Discover Filipi: Old School and wine tradition

Two very different local points of interest come together in Filipi: the Old School (Stara škola), with its ZPP 3 protected status, and the winemaking tradition of the Bruno Ferenac family winery. The wider cultural, landscape and leisure offerings of the broader destination, Općina Vižinada, add to these. Which holiday apartment suits your stay therefore also depends on whether you want to focus on Filipi itself or on the themes of the municipality as a whole.

Filipi: historic school and winemaking

The Old School in Filipi is listed as a historic building with ZPP 3 protected status. The Bruno Ferenac family winery is also in the village; the family’s winemaking tradition dates back around a hundred years. These two facts point to different aspects: on the one hand, a built heritage site with designated protected status; on the other, a family history of winemaking spanning generations.

Općina Vižinada as a wider travel horizon

Općina Vižinada is presented as a destination for stays, visits to cultural heritage sites and local attractions, as well as events with a traditional character. Hiking and cycling trails through the natural landscape are also part of the municipality. The village of Vižinada itself lies on a hill at the southern edge of the Mirna Valley. From there, views extend across the surrounding countryside, vineyards and olive groves. When planning your trip, it is helpful to distinguish this broader setting from the local points of interest in Filipi.

Architectural history and culture

Buildings and artworks in Vižinada tell stories from different periods. A stone relief of the Lion of St Mark, dating from the 15th century, has been preserved in the central square; the lapidarium next to the bell tower contains five Roman inscriptions. The Church of St John the Baptist, above the historic centre, was built in the 13th century. It is one of around ten double-apsed churches in Istria. The Old Fontik, the “Lav” house, is another striking historic building: built in the 15th century, it is the oldest surviving secular public building in the municipality.

A special story links the Church of St Barnabas with film. Its frescoes were discovered when the church was used to store props during the filming of the war film “Kelly’s Heroes”. The paintings depict a Christological cycle, including scenes of the Nativity, the Last Supper, the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. Carlotta Grisi is another cultural connection: the ballet dancer was born in Vižinada in 1819 and was the first Giselle.

Festivals and Istrian cuisine

“Slatka Istra” celebrates the tradition of regional sweets. The event preserves the making of nine kinds of authentic cakes, including Fritula, Kroštula, Cukerančići, Pandešpanj, Povetica and Pinca, as well as various kinds of dry biscuits. It takes place every year on 14 August in the centre of Vižinada, on the eve of the Vela Gospa festival. Another cultural highlight is “Verši na šterni”, the festival of Čakavian poetry. It has been held regularly since 1993 on the second Saturday in June at the Baroque Battistella cistern. The cistern was completed in 1782, built of local limestone to a design by Simone Battistella, an architect from Rovinj. If you would like to plan your trip around an event, check the programme for your dates in advance.

Trails through the landscape

The hiking trails in Općina Vižinada differ in length and in the destinations described, among other things. The “Trail of Scenic Views” reaches the small 12th-century Church of St Vital, near its cemetery, after 3.7 kilometres. The trail begins at the southern entrance to Vižinada, near the 13th-century Church of St John the Baptist, and passes through fertile fields, vineyards and olive groves near Crklada and Grubići. The 6.9-kilometre “SRCE VIŽINADE 504” loop passes through Bajkini, Vranje Selo and Crklada in the south-west of the municipality. “PRSTEN SVETOG TOME 503” offers a different perspective: the loop climbs to the 299-metre-high Sv. Tome, from where views extend across hills, hamlets, chapels, the Mirna Valley and the sea.

There are also different route options for cycling. The “Vižinada family (103)” tour is 13 kilometres long, starts in Vižinada on the former Parenzana railway line and returns there via the Parenzana. The 123-kilometre cycle route along the renovated Parenzana railway line offers a much longer-distance option.

Choosing the right location

When looking for a holiday apartment in Filipi, the Old School and the Ferenac family’s wine tradition can provide a specific local focus. If you are mainly interested in historic buildings, events or trails, also consider the offerings of the wider Općina Vižinada. Compare your preferred focus with the exact location you are looking for. This will help you decide whether to centre your stay on Filipi itself or on the broader themes of the municipality.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Bajkini, Staniši, Mekiši Kod Vižinade, Žudetići, Jadruhi, Vizinada, Markovići, Vrbani.

Go to the wider travel overview: Općina Vižinada.