Croatia is a popular destination in summertime, the coast particularly. But it can be an interesting destination off season as well. It will be less crowded for one, and easy to move around as the traffic cools down.

Tinjan

Around October 20 there is a Ham festival in Tinjan, a small village in Croatia. Tinjan called “Antignana” in Italian as these territories were always borderline. 

This year Tinjan 11th International Prosciutto Fair (TIPF) was held on 20 and 21 Octobe. In addition to the Croatian ham producers, there were producers from Italy, Slovenia, Germany, Austria and Spain were part in the fair. Lovers of this delicacy could taste more than thirty types of ham. There was also a wide selection of wine and cheeses to match the ham, and to my liking the roasted chestnuts.

Besides the fair this tiny village was quite lovely, a handful of house nestled around the church. Practically a good meal and a pleasant walk, before proceeding to Poreč.

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:-0.0079289672055091742,”customExposureMode”:0,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:0}

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:0.090462233006231685,”customExposureMode”:0,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:0}

Poreč

Poreč is a popular summer destination on the Coast of Istria, the peninsula of western Croatia. In the historic old town, the Euphrasian Basilica complex (6th century) is known for its Byzantine mosaics studded with gems. The coast to the north and south attracts visitors thanks to camping areas, marinas and beaches ideal for water sports.

The little town is truly lovely. Renmants of Venetian domination can be seen everywhere, but it is also clear the Roman domination as the city is built with the classic Roman Cardo Decumanus Crossing (In Roman city planning there was a standard by which all roads were constructed. The Decumanus was an East-West oriented road, while the Cardo was the main North-South oriented street).

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:0.11579668677279731,”customExposureMode”:1,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:1}

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:0.060933390201303173,”customExposureMode”:2,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:2}

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:0.029157175739670027,”customExposureMode”:1,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:1}

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:0.006069657524472305,”customExposureMode”:2,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:2}

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:0.02849061644818196,”customExposureMode”:2,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:2}

But the real gem of this lovely city was the Euphrasian Basilica. This was such a beautiful sight, and not just because it was raining cats and dogs, and the weather was rather cold, but because it is really beautiful, as my pictures show (a little, I hope).  

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:0.0096958208760664633,”customExposureMode”:1,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:1}

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:0.026920217787576028,”customExposureMode”:1,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:1}

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:0.028160382243607618,”customExposureMode”:2,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:2}

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:0.020761319622324415,”customExposureMode”:2,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:3}

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:0.031792122519925137,”customExposureMode”:2,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:2}

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:0.024658420787916135,”customExposureMode”:0,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:0}

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:-0.084698105204854102,”customExposureMode”:2,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:2}

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:-0.010721983503245713,”customExposureMode”:1,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:1}

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:0.018101720578798997,”customExposureMode”:1,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:1}

Because of its exceptional value, it has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1997.

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:-0.01165752308994783,”customExposureMode”:2,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:2}

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:-0.01781720228634498,”customExposureMode”:2,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:2}

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:0.0084155583564919922,”customExposureMode”:2,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:2}

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:0.026920217787576028,”customExposureMode”:1,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:1}

{“cameraType”:”Wide”,”macroEnabled”:false,”qualityMode”:3,”deviceTilt”:0.021289645168531379,”customExposureMode”:1,”extendedExposure”:false,”whiteBalanceProgram”:0,”cameraPosition”:1,”focusMode”:1}

Chronological Order of Dominance in Parenzo

• 30 BC = During the reign of Emperor Augustus in the 1st century, it officially became a city and was part of the Roman colony of Colonia Iulia Parentium. With the fall of the Roman empire in 476, different rulers and powers governed.
• 470 AD = First, it was held by the Ostrogoths
• After 539 was part of the Byzantine Empire
• From 788 it was ruled by the Franks
•  In the 12th century and later it was ruled by the Patriarchate of Aquileia (see my post on Aquileia)
• In 1267 Parenzo became the first Istrian city that chose to become part of the Republic of Venice
• In 1354 the city was destroyed by the Genoese. In 1363 the town was given the City Statute
• 1797, after the fall of the Venetian Republic, Parenzo came under the sovereignty of the Habsburg Monarchy
• Between 1805 and 1814, Parenzo was part of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy
• After this period it was again annexed by the Habsburgs, with the Monarchy reorganized into the Austrian Empire
• In 1861, Parenzo became the capital of Istria under its original Italian name Parenzo
• After 1918, it became part of the Kingdom of Italy
• In 1947, two years after World War II, it was occupied by Jugoslavia and the city name was changed into Poreč
• From 1945 to 1991, Poreč was a city of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
• Then part of SR Croatia, when in 1991 Croatia became an independent state

The population is holding their breaths to know by whom they will be ruled next!

Traveling Back Along the Coast Towards Trieste

The coastline is also very beautiful. One can stop in Trieste, and also considering visiting the Miramare Castle, which other than being beautiful it has a very interesting story (maybe ext time).