Few places in Croatia hold the quiet power of Novigrad: a medieval walled town balanced at the edge of the Adriatic, where Byzantine history meets a surprisingly vibrant dining scene. Palazzo Rainis occupies one of the town's most storied buildings — a centuries-old palace whose thick stone walls and arched loggia frame views of the glittering harbour below.

The hotel's rooms and suites are individually designed, blending the cool elegance of Istrian stone with warm, contemporary finishes. Expect hand-selected antiques alongside bespoke furnishings, and bathrooms fitted with the kind of detail that makes a long shower feel like an event. The spa is a genuine destination: a retreat of Moorish-inspired arches and copper vessels where Istrian sea salt and aromatic herbs form the basis of treatments rooted in the land and the sea.

Dining here is a serious pleasure. The kitchen works with local fishermen and nearby truffle hunters — Istria's interior forests yield some of the world's finest black and white truffles — resulting in a menu that is deeply regional and quietly spectacular. After dinner, walk the lantern-lit lanes of the old town, or linger over a glass of Malvazija on the sea-facing terrace.

For Spellbound clients who have discovered Istria — and the growing number who choose it over Tuscany — Palazzo Rainis delivers everything: authentic culture, extraordinary food, and an intimacy that larger Croatian hotels cannot replicate.