This summer, fate put in our path this charming village in Croatia, called Gracisce, where we stayed in a magnificent villa, also called “Gracisce”.
The Villa is restored lovingly by its owners with an eye for stylish simplicity, which is rarely found. The textures, decorations, design solutions and colours are all traditional and charming. It allows wonderful space in bedrooms, kitchen and living accommodation. The kitchen is fully equipped for anything you may want to cook. The swimming pool, the table tennis, the volleyball net, the many outside sitting areas allow for a variety of experiences.
The fact that the villa was situated just outside the village of Gracisce (1 km), gave us the opportunities for many walks. We walked in extensive vineyards, on hills, unusual geological formations and loved the view of the historic houses of Gracisce in the distance. On the way to the village we had a private tasting and purchased some good Croatian wine from the Bazon Vinery.
Having belonged to almost anyone in Europe in the past, Gracisce’s most important role in was as a guardian-fortress on the boundary of the Venetian Republic. Many of its buildings were built in an Italian style. They charm you with their elegance and create a wonderful atmosphere of Italian serenity. Of interest are the Salomon Palace (in Venetian Gothic style – its only example in Istria), the Bishops Palace, and several other churches. The towns’ fortifications are almost entirely lost, except for a tower and the main gates.
The villa Gracisce is situated in the centre of Istria, which allows the visitor to travel to almost anywhere within a short period of time. We saw many of the jewels of Istria – Pazin, with its castle and the chasm, which inspired Dante Alighieri and Joules Verne; the phenomenal murals in the Church in Beram; Poretz, with the Byzantine mosaics. We climbed the steps to Motovun on the hilltop and loved the views from above; the Italian look of the old part of Rovinj made us remember Shakespeare; Pula and its well-preserved unique amphitheatre, Roman Gates and mosaics, delighted us. St Vincent with its large castle and Medieval Italian centre we almost missed and Opatija, a quiet resort, gave us the chance to enjoy some phenomenal sea views on a road on the side of the Adriatic. And everywhere the wine and food were excellent!
For more details, please visit www.annabuxton.co.uk