Bale in Istria: old town, sights and coast

Updated October 12, 2026.

Bale is a stone-built town in western Istria, a few kilometres from the sea. Walk through the old town from Soardo-Bembo Palace to the church and lapidarium.

From the palace to the parish church

Bale's history reaches back to Roman times, when a fort guarded the trade route between Pula and inland Istria. The medieval settlement grew within a defensive perimeter whose shape can still be traced in the closely packed streets of the old town.

Tomaso Bembo Square is the starting point for a short walk through the historic centre. You can recognise Soardo-Bembo Palace by its two broad groups of windows, each divided into four openings by slender columns. Often called a castle, it is a residential palace built between two towers of the former town walls. Its present Gothic-Renaissance façade dates from the early 16th century.

Continue through the stone lanes towards the parish church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St Elizabeth. Its crypt houses a lapidarium with carved stone fragments from earlier church buildings.

Summer concerts and theatre

Tomaso Bembo Square hosts open-air concerts during the Last Minute Open Jazz Festival. The festival grew out of the work of the Kamene priče jazz tavern.

Teatar Fort Forno organises theatre and other stage performances in Bale as part of Bembo Fest. Some take place in the old town, others at Fort Forno on the coast. You can walk to a performance in the centre after sightseeing, while a show at the fort means a separate trip towards the sea.

From the old town to the sea

Bale is not a beachfront settlement. To reach Bale's coast, you head downhill from the town through olive groves and fields. Allow for sightseeing and swimming as two parts of your outing. The coast has pebble coves and rocky stretches, with access and facilities varying from beach to beach.

You can also reach Bale by bus. Our guide to getting to Bale covers bus stops, road routes and onward travel from the airports.

For: families, first time visitors, history lovers, art lovers, nature lovers, athletes, recreationists, dog owners

Parking: free of charge

Address: 52 211 Bale - Valle, Istria, Croatia

What to do: information, architecture, activities, sea, landscape, recreation, refreshments, food and drink, music

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