The best gravel rides around Zlatni Rt

Pizzeria Grimani next to the church two long-established businesses and with a connection all the way to the top

Nice ride, great views of the sea!

Ruins of the ancient church of St. Thomas the Apostle, which archaeological investigations on the original nucleus date back to the Carolingian era, around the 8th century AD.

The former Kanfanar-Rovinj railway line is now a cycle/pedestrian path. Despite the dirt road, the route is not particularly difficult.

Near the old railway station now transformed into a restaurant, the view of Rovinj and the sea

The Church of St. Thomas is located 4 km north of Rovinj, along the old Rovinj-Kanfanar railway. It is a cruciform-shaped building, to which a bell tower was later added on the north side. The church's central apse is 6 meters high and semicircular, while its exterior is polygonal. The transept has two smaller, semicircular lateral apses. On the north side of the church, we still find the original floor, covered with stone slabs, the base of the altar parapet, and the recesses on which the pillars rested. Looking up into the central space, we can still see the remains of the load-bearing arches that supported the structure, which rose above the roof. In the 16th century, the church was radically renovated, altering its original form. Side arches were added, creating a single nave. The western side was visibly narrowed, and the new façade was equipped with two rectangular windows. Recent research has uncovered numerous architectural artifacts dating back to the pre-Romanesque period and remains of furnishings—fragments of transennae, the pluteus, pillars from the altar parapet, columns with capitals, etc. Based on the data we have, which are based on the architectural analysis of the church and the artifacts discovered during the research, we can establish that the building was constructed between the late 8th and early 9th centuries. The Church of St. Thomas is a fine example of sacred architecture from the Carolingian period in Istria.

beautiful Venetian-style square, surrounded by the castle, the church and a beautiful loggia

The Morosini-Grimani Castle is the symbol of Svetvinčenat (Sanvincenti) and one of the best-preserved Renaissance fortresses in Istria. Its origins date back to the 13th century, when the De Castro Pola family built their first fortified residence there. Passed to the Morosini family in the 15th century, it was transformed into a true fortress and, after a devastating fire in 1586, rebuilt in Renaissance style by the Grimani family with the help of Venetian architects. The quadrangular structure with three towers and an elegant noble palace combined defensive, administrative, and economic functions: grain storage, armory, and the captain's residence. Topped by the Grimani coat of arms, which later became the emblem of the city, the castle endured centuries of wars, fires, and dominations, until it was once again destroyed in the Second World War. Today, after careful restoration, the castle has come back to life: it hosts exhibitions, events, and multimedia tours that allow visitors to discover the history of Svetvinčenat and one of the most fascinating Istrian fortresses.