Bike and trail roads

The Trail of the Lost Crown of King Tomislav

Magical Trail through the Hidden Beauty of Istria

In the heart of eastern Istria, above the tranquil Raša Bay, lies a small oasis of nature and silence. This trail connects the historic village of Puntera with the magical Blaz spring, offering visitors a unique blend of unspoiled nature, cultural heritage, and spectacular viewpoints.

The trail ranges from moderate to demanding. Walking through lush vegetation and forest paths, visitors can enjoy complete peace, far away from the bustle of the city.

From the Puntera area, an impressive view opens up over Raša Bay, the mouth of the Raša River, and the green hills descending towards the sea. It is the perfect place to pause, take photos, or simply soak in the silence and beauty of the landscape.

At the end of the first part of the trail (Tepla stran – Puntera Blaz), lies the Blaz spring, known for its crystal-clear waters and the remains of former mills. It is believed that this place was significant even during the Roman Empire, and today it radiates a special sense of peace and atmosphere.

The trail continues along the Path of the Lost Crown of King Tomislav, forming a circular route back to Puntera, or visitors may return the same way.

Hiking Trail – “Tepla stran Puntera – Blaz” (part of the Trail of the Lost Crown of King Tomislav), (632)
A shorter route suitable for hiking/trekking, horseback riding, and mountaineering. The trail stretches from the village of Puntera to the Blaz cove, where it ends. It is not a circular route; instead, visitors return the same way to the starting point. One-way to Blaz Cove is 7.25 km, and with the return to the starting point in Puntera, the total trail length is 14.5 km, with an elevation gain of 450 meters.

Tepla stran, or the Warm Side, did not get its name without reason.
It is a locality and toponym halfway along the route from Puntera to the mouth of the Raša River, overlooking the basin where the Čažune springs lie. The slope where the trail begins to descend in switchbacks into the valley was named so because it is sheltered from the winds, especially the bora. Many locals from Puntera will say they wouldn’t want to get caught there in summer. Due to the shelter from the wind, the temperatures rise extremely high, and Tepla stran was often avoided for agriculture.

In this area, the local population primarily engaged in livestock farming, with a bit of agriculture, although the terrain was difficult to work due to karst and dense maquis. A hundred years ago, the entire area was actually barren because of grazing and woodcutting, making Tepla stran even hotter than it is today. Looking at the topographic map, the entire area along the Raša River is marked as the “warm side,” which is how the trail got its interesting name.

Cycling Trail “The Lost Crown of King Tomislav” (632)
A longer route suitable for cyclists, horseback riders, and trekking enthusiasts, it is a continuation of the Tepla Stran – Puntera Blaz trail, forming a circular route back to Puntera. The trail stretches from the village of Puntera to Blaz Cove, from where it continues with an ascent and gravel paths leading back to the starting point in Puntera.
The trail is circular, with both the starting and ending point in the village of Puntera, with a total length of 17.5 km and an elevation gain of 470 meters.

The trail gets its name, “The Lost Crown of King Tomislav,” from an existing legend. The story goes like this:

During the 15th century, fierce struggles raged in Croatia over the Hungarian–Croatian royal throne. There were several pretenders to the position, and each faction supported its own candidate. The ruler of the joint kingdom was to be crowned with both the Hungarian crown of St. Stephen and the Croatian crown of King Tomislav.

The ships transporting the Croatian royal insignia to Naples, where the coronation was to take place, clashed with the forces of the opposing candidate. The ship carrying the scepter, crown, and sword hid in Raša Bay. According to legend, it was in this bay—specifically in Blaz Cove—that the Croatian royal symbols were concealed, never to be seen again.

About three hundred years later, an unusual event took place in the nearby village of Belavići. A Venetian governor was visiting Istrian villages to collect taxes, and by protocol was usually hosted by the local village prefect. On this occasion, it was Grgo Belavić. After the official duties were completed, he prepared a lavish dinner with plenty of wine for the Venetian governor and his men.

As the evening wore on and the guests fell under the influence of the wine, the host slipped out of the house, only to return shortly after wearing a crown on his head, a scepter in his hand, a cloak, and other royal insignia. He strutted briefly before the distinguished guests, and then disappeared again.

The following morning, recalling the event only vaguely, the Venetian governor asked the host about the strange occurrence. But Grgo Belavić firmly replied that nothing unusual had happened the previous evening except a good feast. Everything was thus attributed to the effects of wine, leaving it to speculation whether the crown of King Tomislav still lies hidden in Blaz Cove in Raša Bay.

Trail 631 Barban

The journey begins in Barban towards the west. Passing through the villages of Melnica and Frkeče. From there, turn right onto the main road leading to Draguzeti. Just before Draguzeti, turn left onto the gravel road. The ride continues through beautiful Barban forests and well-cultivated fields. From the road, you can see an old quarry where the peasants extracted stone for their houses. The route passes through many hills from which it offers a beautiful view. The views extend to the mountains to the west and to the Kvarner Sea to the east. On one of these hills near the village of Želiski, the church of St. Paul was built in the 14th century. It continues along wide roads towards the village of Manjadvorci. Then follows the exit from the asphalt onto the main road Pula-Rijeka towards the villages of Hreljići and Belavići. From the asphalt, turn onto the gravel road on the left and descend towards the sea and the beautiful Blaz bay in the Raška Channel. Blaz is known for its sources of drinking water that were traditionally used by the inhabitants of eastern and central Istria. In the fifteenth century, water-powered mills were built to grind wheat and corn. The walls are still visible today and evoke that history. Then, the road continues uphill, through the village of Rebići towards Hrboka, and then descends on a macadam road through pine forests to reach the village of Puntera. After passing Puntera, the road continues on a macadam road towards Barban.

