bale (rovinj)

Welcome to the trail that will reveal all the attractions of Istria varying from the Mediterranean warmth to the tranquility and magic of the hinterland.

We start out from Rovinj – no doubt a precious gem of Istria, which has been considered one of the most wonderful tourist destinations on the Mediterranean. Take a walk through its narrow meidieval alleys where almost every second door on your left and right leads to an art gallery or an atelier. If you take a climb leading to the imposing baroque church of St. Euphemia, the saint patron of Rovinj.With a rich fisherman's tradition and a lively marina full of wooden boats and small flat-bottomed square-sterned rowboats known as batana, and particularly with the nearby Red Island, Rovinj sets an example of a typical Mediterranean town. Still, there are other medieval churches in this town which are well worth visiting... so take your time!

We head for the mysterious world of Bale region, proud fot its glorious Soardo-Bembo Castle of the Gothic and Renaissance period and the parish church of St. Julian. Bale had been developed from the ancient Roman castrum (military fortification) along Via Flava, the ancient Roman road that used to connect Triest and Pula. Leaving Bale, we ride off through Sošići towards Kanfanar.

Kanfanar developed in 17th century by settlers of the surviving population from the nearby Dvigrad. Once there, do not miss visiting the famous stone pulpit placed on six pillars with 13th century low-set relief. In case you didn't know, when the railroad was built towards Pula during the Austro-Hungarian rule, Kanfanar got a railroad station with all the accompanying facilities considered ultra modern for those times, and by construction of an annex branch line for Rovinj in 19th century, it became the only rail junction in Istria. Nota bene: on the last Saturday of July you can discover discover 'Jakovlja' – the festivity of St.Jacob where a march-past of the autochtonuous Istrian ox – the famous boškarin, takes place.

We move on and ride through Pifar to Žminj, in the old times an important road junction, featuring the Calvary from 1720, once doubly fortified city of Žminj, today preserves a part of the ancient Citadel i.e., one of the former 4 round towers and one wing of the castle on the opposite of which there is a nicely decorated public cistern dating to 1863. Don't miss to visit the parish church of St.Michael built during 17-18 centuries on the spot of the former one dating from 12 century and the chapel of St. Trinity depicted by frescos. Take a short refreshing break here and then passing through Katun Lindarski and Lindar return to Pazin.

If we proceed through the villages of Cere and Orihi, we finally arrive in Savičenta. With its grandiose Morosini-Grimani citadel with towers, parish church, municipal loggia and a line of 16th century houses of the Renaissance and a town cistern- šterna in the middle, Savičenta really belongs to a range of the most attractive Venetian creations of that period effected in this region, and with held one of the rare witchcraft trials in Istria during 17th century. Famous for its various cultural and artistic events, such as Dance and Silent Theater Festival. And then... it's time we return to Bale (and Rovinj), the place where we first took off.