Brest pod Učkom is a quaint village located entirely within the borders of Učka Nature Park at a height of 708 metres above sea-level amidst a fertile field on the Ćićarija plateau.
The people here were once famous for producing charcoal. The forest was their main source of income: it provided the firewood for their homes, but also for producing charcoal, which they would then sell in Opatija, Rijeka, Lovran and other places along the coast.
The quaint village of Brgudac is located in the heart of the Ćićarija mountain range at an elevation of 747 m above sea-level, which makes it the highest permanent settlement in Istria. This place, whose history dates back to the Middle Ages, used to teem with life: in the past, more than 400 people lived here, and had up to 3,000 cattle. But due to its later economic conditions and turbulent history, Brgudac's people had to scatter all over Croatia and abroad. Many of them, however, return here regularly to take care of their heritage and preserve the beauty of this village.
Lovranska Draga is a picturesque village located within the borders of Učka Nature Park on the eastern slopes of Mount Učka. Until around twenty years ago, its local people engaged intensively in agriculture, especially wine-growing, cattle-breeding, and sheep farming. In addition to vines, the area's fertile soil was also used to produce different types of fruits and vegetables, predominantly cherries and sweet chestnuts. The small, scattered houses are connected by a network of ancient paths, the most important being those that lead from this rural hinterland of Lovran to Medveja and the sea.
Mala Učka is the highest rural settlement in Istria, located at an elevation of 995 metres above sea-level.