Explore the art and music in Grožnjan
The continental northern Istria holds several secrets. Old towns with magical narrow cobblestone streets and panoramic views of the surrounding fields are slowly becoming even more popular than coastal towns. One such is the small town of Grožnjan Croatia, located in northern Istria near many interesting sights.
During the year, there isn’t much happening in Grožnjan, but it comes to life at the start of summer. It’s an international destination from July to September and there are plenty of reasons to visit it, whether you’re a fan of music, art, nature or history. Come prepared for many different activities and you’ll get the vacation of a lifetime.
What to do in Grožnjan Istria?
Discover the world of jazz
Every summer in July, Grožnjan Istria becomes the best jazz destination in Europe. Grožnjan Jazz is a festival that welcomes stars and musicians from all over the world. All concerts are free, and numerous workshops are going on, both for children and adults. You can even participate without any prior knowledge.
Plan your vacation at the start of July and you’ll get to experience the lively atmosphere at the Grožnjan Jazz is Back festival. You simply mustn’t skip dancing with friendly people from all over the world underneath the clear sky of northern Istria. You’ll even get to taste local products such as Istrian wine, spirits and food.
Explore the art galleries
Another great activity is roaming the numerous Grožnjan art galleries. They’re here all year round, but most of them are open in the summertime during the tourist season. These are all local Croatian artists – some of them smaller, some bigger, but all have something unique to offer. Instead of buying cheap souvenirs that can be found anywhere, bring home a ceramic cup or an art masterpiece. The best time to visit the galleries is in September when the ExTempore festival takes place. It combines visual art, exhibitions and a music programme so you’ll have plenty to do. This festival is organised by the Italian Union and there’s even a competition with an international jury.
Even if you’re not coming in September for the Grožnjan events, strolling the streets and checking out the galleries will be a great experience. While strolling through this medieval town, you’ll bump into a lot of friendly cats and Grožnjan is even known as “the city of cats” colloquially. Personally, I make sure to visit the Jazz is Back festival every year and the galleries – this is a testament that you can never get bored of Grožnjan.
Go truffle hunting
Only a short ride from Grožnjan Istria is the city of Motovun where you can go truffle hunting. The Istrian region is the most famous for its delicious truffles and there are a number of small businesses that create gastronomical masterpieces with truffles. Aside from buying these products in every Zigante shop throughout Istria, you can even find truffles yourself. There are organised tours in the Motovun forest, which is the most famous truffle hunting spot in this region. You’ll be pleased to hear that one of the largest truffles in the world was found here many years ago.
Discover northern Istria by bike
Many people enjoy continental Istria because it’s accessible for cycling. What’s better than discovering the panoramic views by bike? Even though a lot of people cycle on the roads, there are some even better options where you’ll be far away from the traffic. My favourite hike and bike trail is the Parenzana – it’s a trail that remains from what was once a railroad from Trieste, Italy to Poreč, Croatia. You can virtually get to Poreč from the most northern point of Istria, and a part of Parenzana goes through the town of Grožnjan. Here it passes through a magical tunnel and you’ll get a mesmerizing view of the neighbouring fields and hills.
Where to eat?
After you’ve explored the Grožnjan and neighbouring villages, it’s time to get a real home-cooked Istrian meal. There are numerous great restaurants and taverns near this town, but I’ll mention some of the Grožnjan best restaurants where you can get true traditional dishes.
Konoba Atelier in Marušići is only a short drive from Grožnjan, surrounded by a beautiful forest and a nice sculpture park. It’s got a wonderful terrace and you can taste some amazing pasta dishes. Definitely try out their pasta with wild mushrooms or asparagus.
Heading further to Buje is the San Servolo Wellness Camping and Resort which also has a great restaurant. Here you can try some truffle dishes, as well as fantastic pizza and some more traditional meals. Make sure to try out their beer, because San Servolo is first and foremost a brewery.
If you’re looking for something less expensive and simple, head to Brtonigla for lunch at the Buffet in Famiglia. Here you’ll get large meals of homemade pasta with game stew or sauce made with autochthonous Istrian cattle “boškarin”.
How to get to Grožnjan?
Since Grožnjan Istria is in the northern continental part of this region, you can get to it from continental Croatia through Rijeka, or from the coastal Istria from Pula. It’s not well connected by buses, so you’ll either have to travel to some larger town like Umag or Novigrad and then rent a car, or choose a better option and rent a private taxi from Pula or a driver from Rijeka.
In this way, you can get to Grožnjan faster and with more flexibility than when travelling by bus. I suggest you rent a car or a driver to get around northern Istria because there are only a few bus lines, which drive only between the major cities.
The charming medieval town of Grožnjan
Now that you know what to do in Grožnjan and its vicinity, it’s time to plan the vacation. Make sure to book the trip during some of the amazing festivals in Grožnjan, and discover the luxury accommodations in it and around it. There are some beautiful villas and hotels like San Rocco in which you can stay for the ideal Mediterranean vibe.
