7. Gračišće - Pićan 11. Palud • “This is a picture of the world at the moment • ornithological jewel of Istria located only of Creation” - these are the words academic eight kilometres south of Rovinj and Branko Fučić used to begin his journey through some hundred metres from the sea; the history of Gračišće it covers an area of 210 ha • “The picture” can be viewed from the plateau • 219 registered bird species of the church of St. Vitus (sv. Vid) which offers • Many cultural monuments dating a magnificent view of the entire protected from prehistory to the Middle Ages landscape Gračišće - Pićan covering approx. 600 ha • on the location of today’s church of St. Vitus Our recommendations: Istra • organised tours Istra there probably used to be a sanctuary of the Istra Nature god Perun, the supreme god in Old Slavic myt- • bird watching NATURAL WONDERS OF ISTRIA hology. The area around Sopot waterfall was • cycling home to the god Veles • hiking 1. The Cave of Mramornica (The Marble Cave) 4. Baredine Cave Our recommendations: Information: Entrance tickets: entrance free for indi- Information: Central Istria Tourist Board Rovinj Tourist Board • the area of the protected landscape includes a vidual visitors, price for organised 2-hour • the entrance to Mramornica Cave, one of • discover a mysterious play of nature that has 10-kilometre-long walking path of St. Simeon Franine i Jurine 14, 52000 Pazin Obala Pino Budicin 12, 52210 Rovinj + 385 (0)52 622 460 tours 10 - 30 kuna, bird watching 10 - 50 NaturePrirodne ljepote Istre been going on for thousands of years, away (sv. Šimun) that passes by Sopot waterfall and + 385 (0)52 811 566 Nature the largest underground caverns in Istria, Natural wonders of Istria + 385 (0)52 616 886 the hill of Škopljak with the church of St. Mary kuna (equipment included) + 385 (0)52 816 007 is located in the vicinity of Brtonigla, near from the light of day and the human eye - visit [email protected] Bellezze naturali dell’Istria Magdalene (345 m above sea-level) offering Opening times: June 15th-September [email protected] www.istra.com the Stancija Drušković the underground world of the Baredine Cave www.istria-central.com wonderful views of the surrounding area 15th: 8 a.m. - 9 p.m., September 16th-June www.istria-rovinj.com • the cave is rich in dripstones of various • the cave is 132 metres deep, includes five Municipality of Gračišće Natural wonders of Istria • several marked and countless “free” cycle tracks Loža b.b. 52403 Gračišće 14th: only by arrangement Natura Histrica Public Institution colours and tall stalagmites that give it a halls, a 30-metre-deep subterranean lake and • organised tasting of wines and traditional dishes + 385 (0)52 687 155 Obala A. Rismondo 2, 52210 Rovinj 300 metres of maintained pathways Naturschönheiten Istriens special charm of the region + 385 (0)52 687 111 + 385 (0)52 830 582 • located away from the summer crowds and • stalactites and stalagmites with red crystals • guided mushroom gathering [email protected] + 385 (0)52 840 318 heat, Mramornica Cave is an ideal refreshing appear in various forms, such as a ten-metre- • attractive positions for taking photographs: Public Institution Natura Histrica [email protected] www.istra.com Obala A. Rismondo 2, 52210 Rovinj escape for all lovers of utterly unspoiled long “curtain” (a very realistic statue of the Gračišće, Pićan www.natura-histrica.hr + 385 (0)52 830 582 nature Madonna, a statue of a shepherdess Milka, Entrance tickets: free entrance + 385 (0)52 840 318 the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and a Snowman- Opening times: non-stop [email protected] Our recommendations: Torchbearer) www.natura-histrica.hr • the 30-minute guided tour • in the subterranean lake flourishes the olm • gastronomic offer in the agrotourism (Proteus anguinus) 8. Plomin hill 12. Labin - Rabac - Prklog restaurant Information: Information: • the slopes of Plomin Hill are the habitat of • picturesque indented coastline with the • wine-tasting Brtonigla Tourism Board Our recommendations: Tar - Vabriga Tourist Board most appealing coves of Rabac and Prklog. • a visit to the park with domestic Glavna 3a, 52474 Brtonigla • organised 40-minute tour with Istarska 8/A, 52465 Tar many rare and endangered plants and seve- animals + 385 (0)52 774 307 professional guide + 385 (0)52 443 250 ral rare bird species (peregrine falcon, golden The Labin-Rabac path leads walkers through + 385 (0)52 720 860 • speleo-climbing and speleo-adventure + 385 (0)52 443 570 eagle), butterflies and orchids interesting canyon forms, past various plants, [email protected] Entrance tickets: 25 - 50 kuna • picnic [email protected] • the hill’s numerous caves are home to many a stream and waterfalls www.istria-brtonigla.com Opening times: • exhibition area: mini agro-museum www.istria-tarvabriga.com bats • the medieval town of Labin is a valuable Sterle Agrotourism April 1st - 30th and October 1st - 31st: • restaurant