Vrsar Attractions

Nature

Vrsar Archipelago www.natura-histrica.hr
It consists of 18 uninhabited green islands and islets, including: Figarolica, Lakal, Salamon, Zavata, Galiner, Sv. Juraj, Gusti skolj, Koversada i Orlandin.


BELVEDERES

Lim Fjord www.natura-histrica.hr
This is a wonderful belvedere in Lim Fjord, on the side facing Vrsar, an inevitable stop on every excursion through Istria.

Three romantic belvederes in the Old Town of Vrsar
The town of Vrsar is situated on a hill and has several belvederes providing a magnificent view of the high sea and the hinterland.

CAVES

Baredine Pit www.baredine.com
Nova Vas, Poreč
This cave, a natural geo-morphological natural monument, is a treasury of stalagmites and stalactite, underground sculptures produced by patient efforts of water, including ten-meter high curtains, a very realistic sculpture of Virgin Mary, the body of shepherd Milka, the leaning tower of Pisa and the snowman-torchbearer, which has become a trademark of the cave.
There is a museum display at the entrance to the cave with prehistoric man’s pottery exhibits. Additional amenities: info point, roofed terrace with a catering offer, photo exhibition galleries, speleoclimbing center Speleolit, excursion area with tables and benches for lovers of picnics in nature; games may be organized for school children groups on the spacious meadow next to the pit.

Romualdo’s Cave www.natura-histrica.hr
Lim Fjord
This 105-meter long cave consists of several impressive halls that have preserved evidence of permanent existence of life since prehistoric times. The entrance to the cave is 47 centimeters high, and the main hall is five to six meters high. Romualdo’s Cave is a speleological phenomenon because the cave ornaments are located on the left side only, while the right side is empty.
In 1961 and 1962, archeologist Mirko Malez excavated 5 probes in the cave and found bones of Pleistocene animals, including: cave bear, cave lion, leopard, cave hyena, wild horse, big deer, snow hare, etc.
The most interesting items prove that man stayed at this site – the Paleolithic hunter (from the late Stone Age). The cave is also significant for the fact that Saint Romualdo used to live in it for three years, praying and meditating (1001 – 1004). The temperature in the cave is 14-17°C throughout the year. In summer months, colonies of bats, spiders and grasshoppers stay here.

ROCKS/CLIMBING SITES

Zlatni rt www.natura-histrica.hr
Right next to Rovinj, in the Zlatni rt park forest by the sea, is a climbing site providing a magnificent view of the Red Island.

Climbing site in Lim Fjord

Dvigrad

Istria
Istria also has other climbing sites, namely: Raspadalica above Buzet, Vranjska draga near Učka Tunnel, sites near Pazin, Mošćenička draga, Vintijana near Pula and Rabac.

Lim Fjord www.natura-histrica.hr
The fjord situated between Vrsar and Rovinj represents a sunken canyon valley in karst. It is 10 km long, the average width is 600 m and the deepest point (33 m) is at the entrance. Due to the many sea springs, the sea is less salty and less transparent than the open sea, which indicates a large amount of planktons. The temperatures fluctuate and the water is rich in oxygen. Tis special characteristics provide abundant flora and fauna. The area is a natural hatching site for many fish species. 

St. Romualdo’s Cave www.natura-histrica.hr
In 1961 and 1962, archeologist Mirko Malez excavated 5 probes in the cave and found bones of Pleistocene animals, including: cave bear, cave lion, leopard, cave hyena, wild horse, big deer, snow hare, etc.
The most interesting items prove that man stayed at this site – the Paleolithic hunter (from the late Stone Age). The cave is also significant for the fact that Saint Romualdo used to live in it for three years, praying and meditating (1001 – 1004).

