Things to do in September in Istria

Find hidden underground treasure

Truffle hunting season starts on the second Saturday in September with Festival of Subotina. Festival in a small town of Buzet hosts numerous truffle-related events. One of the most memorable events is certainly the preparation of giant truffles omlette. Each year they add one more egg to signify the current year. This year there will be 2020 eggs with about 10 kilos of truffles mixed in one 2.5 meters wide pan. Watch the whole process of making the omlette and then taste the results.

Many locals organize truffle hunting events. You can see a demonstration of how the specially trained dogs do their search. Moreover, you can try and detect truffles for yourself with a little bit of assistance from the experts. Think of it as a treasure hunting you did when you were a child and find a Sherlock in you. Stumbling upon a truffle is almost like discovering a treasure since the price for the kilo of the best quality truffle can reach 750 dollars.

Run for the wine

You are probably wondering how are running and wine connected. Well, Croatian people managed to think of a way to drink and work out at the same time. Genius, right? While you cannot drink and drive, you can surely drink and run. Istrian Wine Run takes place in the first week of September. The start and the finish of the marathon are reserved for tasting wines from established wine cellars of the Istria region and feasting on local delicacies with lively music in the background.

The trail is located amongst the vineyards, so on every stop, you will get the chance to visit a different wine cellar and get a taste of new local wine. To add more joy to the atmosphere, you can also put on a silly mask. In that way, if you do not win the marathon because you got busy drinking wine, you can still win the best mask contest.

If you are more into cycling, on the 15th of September, bicycle marathon Valamar Terra Magica takes place. The marathon leads you through offroad paths and gravel roads of Istria, offering beautiful panoramic views of Rabac and Kvarner. You will ride through the wilderness of nature park Ucka and mountain Cicarija to central Istria. Besides racing with others, you can bring or rent a bicycle. Take a relaxing ride at your own pace on one of the numerous Istrian trails and explore the stunning landscapes of Istria.

Bring joy to your soul

After feeding your body with food, and losing those calories in recreational activities, it is time to feed your soul. Few activities are popping into my mind. You can learn more about local history. At the beginning of the September, Gioistra Festival takes place in Porec for three days, where more than 250 people dress up and celebrate culture and events from the 18th century.

Feed your soul with art. Watch an impressive light show from 17th to 19th of the month in Pula. Visualia, the first festival of the light in Croatia, gathers more than 15,000 visitors. There are 10 locations with audio-visual arts in the Pula Old City Center area you can see. Come to Pula and check out why Visualia is a remarkable art event with many recognitions and awards.

There are more art happenings for you to see. Admire art pieces made by more than 100 artists all around the world on the Ex Tempore festival. An hour from Porec, there is a small town of Groznjan, located on the top of the hill. It is also known as the town of the artists. From 24th to 27th of September, the streets of Groznjan become an art gallery. Take a walk around this picturesque town and dive into the diversity of artworks.