offering Silvio Legović • the protected area’s northern part is rural cultural monument; its highest point is Stancija Drušković 20, 52474 Brtonigla 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Jama Baredine, 52446 Nova Vas called Fortica and offers magnificent views + 385 (0)52 774 313 landscape with a patchwork of woods and May 1st - June 30th and September 1st - 30th: Entrance tickets: 20-45 kuna + 385 (0)52 421 333 of Rabac, Mount Ućka, and the islands of + 385 (0)99 250 29 58 pastures characterised by great biodiversity 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Opening times: April 1st-October 31st: + 385 (0)98 224 350, +385 (0)95 910 50 49 Cres and Lošinj [email protected] • attractive vantage point and location for July 1st - August 31st: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. (organised tours start [email protected] • attractive positions for taking photographs: www.agroturizamsterle.hr taking photographs: Plomin November 1st - March 31st: only on week- every 30 minutes), November 1st- www.baredine.com walking trail and the medieval town of Labin ends and public holidays by arrangement March 31st: only by arrangement Our recommendations: Our recommendations: • hiking • hiking (see info-boards and path map) Information: Information: • hunting • sightseeing in the medieval town of Labin 2. Motovun Forest - Istarske toplice spa 5. Pazin Cave Kršan Tourist Board Labin Tourist Board Vozilići 66, 52234 Plomin Aldo Negri 20, 52220 Labin Entrance tickets: free entrance • indigenous alluvial hardwood forest • some hundred metres beneath the largest and Entrance tickets: free entrance + 385 (0)52 880 155 + 385 (0)52 855 560, Opening times: non-stop [email protected] Opening times: non-stop + 385 (0)52 852 399 • a very valuable region with respect to natural best preserved medieval castle in Istria, the www.istria-krsan.com [email protected] science, economics (truffles), cultural history largest Istrian karst river Pazinčica disappears www.istria-rabac.com (St. Mark’s Forest) and tourist into the crater of this most striking example • Motovun Forest stretches along the valley of of karst evolution in Istria and the surroun- 9. Lim Channel - Romuald’s Cave 13. Brijuni National Park the River Mirna and is the best-known site ding area • some twenty minutes’ drive north of Rovinj • the only national park in Istria for finding truffles, subterranean fungi, which • this cave is an attraction that leaves a strong lays a flooded canyon valley - Lim Channel, • one of the most beautiful Mediterranean arc- are claimed to have aphrodisiac qualities. It impression on every visitor - from Dante also known as Lim Bay hipelagos, consisting of 14 islands and repre- is the habitat of the largest and most prized and Jules Verne to everybody else who has • Lim Channel is part of the 35-km-long Limska senting a unique combination of nature and of all truffles - the white truffle had the chance to see this unique work of draga hollow that stretches almost to the town cultural and historical heritage • the Istrian white truffle is known for its natural forces. The cave has recently been of Pazin in the very heart of Istria. The channel • indigenous vegetation, exceptionally well preser- unique taste and exquisite aroma owing to opened to public itself is over 12 km long and surrounded on ved Mediterranean macchia, meadows where specific local climatic conditions both sides by steep hills that can reach up to fallow deer, axis deer and mouflons graze free- • nearby are the thermal springs of Istarske 200 m in height (Sv. Martin 230 m) ly - these are all parts of the Brijuni landscape toplice, a spa rich in healing spring waters. Our recommendations: • gastronomic offering, mussel beds BMW Coast Drive Information: Information: and of the excursion programme. A small tourist • attractive positions for taking photographs: • individual tour of the educational hiking trail • 120 m above the sea is Romuald’s Cave Motovun Tourist Board Central Istria Tourist Board train brings visitors to more remote archaeologi- Motovun, Oprtalj and Sovinjak • “Journey to the Centre of the Earth” spe- where, according to legend, St. Romuald BMW COAST DRIVE. Trg Josefa Ressela 1, 52424 Motovun Franine i Jurine 14, 52000 Pazin cal sites, the cove of Veriga with remnants of a +385 (0)52 617 480 leo-adventure with professional guide + 385 (0)52 622 460 used to live in the 11th century as a hermit, Our recommendations: Roman Villa Rustica, and a safari park in which +385 (0)52 617 482 + 385 (0)52 616 886 praying and meditating. This 105-metre-long OPEN DRIVING PLEASUREwww.bmw- – Sheer • hiking cave consists of several impressive halls that zebras, Somali sheep, zebus, dromedaries, la- coastdrive.com Driving Pleasure [email protected] Entrance tickets: educational trail 15-30 [email protected] • cycling bear evidence of continuous life in this area mas and elephants live in harmony YOUR SUMMER HIGHLIGHT IN ISTRIA.