Six day walks on the peninsula Istria (Croatia and Slovenia)
A six day hiking trail on the Istria-peninsula, through the Croatian and Slovenian border. Although the (west-) coast is considered as the most popular destination for foreign visitors, for walkers the mainly unspoilt and quiet inlands are more worthwhile.
Getting there: a flight to Trieste (Italy), the bus to the central bus-station of Trieste (1 hour), by bus - through the Slovenian spit - to Buje ( Croatia, 75 minutes) and you can start the trail.
Maps: we used the Kompass-map for walkers and cyclists, nr. 238, Istria, scale 1:75.000. Ask on spot for maps of local routes which are more detailed.
Accommodation: “agroturizam” ( say: stay at a farm), “sobe”( say: Bed and Breakfast) or apartments. It is advisable to prepare your stay for the night. Many villages on the trail don’t have the accommodation. Or: check at your stay the possibilities for the next day.
April 2011: six trails through a scenery that can be compared with Tuscany: hills up to 500 meters, the typical Istrian villages on top, the remains of the different rulers, the olive groves and vineyards, pine forests and absolute great panorama’s.
Croatia:
Day 1: Buje (bus station) - Momjan…………....8 km
Day 2: Transport to Grožnjan.
Groznjan - Buzet.…………………….........25 km
Day 3: Buzet - Crnica* - Gračišče (S).………...25 km
Slovenia:
Day 4: Gračišče - Smarje (part of E6).………..18 km
Day 5: Smarje - Krakavče - Truške.…………....22 km
Day 6: Truške - Gračišče**....……………….......11 km
Transport to Triest (25 km) by a local "taxi".
* In Crnica - near the border crossing - a great local trail starts direction Gračišče, blue-red heart marked (see: image). Ask the local people for the start.
** For those who are interested: visit the famous frescoes at the Sv. Trojika-church in Hrastovlje
(a 2 hrs. walk from Gračišče) and see the “the danse macabre”.
On trail: walking the local roads, sometimes asphalt, many great panorama’s, across villages in Medieval atmosphere, with their remains of former rulers, a rich flora, along the Drangonja river, Mediterranean temperatures and: great food and drinks in your accommodation! Just try it!
For a good wine and better meal: Homestead Ražman, 6272 Gračišče, Istria, Slovenia.
Day 3: The Sv. Trojika-church - Holy Trinity Church - in Hrastovlje. According to the first hypothese, it is a Romanesque church from the 12th century. According to the second, it is an example of the Istrian variant of Early Venetian Renaissance architecture from the 15th century.
For a short photographic impression of the chuch with the frescoes Danse Macabre:
