience combining the atmosphere and charm of an old Istrian farm with all the amenities necessary for a comfortable holiday.
It is situated in a small village in the peaceful surroundings of Central Istria, yet only 20 minutes from the colorful coastal towns, secluded beaches, and stunning hilltop villages of Istria.
The owner, Mrs. Sonja, is the embodiment of Croatian hospitality. A perfect host, Sonja dedicates herself to her guests from the first welcome and to the moment they depart. One of the highlights of a stay at Casa Matiki is the breakfast, prepared by Sonja and her team in the cozy atmosphere of the dining room where guests can enjoy the aromas and flavors of a fresh, healthy breakfast prepared with local ingredients – including eggs from Sonja’s own chickens!
At Casa Matiki guests can enjoy comfortable accommodation in nicely decorated apartments. Three bright and spacious studio apartments are located in the main building and include en suite bathrooms, kitchenettes, and balconies. The apartments Pergola and Lavanda are located in a separate building, built in the typical Istrian style with spacious outdoor terraces.
Our experience at Casa Matiki
For a weekend getaway in July, I decided to visit Istria together with my daughters, a friend, and her children, and we chose to stay at Casa Matiki. After driving along the east coast of Istria, only an hour from my home in Rijeka, admiring the beautiful vistas over the Kvarner bay and the island of Cres, we arrived to our destination.
At the entrance we had an unusual yet interesting welcome from Obama and Tiffany, the owner’s faithful four-legged pets as well as from the chickens that were running around the property. How does that sound for a welcome? Can you imagine the children’s excitement to be spending the weekend in nature, surrounded with domestic animals, free to play outdoors!
In front of the main building we found a charming wooded welcome sign with the names of all of the guests that were visiting the property. Our suite had 2 bedrooms, a spacious living room with a kitchen, bathroom and a terrace in the front. The details of the cozy interior left us feeling very much at home.
The children were immediately amazed by the life sized outdoor chess board and excited to be surrounded by nature and domestic animals. We all couldn’t wait to jump in the swimming pool and just relax on the sundeck. This was not just any pool – it was a true oasis. It is located on the top of the property, reached by passing a small farm with chickens, surrounded by olive trees and vines, as well as a small garden (where we later found Sonja picking the vegetables and fruit that were used for breakfast in the morning). The pool was very clean with sunchairs and shades, as well as several hidden corners with benches where guests can relax. The children’s favorite was a wooden lookout near the pool with swings; a perfect spot for hide and seek.
Another fun and memorable experience for our children was a visit to the donkey farm which is only 200meters from the property and also owned by Sonja. The children were thrilled with the idea of being able to hand feed the donkeys with old bread!
In the evenings, we all sat down together on our terrace, enjoying playing card games with children under the starry sky.
On the next day, we decided to explore the surroundings. It happened to be that in the nearby town of Kanfanar there was a local festival with klapa singing and an exhibition of traditional Istrian cattle called Istarski Boškarin. The atmosphere was perfect; mingling with the locals, listening to sounds of traditional Croatain songs performed by Klapa, and admiring the unusual exhibition of Boškarin, some of which were impressive with their size exceeding 1.000 kg.
On the third day, we wanted to have a day on the beach, so we headed off to Rovinj; Istria’s most popular destination. We spent the day relaxing on a beach in front of the Golden Cape forest (Zlatni rt), enjoying a swim in the warm Adriatic and admiring the views of the old town of Rovinj.
We found a perfect spot on a nice pebbly beach with straw loungers which we rented, located under thick pine trees that stretch all the way to the sea, providing perfect shade. Nearby we found a cozy beach bar where we relaxed sipping a cup of excellent Croatian coffee while the kids were enjoying their ice creams! As our children love an adventure, we rented stand up paddle boards and enjoyed paddling around the beautiful Lone Bay with vistas to the Old Town of Rovinj.
For the perfect ending to our short weekend break in Istria, we had the most delicious lunch at Konoba Tugurio, located just outside the Old Town of Rovinj. On every occasion that I visit Rovinj, I keep returning to this wonderful restaurant, with welcoming and friendly staff and delicious homemade meals in the most pleasant atmosphere of a garden terrace under the trees. We tasted Peka, one of Croatia’s most famous specialties, prepared with lamb meat, potatoes, and vegetables. This traditional meal is prepared using a special process of slow cooking “under the bell” (under a dome shaped lid) – a must try when visiting Croatia!
And so it was the end to our relaxing Istrian weekend getaway – but the memories I will keep forever. It was a weekend rich in new experiences, which left our bellies full and smiles on our children’s faces.
Until our next visit to Istria…
Read more about Rovinj here.
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