#46 - Istria, Croatia - Parenzana 1/4 - Vižinada to Motovun
Finally! The incredible Parenzana trail is here! The entire experience (Vižinada-Grožnjan) will be in 4 movies, including a detour to visit Motovun. If you don't know, Parenzana is an ex-railway connecting Trieste (Italy) and Poreč (Croatia) converted into a walk/bike trail. Total length is 127 km but the section I'll be showing you in the following weeks is considered to be the most beautiful and most interesting, with many bridges, tunnels and breathtaking views.
So what does it really feel like to ride this trail? What are the best points? Which way to go? What can you see and experience? What did I do and what do I think? Are there any issues? Well, lay back, grab some popcorn and hit play... ;)
Filmed in Septembre 2012.
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Copyright © Srđan Canić.
Parenzana: Vižinada-Motovun-Grožnjan-Buje-Koper 2017
August 2017, Croatia
Last run of the train: 31 August 1935.
Vižinada-Motovun L= 12km
Motovun-Grožnjan L= 25km
Grožnjan-Buje L= 7km
Buje-Koper L= 40km
00:14 Vijadukt Sabadin, L= 64m
01:42 Tunel Motovun, L= 222m
03:38 Tunel Freski, L= 146m
03:54 Vijadukt Antonci, L= 80m
04:49 Tunel Završje II, L= 28m
05:05 Tunel Završje I, L= 35m
05:22 Vijadukt Završje, L= 62m
05:41 Tunel Kalcini, L= 179m, highest point 293m above sea level.
06:29 obala Sečovje (Slovenija)
06:39 Tunel Lacun, L= 550m
07:21 Tunel Šalet, L= 213m
MOJA ISTRA U GOSTIMA MOTOVUN - PARENZANA TRAIN
Parenzana Train, Central Istria
Parenzana Train is a unique excursion with a touristic train through the beautiful countryside of Central Istria along the historical route of Parenzana.
Veli Joze Tour offers trips from Vižinada to Motovun and from Motovun to Vižinada. Live a unique experience through tunnels and viaducts along the route of historical narrow railroad Parenzana.
Discover more on the link
Porec, Croatia 2015 - Day trips to Vrsar Motovun Lim Fjord and Rovinj
We stayed at the newly refurbished Hotel Island Isabella, Porec, Croatia. We went on a 'Fish Picnic' to Rovinj, Vrsar and Lim Fjord and also went on the new Parenzana train to Motovun.
#46s - Croatia, Istria region - Parenzana hike/bike path with Motovun and Grožnjan (09/2012)
Parenzana is an ex railway turned hike/bike path. It used to go from Poreč (ex Parenzo, hence the name) to Trieste in Italy and is about 127 km long. Going through incredible scenery and often along ridges and hill edges, with many old viaducts and tunnels, Parenzana provides an incredible and unforgettable riding experience and a great adventure.
Furthermore, it connects two od the best-known and most popular medieval hilltop towns Istria is famous for - Motovun and Grožnjan which are both incredible in their own way.
Also, Parenzana runs by many local vineyards and olive farms, many of which let you taste and buy their produce. And you might just be lucky enough to find some truffles the region is known for.
But Parenzana isn't just an old railway. At each of the ex railway stops you will find a sign with a part of the history of that station and the nearby village/town as well as photo platforms and a table with benches to rest. The local tourist offices (like the one in Vižinada) also have maps and very nice booklets with a lot of additional information. And there's the Parenzana museum in the small village of Livade, near Motovun.
If you don't have the time to ride the entire length of Parenzana (you might even have trouble finding the starting point in Poreč), they say that the section between Vižinada and Grožnjan (via Motovun) is the best, the most impressive and the most exciting. So that's also the part I decided to ride. And with all the breaks for taking pictures, a detour to visit Motovun and a bit of getting lost in Livade, it took me nearly an entire day. A great day.
Of course, nothing is perfect and Parenzana does have (or did have) its problems. The worst two are 1) that there are entire sections with just an insane amount of rocks, making it very difficult and even dangerous to ride (or even walk) and 2) some of the waysigns are very confusing or hard to see when riding and you might find yourself wasting some time. At the time of filming this, in 2012, there was a third problem as well - no tunnels had lights. With most, this wasn't too much of a problem as they are short enough, but not all. The one going under Motovun is 222 metres long and at an angle and it was pitch black inside, impossible to see anything. Another had solar light installed, supposed to turn on automatically, but it didn't work.
Still, aside from the vast amounts of rocks, those were minor issues which didn't have too much impact on the thrill and the excitement of surely the best riding experience in Istria!
Filmed in September 2012.
