City of Motovun

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Location

Istria
Croatia
45° 20' 8.772" N, 13° 49' 44.184" E
HR
General info: 

Motovun is a medieval town that grew up on the site of an ancient city called Kastelijer. It is situated on a hill 270 metres (886 feet) above sea level with houses scattered all over the hill.

From 1278 the town was taken over by Venice and surrounded by solid walls which are still intact today, and used as a walkway with unique views over the four corners of Istria. It is a typical example of Venetian colonial architecture.

The town is also the birthplace of the legend of the gentle giant Veli Joze, who represents the Croatian population of Istria. Since 1999 the village has hosted the Motovun Film Festival, where European or US directors participate with their avant-garde or independent films. Since 2007, Motovun is also included in the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.

Getting there: 

Direct bus lines are available between Porec and Motovun. From Rijeka it is easiest reached by car.

Interesting places nearby

Thanks to the new facilities for artificial snow, set up in San Valentino and in Polsa, the ski runs are always perfectly covered with snow, and skiing fun is certain.

The Adamello Ski area is a land spanning Valle Camonica (Lombardy) and Val di Sole (Trentino) with a skiing carousel made up of 100 km of ski runs which are all linked one to the other.

Mönichkirchen – Mariensee is a beautiful ski resort with many cosy huts, especially suited for families.

The ski area Nassfeld Hermagor in the Karnisch Alps is located on an anticline between the Austrian Gailtal and the Italian Kanaltal. The pass summit lies on 1552 m altitude.

The ski area Bergkastel in Nauders – Tyrol is amongst the most beautiful ski areas in Austria. The varied sunny slopes reach from an altitude of 1400 m to 2850 m and are usually snowy thorughout the season.

Nax, Balcony of the Sky, is located in Valais overlooking the gate to Val d'Hérens, a side valley to the Rhone-Valley. This charming mountain village is only 20 minutes from Sion, the picturesque and medieval capital of Kanton Valais.