Orbanići: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

A traditional gathering takes place regularly in Orbanići on 1 May. The focus is on the “Trka na tovari”, a donkey race; the celebrations of Saints Philip and James also feature local music and dance.

Anyone wishing to rent a holiday apartment in Orbanići can consider the village as a destination.

Traditions

During the race, donkeys run around the village. The Orbanići “Donkey Race” is considered the longest-running pack-animal race in Istria; the first race took place in 1968.

The festival programme includes Cantadurs and traditional Istrian instruments such as the harmonika, mih and horns. In the traditional competition “razbijanje pijadine”, participants of different ages wear a bandage on their heads and try to smash a deep salad plate with a stick.

For 2026, Orbanići’s programme included the 57th “Folk Music and Dance Show” of the Pula area. It was intended to present traditional music, singing and dancing in South Istrian folk costumes. The Filiplje programme planned for 2026 was also to include a Briškula tournament, organised by Boćarski klub Orbanići.

History and Language

Vrčin, a Bronze Age hillfort, is located near Orbanići in the municipality of Marčana. Human habitation at Vrčin has been documented as early as the Neolithic.

The local dialect spoken in Orbanići in the municipality of Marčana belongs to the South-West Istrian or Štakavian–Čakavian dialect.

Nearby, a reconstructed stone-built tomb from Vrčin is displayed beside the entrance to the courtyard of the Archaeological Museum of Istria in Pula.

Culture

The documentary film “Orbanići Unplugged” follows Alen Vitasović and people who are close to him or unknown to him as they reflect on his sudden rise to stardom.

The music video for “Tone Livi” was filmed in Orbanići, the birthplace of Alen Vitasović.

The Krsnik story of Orbanići is associated with a folk belief: placing bread upside down in an old bread oven is said to summon witches.

Cuisine

The Marčana destination offers restaurants and taverns serving traditional local dishes, as well as tasting rooms operated by wine, cheese, olive oil and honey producers.

For the higher-level travel overview: Općina Marčana.

Further destinations

Other places in the same destination:

Cokuni, Hreljići, Bratulići, Pavicini, Pinezići, Divšići, Marčana, Kujici.