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Parenzana train ride folklore singing
In Motovun, taking the Parenzana Train adventure and was presented with this lovely folklore signing. The song is about the many lovers Maria had by the sea.
Parenzana - Motovun Grožnjan - Istria Bike
Parenzana - kolejka wąskotorowa o długości 123,1 km, która łączyła 33 miejscowości na Istrii, położonych pomiędzy Triestem a Poreciem. Kolejka działała w latach 1902 – 1935 i połączyła półwysep Isrii z Cesarstwem Austro-Węgierskim, który w owym czasie był integralną częścią mocarstwa. Kolejka miała ogromne znaczenie ponieważ przyczyniła się do wzrostu gospodarczego odizolowanych i ubogich miejscowości. Nie dziwi więc fakt, że wielu ludzi nadal wspomina kolejkę z wielką nostalgią i sentymentem. Na 123 kilometrowym odcinku mały pociąg sapał i zgrzytał jadąc po pagórkowatym, przepięknym krajobrazowo-kresowym obszarze Istrii. Oprócz pasażerów kolejka przewoziła również sól z salin nadmorskich z Pirau i Socovije, ryby, oliwę z regionu Buje i Motovun, warzywa i owoce oraz inne istryjskie produkty takie jak: mąkę, wino oraz kamienie, drewno, skały wapienne.. Podróż z Triestu do Poreča trwała od 6 do 7 godzin. Po I wojnie światowej tereny, przez które przebiegała linia włączono (wraz z całą Istrią) do Włoch. Do upadku linii przyczynił się Wielki kryzys - ostatni pociąg wyjechał na trasę 31 sierpnia 1935. Po zaledwie 33 latach funkcjonowania linia ta przestała istnieć. Obecnie trasa ta została przekształcona w rowerowy szlak turystyczny o nazwie Parenzana obejmujący swym zasięgiem aż trzy państwa: Włochy – 13 km, Słowenię – 32 km oraz Chorwację- 78 km. Polecamy - naprawdę warto!
Parenzana: Trieste - Sečovlje
Cycling trail from Trieste to Sečovlje
Parenzana is regulated cycling path, which leads along the trail of former railway from Trieste to Poreč.The former narrow-gauge railway line (width 760 mm) between Trieste and Porec, which operated between 1902 and 1935, was named after the word Parenzo - Italian naming the city of Porec. In Slovenia it is also known as Porečanka. Railway was main hinterland connection with seaside resorts and so the major contributor to the economic development of Istria.
Parenzana was 123.1 km long narrow-gauge railroad, connecting 33 Istrian towns from Trieste to Poreč. Today it leads through the territory of three countries: Italy, 13 km, 32 km Slovenia and Croatia, 78 km.
NEVIA RIGUTTO - La Parenzana a Visinada (MIK 2013. video)
LA PARENZANA A VISINADA - Festival MIK 2013.
Glazba: Bruno Krajcar - Tekst: Valmer Cusma - Aranžman: Andrej Baša
neviarigutto.com
Parenzana: Vizinada - Porec
old railway Parenzana in Istria now days is a magnificent trail for hiking or biking, taking you in this section into the fields, vineyards and villages from central Istria to the seaside! enjoy!
MOJA ISTRA U GOSTIMA KAROJBA - PARENZANA TRAIN
PARENZANA 25 09 2016
SPORT
Parenzana Train 28.09.2014
Parenzana Train 28.09.2014
U nedjelju starta Wine run Parenzana magic
300 rekreativaca i prodesionalaca u nedjelju starta na međunarodnom prekograničnom maratonu wine run Parenzana magic. Riječ je o projektu financiranom sredstvima EU koji objedinjuje prirodne ljepote, eno i gastro ponudu od Portoroža do Livada.
Parenzana Train - pljačka vlaka
#49 - Istria, Croatia - Parenzana (3/4) - Krajići to Grožnjan
Here's the third and probably the best part of the Parenzana trail! At least in the Vižinada-Grožnjan section. And not counting Grožnjan itself. :) Too bad the random thumbnails don't show it. This part is pretty much uphill all the time, but you get some incredible paths, bridges and tunnels. And when you get to the top and hills edges, the views are just priceless.
Of course, some of the problems remain and some get bigger but more on that and everything else - in the movie itself.
And yes, you can start in Grožnjan and ride down, which would be much easier but not that satisfying nor rewarding. Also, going down (too) fast, you wouldn't be able to really feel the place.
So enjoy and look out for part 4 when you get to see Grožnjan up close & personal, followed by a great descent.
Filmed in Septembre 2012.
Photo album -
Copyright © Srđan Canić.
Wine and Run - Parenzana Train