We spent our last full day of vacation by traveling inland from coastal Rovinj.
Before our trip, we did not know that Istria was part of Italy through the end of World War II, when it was ceded to Yugoslavia. Hence, the very Italian feel of the area, including its hilltop towns.
One of those hilltop towns, Motovun, is thriving as a romantic, back road wine and truffle destination. While another, Zavrsje, has only a handful of residents since it was abandoned by residents fleeing to Italy rather than join the new Yugoslavia 50 years ago.
The European Union has recently discovered Zavrsje, and is funding the rebuilding of its old school, a couple of churches and its infrastructure. But its streets are still empty, and probably 85 percent or more of its buildings are in ruin.
While it's just a matter of time before Zavrsje becomes a destination like Motovun, today it's Istria's equivalent of Bodie, California, minus the visitors. On this day, we were the only people on the town's only street, trying hard to imagine the feelings and emotions of an entire town that chose to leave everything behind all those years ago.
We capped the day by returning to Rovinj and taking a dip just outside the town walls, on a rocky beach that once housed German machine-gun nests. And what final evening in romantic Rovinj would be complete without a sunset walk along the harbor, capped by dinner on the water and a glass of champagne overlooking the Adriatic?
The Istiran hilltop town of Motovun. Looks like Italy, doesn't it?
The virtual ghost town of Zavrsje. It was abandoned when the area was ceded by Italy to Yugoslavia following WWII.
Back in Rovinj, this is a former German machine-gun nest. It now protects one of the finest beaches in the area, just below the old town's cathedral.
Another day in paradise ends.
No comments:
Post a Comment