The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: September twenty-fifth, entranced by Istria.

The northeast coast of the Adriatic Sea ranks among Europe's most beguilingly complex and historically bewildering corners. Consider Istria, a wedge-shaped peninsula only 50 miles north to south and never more than 30 wide. Its indigenous population is now Slavic, but for millennia it's been ruled by a succession of outsiders, Romans, Byzantines, Franks, Venetians, the French and Austrians. In the 20th- century, Istria was occupied by German, British and American armies before being incorporated into Yugoslavia. Now it's part of Croatia, except for a narrow strip across its northern end, which is Serbia.

Yet Istria has survived this historic maelstrom with enigmatic calm. The recent struggles among parts of the former Yugoslavia never came close to the peninsula, and its various ethnic enclaves subsist amicably side by side, blending into rich, quasi-Croatian homogeneity.

Istria's heroic coastline is so magnificent no number of concrete hotels or beach discos can demean it. Archipelagos of blue grey islands hover Homerically offshore, and everywhere ships slide in and out of pellucid blue bays. During their reign, Austro- Hungarian emperors turned the beaches of its northeast coast into an Adriatic Cote d Azur. Today, it's easy to find every kind of tourist razzmatazz, from para-gliding and rave parties to nudist beaches and folk displays. Four fine cities, Pula, Rovinj, Porec and Opatija, are spaced along the coast of Istria, each with its own past and present charms.

For Jan Morris, one of the world most acclaimed travel writers, Istria is a special place. She shares her delight and insight in the latest issue of the magazine National Geographic Traveler, a supporter of our program. You can register for a free sample copy on our homepage.

FMI For Croatian National Tourism - 800-829-4416 or www.mint.hr or www.htz.hr. For Istria County Tourist Assoc - www.istra.com

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