Special Forest Vegetation Reserve «Kontija» www.natura-histrica.hr
The oriental hornbeam forest over 140 years old, scientifically very interesting and valuable, is the best preserved are of this community in Istria. The other trees commonly found here include the pubescent oak, oriental hornbeam, flowering ash, maple, bitter oak, spruce and juniper tree. The layer of bushes contains rock cherry, blackthorn, cornelian cherry, privet and sumach. The underbrush commonly found here includes the helebore, butcher’ broom, autumn moor grass and germander.

Istria
Istria has 46 hunting grounds and 38 hunting associations, their members attending to a total of 42 hunting grounds and 13 hunting lodges. The remaining four hunting grounds are leased to private individuals or the government.
Snipe hunting is permitted from October to the end of January in all hunting grounds in Istria.
Information:
Istrian County Hunting Federation, Poreč
Telephone: +385 (0)52 460390
E-mail: istra@hls.t-com.hr

Istria
The best fishing zone is located along the west coast of Istria, on the stretch between Poreč and Rovinj. The area is abundant in sea bream, while the autumn months are the right time to fish for the goldfish and sea bass. The area is very suitable for sport fishing and underwater fishing.

History

Old Romanesque Gate
The gate was built in the second half of the 17th century or the first half of the 18th century when the architecture and stone masonry in the towns of Istria relied on the Romanesque style. The gate used to be incorporated in the town wall system. It contains a fragment of the town walls and tablet with a shallow relief of St. Mark’s lion – a symbol of the Venetian rule.

Roman warehouse and necropolis
These are monuments showing the importance of Vrsar as a trade center in the Roman era. The lively trading is also demonstrated by the Roman port devices. The port used to contain remains of a Roman port embankment.

The main town gate
Next to the Church of St. Foška is the east/main town gate of medieval Vrsar. During the past centuries, this was the main entrance to the fortified town that did not expand outside its old walls before the 19th century – until then, the area only contained a few solitary houses and chapels.

Vrsar Port
Although dating back to the ancient times, the Vrsar bay began to live in the 19th century when most of the houses between the old town core and the Adriatic coast were built. According to the medieval documents, the area around the Vrsar Port was referred to as Fabian and the salt plants owned by the Poreč Bishopric dominated the bay between the 17th century and the 18th century.

Montraker Peninsula www.natura-histrica.hr
Traces of a Roman necropolis (cemetery) with scarce cemetery items were found on the south side of the Montraker Peninsula, closing the Vrsar marina in the north. The ashes of incinerated bodies were stored in containers that were buried in the ground.

Quarries
The landmarks of Vrsar include the old abandoned quarries where stone was excavated from the Roman era to the modern age.

Poreč Bishops’ summer residence – Kaštel www.natura-histrica.hr
The present palace was created by the reconstruction of the original Romanesque castle between the 14th century and the 18th century. This monumental palace used to be a summer residence for Poreč bishops. The medieval Vrsar developed around Kaštel, stretching along the shore in the ancient times, with salt plants at the far end of the bay. The ownership of Kaštel marked the entire area of Vrsar until the end of the Serenissima administration. It was thoroughly reconstructed in mid-13th century for Bishop Oton. Historically, the castle consists of a fortified building in the yard with a water tank on the ground floor and four lateral towers. The walls of Vrsar dating back to the 15th century are adjacent to the medieval castle.

Dvigrad
Located only 23 kilometers from Rovinj, a medieval town presently a zero-category monument, was abandoned during the 17th century. Remains of numerous chapels and churches capture the visitors’ imagination with their cultural and historical beauty and value dating back to the times of Byzantium and Baroque.

Streets and squares
The interior of the former town walls is adorned by narrow winding streets, small squares and houses that still show interesting examples of residential architecture with elements of various historical styles, incorporated mostly in parts of yards, wells, stairways, doors, windows, balconies and chimneys.

Giacomo Casanova Street
Italian adventurer and writer Giacomo Casanova stayed in Vrsar twice during the 18th century (in 1743 and 17449, of which he wrote in his famous memoirs. According to the legend, Casanova did not just spend his summer holidays in Vrsar but resided there, so a Vrsar street containing La Casa di Rose, his alleged residence, was named after him.

