Grožnjan, an enchanting medieval istrian town

Days before the summer solstice are rumored to have something magical in them, so we decided to visit an enchanting medieval town of Grožnjan. It is located in Croatian Istria, just a stone’s throw away from the sea. Grožnjan or Grisignana is known as the town of artists. It’s full of small galleries and numerous festivals attract a lot of people from all over the world. It was renovated after the world war two and the artists gave it a special vibe.

Sunset in the streets of Grožnjan. The lazy cat is enjoying last sun rays.

The little hill on which the town is built on, is rising above the picturesque landscape that very much reminded me of Tuscany. Paved path is closed for all vehicles and leads into small, narrow and colorful streets. Mighty walls, castle, church and the old smithy are the most notable parts of the town and are showing the former nobility and strength of Grožnjan. Almost hidden amidst the vivid colors of numerous roses are entrances to neat little stores where artists are proudly presenting their jewelry, ceramics and Istrian homemade products.

Flowers (especially roses) are everywhere

Staring at the sunset

Colorful entrance to the gallery

A neat jewelry store with various home made rings and necklaces.

You get a feeling that time really runs slowly in this town. Every little detail presents a great motif for a photographer like myself, from the lazy cat on the street to the vivid flowers or the resting girl on the wall enjoying the last sun rays of a beautiful day.

The sunset was here before I knew it and it was very beautiful this time around. Soft tones of the sun matched perfectly with the more vivid colors of the roses. The two photographs below really came out nicely, very soft but with enough impact to attract the view.

Vivid sunset at the wall

Girl posing in a perfect spot

The photograph above was made completely spontaneously, all the motifs were just placed perfectly at one point. It’s my favorite shot of the Grožnjan trip and a big thanks to the girl for posing so nicely for me (even if she was unaware of it).

Night has magical powers in the medieval Grožnjan also. Distant sounds of people chatting, mysterious howling of the wind in the crown of the mighty trees and dark shadows make the town even more enchanting and worthy of a visit.

Nightscape of Grožnjan is a special sight

The entrance to our apartment (actually a former castle, the oldest building in town).

If you ever visit Grožnjan, be sure to visit a nearby town called Motovun also. It’s another captivating medieval town which offers amazing views of Mirna valley and nearby countryside which very much resembles the hills of Tuscany. One last photograph of Grožnjan as we were already leaving this scenic town. We will be back for sure.

View of Grožnjan from a nearby hill