Pula Off The Beaten Path

Commemorative plate:

"The people of Pula to the companions fallen for the common ideal, victim of the Italian militarism in 1920" (written both in Italian and in Croat)
LEBEK Luigi
MRZLJAK Francesco
SCHMELZER Odone
SPONZA Francesco

The city street, which goes around the Kaštel, brings you above the Franciscan Church and Monastery, offering you the magnificent view of this important historic sight of Pula. It is the unique place from where you can see the whole complex of the Franciscan's property, including the garden with remnants from the Roman times of the town.

Kaštel Hill dominates the historic centre of the town. On the top of it stands the huge fortress, which is turned into the WW II Museum nowadays. The history of the Kaštel (fortified town) goes back into the Roman times of the town, later on pulled down and rebuilt by the Venetian Republic which ruled the town of Pula for many centuries. In the Hapsburg times the city of Pula was major war harbour of the imperium and the Kaštel had very important strategic role in coltrolling the harbour.
From the top of the high tower you have the splendid view of the town and its close surroundings.

The most precious cultural monument in the city of Porec, comprising a 6th-century complex of sacral buildings erected during the time of Bishop Euphrasius, lies in the northeast part of the urban-historical core of the city. The Basilica, built on the foundations of a much earlier church, is dominated by a triple-naved apse, a narthex, the atrium, an octagonal baptistery, and the bishop's palace. The edifice was added to in the 13th and 15th centuries, and a bell-tower was erected in the 16th century. The apse is ornately decorated with figural mosaics, which, together with the mosaics in San Vitale in Ravenna, comprise one of the most remarkable examples of mosaic art in Europe. From the floor mosaics and from preserved inscriptions we are able to follow all the phases of building, adaptations and renovations, that is to say, the dynamics of the life of the Christian community in Porec.

Typical Istrian town Rovinj. When you go up to the Old Town that is squeezed on a narrow peninsula, when you walk through its steep meandering lanes, cobbled squares and campiellis, you enter the centuries past to, To stop in front of the baroque town hall (17th century), enter the church of St.Euphemia (18th century), take a look of the Chapel of Holy Trinity (13th century), breathe in the peculiar air of the old manuscripts in the Franciscan monastery (18th century), wander through the Town Museum, stop and listen when the Clock strikes the magical Rovinj hours... You have just started a trip through a seventeen centuries old town.

Labin - this is a town just above the holiday resort of Rabac. I visited several times with some friends of mine. Originally the area relied heavily on the mining industry but when I last visited there had been a decline in the industry.

The Visnjan observatory is located on top of a bar, which is cool, since you can meet here with peole beforehand:) Visnjan itself is off the beaten track and many locals have not been here to see the observatory.
The astronomers are expecting that this will change since they are now building a new observatiry in Tican (5 min, ride from Visnjan) that has a 1m telescope (on the picture!) and is huuuuge...
The observatory in Tican is gorgeous and made in an old fashioned style to reflect the Istrian architecture.
The one telescope that thay are using now in Visnjan is 40cm long but was used to discover more than 1,000 planets.

The observatiry in Visnjan/Tican makes for a very educational (or romantic!) night out. And yes, it will be during the night since they will take you star gazing:)

Call in advance to book your group.

Motovun, Visnjan, Limski Kanal.... many small places and inlets that Istra is made up of. The best of Istra is hidden in small villages and more secluded areas. If you are not in a hurry, you should always take side roads when going between larger cities. The scenery is fantastic and the nature is breathtaking in Istra. Plus, the new highway (Y) tends to be very crowded in the summer now and you don't get to see anything.