Church of St. Foška
The Curch of St. Foška was built in the 17th century and it now contains a sacral art collection. It is situated next to the town gate and the area has been inhabited since the prehistoric times. A piece of ceramic belonging to the Histri, the owners of the first Iron Age culture in the region, was found next to the Church of St. Foška. Next to the main altar is the original altar painting of the martyrdom of St. Foška painted by the Italian painter Pietro Ferrari. Next to the church is one of the three historical entrances to Vrsar, the small gate of the Gate of St. Anthony was preserved in addition to the big gate, while the portal between the parish church and Kaštel has not been preserved. The present renovated church contains a sacral collection with valuable exhibits such as the picture of the Torture of St. Foška from the 17th century. Tombstones with crests and Latin texts also attract attention. In front of the the main altar is the grave of Vrsar Parish Priest Luka Prodanić (Luca Prodanich) who died in 1659. A priest symbol is carved into the tablet (chalice and wafer)

Parish Church of St. Martin
The town walls with a Romanesque gate used to pass through the area of the church that had been built for along time. Although the foundations of the church were laid in the early 19th century, namely in 1804, the construction continued during the French occupation of Istria (1805 – 1813), only the be suspended for a long time, until the rule of Parish Priest Josip Martinoli from 1927 to 1935, when it was completed and consecrated by Poreč Bishop Trifun Pederzolli during the ceremony on 19 March 1935. A flight of stairs dominates the area in front of the church, while the façade ends with a triangular gable. Traces of the foundations of the Vrsar walls pass below the floor of the parish church, under the lateral altars. The old parish church and bell tower were disassembled during World War 2 – they had been located in the place of the present square, inside the old town walls next to St. Anthony’s Church. The bell tower was built in 1990 according to the design of Eliđo Legović. The old Vrsar bells that were once part of the Pazin collection of old bells are exhibited in the bell tower.
The foundations of the church were laid in the early 19th century. The portal bears a Latin text: VERE LOCUS ISTE SANCTUS EST (translation: This place is truly holy).

Chapel of St. Anthony of Padua
The chapel was created in the second half of the 17th century, with renaissance-baroque features. The interior of the Chapel of St. Anthony has been renovated and exhibitions are occasionally held there in summertime. The wooden altar (domestic baroque) used to contain a picture of St. Anthony with saints.

Chapel of St. George
This is a Romanesque chapel on the island of St. George.

Old Christian Basilica
This is one of the oldest old Christian buildings in Istria. It was built at the time the Christians were allowed to practice their new religion by the Milan Edict (313). The mosaics are decorated by a very interesting old Christian iconography. The remains of the basilica are now covered with soil and are not accessible to the public.

Basilica of St. Mary of the Sea
The Basilica of St. Mary of the Sea is a very interesting medieval monument, a representative of Romanesque architecture in Istria at a unique location next to the port and sea in Vrsar. Concerts and receptions are held in the basilica in summertime.

The park of Dušan Džamonja’s sculptures
The protected house and Sculpture Park complex belonging to the greatest Croatian and European contemporary sculptor Dušan Džamonja, whose sculptures are exhibited in the most renowned museums of the world, is located in a place in Vrsar providing a view of one of the most beautiful archipelagos in the Mediterranean. The Sculpture Park has contained sculptures, graphics and drawings since 1970.

Entertainment

Byblos Amusement Center www.byblos.hr
Poreč
During the summer season, top visiting DJs perform at the Byblos Amusement Center in Zelena laguna, only 7 km from Vrsar and 3 km from Funtana. We will mention some of the famous guests in the 2008 season: Gipsy Kings, David Morales, Sharam feat. Deep Dish, Sander Kleinenberg, Erick Morillo, Martin Solveig, David Morales, Roger Sanchez, Axwell.

Bars
Nighttime entertainment is available in numerous bars in the town center, in Poreč and the surrounding area.