Things To Do in Pazin

Tiny Beram is a little more than 5.6km (3 1/2 miles) west of Pazin. It’s a one-street town with a nice church, but that isn’t the church you’re looking for. You need to find “the keymaster,” who has the key to St. Mary’s, where the famous frescoes reside. As of summer, 2014, the…

Housed in Pazin’s well-preserved medieval castle (known to locals as Kaštel), this museum displays traditional Istrian folk costumes, farming implements, and a model of an old-fashioned Istrian kitchen. On the ground floor, a collection of church bells, dating from between the 15th…

Next to the castle, this dramatic 91m-deep (300-ft.) gorge is said to have inspired science fiction author Jules Verne to write “Mathias Sandorf” (1885) and “Journey to the Center of the Earth” (1864). As a tribute, every June Pazin stages Jules Verne Days (www.julesvernedays.com).…

The 9th-century castle is one of the best preserved in Istria thanks to numerous renovations, which altered its appearance. However, the view of the Pazin Chasm] from the castle grounds and the Ethnographic Museum inside are the biggest reasons to visit here.

Standing opposite the tourist office, this church dates back to 1266, though its appearance has been altered several times through the centuries. It’s worth taking a look inside to see the 14th-century frescoes above the altar, depicting the Way of the Cross and scenes from the Old…