Would you like to begin your adventure in a warm, authentic atmosphere of a Mediterranean fisherman’s village, join a party next to the sea where pilchards are served with the best olive oil and excellent wine? Choose Vasianum trail and get your bicycle ready at the starting point in Fažana. Situated on a low coast, well protected from the open sea by the enchanting Brijuni archipelago (nowadays a national park) and surrounded by vineyards and olive groves in the hinterland, Fažana was well known already in ancient Roman times. Named Vasianum after an ancient producer of amphorae and different vessels, Fažana has always been an authentic fisherman’s village with people living close to the small waterfront.
Nowadays, the waterfront has become a stage of some important cultural and artistic events, and a port from which one can take a boat to the national park Brijuni. Ride along its streets where you can admire the houses and the churches of Fažana. You will find there the St Elysian built on the foundations of a villa from late antiquity, the one-nave church of St Mary of Carmel from the 16th century and a beautiful Gothic Parish church of St Kosmas and St Damian situated at the waterfront where you can have a nice view of the sea and boats in the harbour. Continuing along the trail to Valbadon you will reach Peroj, nowadays known mostly for its orthodox community. After being completely devastated by the plague in the second half of the 16th century, it was inhabited by the orthodox religion families from Montenegro whose descendants built the Parish church of St Spiridion in the year 1834 where valuable icons and an iconostasis from the 16th century are preserved. Not far away from Peroj, the trail continues along the ancient Roman road towards the village Batvači where you can visit the church of St Foška from the 6thand 7th century with a broad porch. Visit this important sacral place which has offered shelter to many pilgrims.
When you enter the church, apart from special atmosphere of spiritual peace you will also find there some valuable frescoes from the 12th century. Continuing along the trail you will reach Barbariga, a place named after a respectable Venetian family of two doges, cardinals and provincial governors. Except for being widely known for many archaeological sites (antique villas, cisterns, oil refinery, wool and coloured textile plants) Barbariga will also impress you with beautiful olive groves which seem almost immersed in the sea. Riding along the trail you will arrive in Bale, a magnificent place with enchanting medieval centre built of stone. Walking along its narrow and meandering streets with beautiful old houses made of stone, you will come to the Gothic and Renaissance palace Bembo with a quadriphore and a beautiful central balcony. There is also a Parish church where you can visit a rich lapidarium. After the idyllic Bale, continue along the trail back to Betiga where you can visit the remains of the St Andrews basilica and then passing through Pineta ride back to the starting point, the waterfront of Fažana where your adventure, actually, began.
Highlights
- Fažana ? the town of boats and amphorae
- Iconostasis near the sea: the orthodox church of St Spiridon in Peroj
- A spiritual place: the woman saint with miraculous healing powers ? St Foška, Batvači
- Barbariga ? archaeological sites from the Roman period and beautiful olive groves
- Bale - the mysterious world of the stony palaces
- Betiga ? the remains of the basilica of St Andrews