Excursions and atractions

If a visitor were to ask the people from Kanfanar their favourite place for excursions, surely they would suggest Dvigrad. Dvigrad is an abandoned medieval town west from Kanfanar. Second suggestion would, undoubtedly be Kašteljir where visitors can see a cave and several small springs. Attractions to visitors are also Draga and the Lim Bay with their restaurants and walks which show their beauty especially in Autumn with a range of warm colours while beautiful sights can be seen from the high ground of St. Martin and the Juralski brig More courageous visitors can go to Ladićevi krugi, rocks situated North East up from Dvigrad. From this spot one can enjoy the view on Dvigrad and Parentin as well as on all of the three churches around Dvigrad where beauty and wilderness of nature merge with the ancient cultural monuments. Of course, that is not everything. Bike tracks, sport climbing, hunting and caves are just some of the possibilities for those who like excursions and sport. Your vacation can be fulfilled by a one-day trip to the Islands of Brijuni. The host will take you there with his own boat. For all aditional information, the hosts are at your service as they speak German, Italian and English. They will also provide catalogue information for you, when necessary. Bike tracks There is about 30 km of bike tracks in the Kanfanar County. The 15 km long track from the Lim Bay through Draga and the Dvigrad valley, rich with cultural monuments, leading to the Žminj County has recently been completed. This track is leading cyclists through a hunting reservation, near cultivated fields and beneath the viaduct bridging over the Lim Bay. The bike track going from kanfanar to Barat and further to St. Lovreč is signed on the roads. It is a difficult track giving one has to go up to the other side of Draga. Along with all the natural beauties in the villages of Prikodraga, one can see interesting examples of rural architecture and meet friendy people who will not leave a visitor thirsty. Romuald´s cave None of the caves in Croatia has a history like St. Romuald´s cave in the Lim Bay. This 105 m long cave consists of several impressive halls which have kept the evidence of continuous existance of human life from the prehistoric period. The entrance to the cave is 47 cm high and the main hall is 5 to 6 m high. Romuald´s cave is a speleological phenomenon because the cave is decorated on its left side while the right side is empty with decorations. Kašteljir cave This cave has two minor springs but there are several more in the vicinity. These springs were used until several decades ago, especially during drought periods. It is believed that there is an underground lake beneath the thight end of the cave. Those who like to go to deepest parts of earth´s crust and members of speleological societies are sure to live an exciting adventure here and see beauties that only nature can create in this Karst land. Hunting There is a hunting society called "Golub" in Kanfanar with 3,000 hectars of its own hunting area. Most hunted animals in that area are pheasants, partridge and rabbits, but also woodcock, deer and boar. As this society owns a breeding site of pheasants and partridge they keep there an optimal number of this kind of game. Sport climbing For those who like steep rocks whether they are alpinists or free climbers out of 9 improved tracks in the entire Istria, 2 can be found in this area. One of these tracks can be found at the end of Lim Bay above the road and the other track above Dvigrad at the north side of Draga. Draga and Lim Bay Draga is the name of a deep fertile bay which meanders from Pazin towards the sea and ends between Rovinj and Vrsar. There are two versions of Draga´s develoopment: according to the first version it is an effect of tectonic crash of the ground and according to the second version Draga was made by a powerful river 24,000 years ago. By lifting the sea level, water broke through 12 km deep in Draga´s land and in that way created the Lim Bay whose sea and undersea world, along with its landscape are today a nature reserve under protection. The Lim Bay is one of the most beautiful Istrian landscapes with cliffs rising to 150 m above sea level. The sea in the Lim Bay is very clean which favours shell breeding, fish spawning and, of course, bathing. Dvigrad In the magnificent ruin —Dvigrad, 200 houses can be seen today. Among the houses one can see all that a town needs: streets, squares, churches, watchtowers, towers, walls. This is a town that was not destroyed by conquerers but by typical medieval sicknesses like the plague and the malaria. Dvigrad was an important Istrian medieval center which once had even more inhabitants than Pula. This area along with the neighbouring castle Parentin and surroundings had half a millenium ago several tousand "souls". Today, almost every day, Dvigrad is visited by tourists and chance travellers. Chance traveller surely will not here encounter a hidden treasure, but will encounter traces of history.