Unique Destinations with Tony Perrottet: The Importance of Being Istria

Join author and historian, Tony Perrottet, as he takes us on a trip to Istria!

Register for Istria with Tony Perrottet

Only a few miles east of Venice, the spectacular Croatian peninsula of Istria has been on the front line of Europe’s most extravagant historical dramas for over 2,000 years.

It was conquered in turn by ancient Romans, Slavs, Byzantines and the Venetian Republic; in the 20th century, it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Fascist Italy and Yugoslavia before finally joining independent Croatia in 1991.

And yet, Istria has always steered its own course, and is today imbued with a fascinating quirkiness -- a perfect combination for travelers.

In this illustrated virtual talk, Tony offers a visual tour of his latest trip to Istria for Smithsonian Magazine, and will try to answer a question that still puzzles historians: What is "Istrianity"?

About the Presenter

Australian-born Tony Perrottet has traveled the world working as a correspondent and writer for numerous publications. He has covered the Shining Path war in Peru, drug running in Columbia and several military rebellions in Argentina.

Perrottet is the author of six books on travel, the most recently, ¡Cuba Libre!: Che, Fidel and the Improbable Revolution that Changed World History. He is a regular television guest on The History Channel, where he has spoken about everything from the Crusades to the birth of disco.

From his current home in the East Village of Manhattan, he has continued to "commute" to Iceland, Tierra del Fuego, Beijing, Tasmania and Zanzibar, while contributing to international publications including Smithsonian Magazine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, Esquire, Outside, Afar and The (London) Sunday Times.