Dear users,
Zones and numbers of all trails have been modified. Due to these modifications, possible differences in trail numbers may occur between the web site, maps and field labels. The adjustment period will run all through 2019 so we kindly ask for your patience and understanding. For correct information plese refer to our website where old trail numbers are listed as well to avoid confusion.

501 (ex 171) THE TRAIL OF SCENIC VIEWS

The tour starts at the southern entrance to Vižinada, next to the ancient church of Saint John the Baptist from the 13th century, from where we head south and cross the Carlotta Grisi street, named after the celebrated ballet dancer who was born in Vižinada, for which the title role of the famous romantic ballet Giselle has been written. The celebrated ballerina impressed in the mid-19th century with her performances audiences across Europe. We head some 100 metres south towards the outskirts of the town. There we turn to a path on the right (west), where we after 50 metres head south through a meadow and rare forest, that soon crosses the former narrow-gauge railroad track Parenzana. We are staying on our path that mildly turns southwest. Driving through fertile fields, vineyards and olive groves, after a gentle climb, we reach the road towards the villages Crklada and Grubići, from which you have a fantastic view over the rolling hills, cultivated with grapevines and young olive trees. We are passing close to the road and after a dozen metres south of the houses in Grubići we turn almost 180° towards the northeast, back to Vižinada. After a gentle climb and downhill through the vineyards, out path continues to ascend through plants and a rare forest all the way to the Saint Vital cemetery (3.7 km) and the small church of the same name from the 12th century. From the highest point of today’s tour (353 metres above sea level) you will have a wonderful view over the hills on both sides of the river Mirna, which were at the beginning of the 20th century linked by the Parenzana railway. On this side of the river you will easily recognize Vižinada and incomparable Motovun, and on the other side you will see Grožnjan, Završje, Kostanjica and Oprtalj, as well as Livade in the valley of the river Mirna.

From the small church we continue on the same route some 300 metres and then, exactly at the 4th kilometre of the route, we take a sharp left (direction south-southwest). We descend via the ridge path through the forest around one kilometre, all the way to the Parenzana trail (5.1 km). On the Parenzana trail we turn left, back to Vižinada and after some 400 metres we will arrive at the deep gorge of the Sabadin creek, that is crossed by the impressive bridge Veli most, i.e. viaduct Sabadin or Saint Vital (length: 64 m; height: 20 m). Here you have a wonderful view to the other side of the river Mirna valley. We follow the slightly ascending trail towards the high plain and towards the state road Vižinada – Pula (7.8 km). We cross the road and stay on the Parenzana trail, while exactly at the 8th kilometre we arrive at the life-size model of the U20 locomotive that once used to drive on the Parenzana. Using the stairs on the back you can climb into the space where the engine driver used to stand and imagine how these small and versatile railway locomotives mastered the share and winding railroad tracks from Buje to Poreč. Here we leave the trail heading to Poreč and return on the main road heading east back to Vižinada. We are passing the building of the former train station that is today a private house, recognizable by properly carved stone blocks from which it was built, with five or seven characteristic stone “teeth” above the windows and doors.

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Note: Map and trails on the website are informative and are to be used at one's own risk.