Vodnjan: St Blaise, murals and Kažun Park

Updated October 13, 2026.

Vodnjan brings together sacred art, painted façades and Istrian dry-stone building. Come from Bale for a walk through the old town and a stop at Kažun Park.

A walk to St Blaise’s Church

The lanes around Bettica Palace pass Gothic windows and family coats of arms carved in stone. The palace’s ground floor displays archaeological finds from the Guran area, while upstairs is a collection of paintings left to the town by the painter Gaetano Gresler. The still lifes, portraits and battle scenes date from the 17th and 18th centuries.

St Blaise’s Church, consecrated in 1800, houses a sacred art collection, relics and preserved bodies of saints. Its artworks include Giovanni Contarini’s large painting of the Last Supper, dated 1598. Visits from October to May require an advance arrangement.

Murals among the old houses

Vodnjan’s murals include works created during the Street Art and Boombarstick festivals. They are spread across façades around town, so you see them while walking through its streets and squares. The tourist board has published a 2026 mural map to help locate individual works.

How a kažun is built

Kažun Park reveals what a finished stone hut conceals: construction from foundations and walls to the roof, shown in four stages. These huts sheltered farmers and shepherds. They were built without mortar, using stones cleared from farmland. A visit helps explain the dry-stone walls and olive-growing landscape around Vodnjan.

For the olive-oil part of the trip, our choice is Chiavalon, which offers tastings and pre-booked tours of its groves and mill. If you continue south to Pula, you can follow a walk from the Arena to the Forum.

Distance from Bale: 11 minutes driving (11.3 km)

For: families, first time visitors, history lovers, dog owners

What to do: information, architecture, refreshments, food and drink

Kažun Park in Vodnjan

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Vodnjan - City of Murals

Lovers of street art will enjoy visiting Vodnjan near Pula. This charming town is interesting in many ways. In Vodnjan you can visit the Park of the Istrian Kažun (small one-room huts with round layouts that served as rain or heat shelters for shepherds),

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