By Way of the Caves

Hiking and cycling trail

In the gentle embrace of nature, near the Jure Filipović Primary School in Barban, begins a well-maintained walking and cycling trail. The route continues through the village of Majčići to a large cave–pit, then on through Fumeti and Grandići to the top of Križica. From there, it leads through the villages of Orihi and Čubani, eventually reaching Feštini, where the “Feštini Kingdom” cave is located. The trail is highly scenic, winding through forests, meadows, villages, and open countryside — all along a pleasantly maintained path. It is 12.5 km long and classified as easy. Whether you’re walking, cycling, or riding a horse, you’ll find the perfect spot for a short break, offering a breathtaking and relaxing view of Mount Učka and the sea. The trail hides many small surprises, such as caves, the remains of an ancient settlement, or prehistoric fossils, but the real highlight awaits at the very end — the well-developed Feštini Kingdom cave will amaze you with its rich cave formations and welcome you into a lavish natural kingdom.

Via Asparagus

Hiking and cycling trail

The “Via Asparagus” trail begins and ends in Prnjani, and is named so because it is rich in asparagus, which attracts many lovers of fine dishes that can be prepared from it to nature. Therefore, it is best to walk or cycle along this trail in the spring, when it is the only time you can pick it. You can reach Prnjani from Barban, along the road towards Sutivanac, and turn towards Mavrići according to the signpost. The road then leads to Prnjani. In the village there is a board with a marked trail, opened in 2012 and marked with yellow-green markings. The path is initially flat, quite wide, but after a few hundred meters it begins to descend gently. At the end of the cart path, turn right onto a narrow forest path. Various paths intertwine in the forest, and you should pay attention to the signs at every turn, because it is easy to make a mistake. About halfway along, you reach the Jelensko viewpoint, which offers a view of the quarry and the Raša River valley. After a few hundred meters, you turn towards another viewpoint, Tito, which offers a view of Barban and the winding road that leads to it from Most Raša. Then you reach the signpost for the Jurasovac pond, which has dried up. A little further, on a wider road, next to fenced farms with sheep, and the trail is over. The total length of the trail is 6.4 km.

Via Mushrooms

Hiking and cycling trail

The “Via Mushrooms” trail begins and ends in Draguzeti, and is named so because it is, of course, rich in edible mushrooms, which attract many lovers of the delicious dishes that can be prepared from them to the countryside. Therefore, it is best to walk or ride a horse along this trail in the fall when they can be picked. It is 7 km long, and you can truly enjoy nature while walking along it.

Via St. Martin

Hiking and cycling trail

In Bičići, there is a long-standing tradition of celebrating Martinja and worshipping St. Martin (it is known that St. Martin was celebrated in Bičići even during the Frankish era), to whom the small church in Bičići from 1315 is dedicated. The start is in Bičići, from where you can go via Glavani and the local Adrenaline Park, where the bravest, among other things, can try out the adrenaline swing, and then through Feštinka and Boljunka, Trlje, Črnjak and Škitača back to Bičići. This trail, as well as the “Mushroom Trail”, is probably best hiked or cycled in autumn, because several types of mushrooms can be found along the way, and the more experienced can try their hand at picking them. The trail is 19 km long, but it can easily be shortened, and hiked for 14 km, for example.

Along the Sources

Hiking and cycling trail

The circular trail “Along the Sources” leads from Hrboki via Pisak and Puntera, back to the starting point, in Hrboki, and on the trail itself there are signposts for, for example, the Čažun springs and the channels of the Raša River.

Along the Mills

Hiking and cycling trail

“Along the Mills” is the third trail from Sutivanac, across the Raša River Valley and back, which features a marked route for sightseeing the mills and springs in the Raša Valley.

From Sutivanac, you start from the intersection of the road from Balići towards the hamlet of Dolica, descending southwards, sometimes along the road, sometimes along a field path. When you arrive in Medančići, turn right to the southwest, pass by the last house and field, and then enter a forest path that winds southwards. After 2 kilometres, the road turns east and soon emerges on a serpentine rocky tractor road that leads to the bed of the Raša River. It is interesting that at the end of the 18th century, just before the fall of Venice, rice was grown in the Raša Valley, and the inhabitants called this part of the valley “rižera”.

It heads upstream to the north and for the next two kilometres we follow the Raša River, whose waters once powered the wheel of the old Sušak mill, the remains of which the road passes by. After leaving the Raša Valley, the climb begins on a gravel road below the town of Gorica. The gravel road is followed to a sharp bend. The road turns north, and pedestrians and cyclists continue along a forest path to the west.