Sitting at the highest point of the Parenzana means those coming under their own steam have to work for the pleasures of Grožnjan. This could be drifting through the small cobbled streets; taking a coffee in the shade of a tree; being inspired by artists at work in their studios; or sipping on a beer with the summer’s jazz soundtrack.

Mostly growing up under the Venetian Republic, the fertile lands around Grožnjan provided agricultural and economic success for the town and its settlements. The area really flourished in the early 20th century after the Parenzana railway was built by the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

This prosperity was short lived.

First, persecution of the area’s Croat and Slovene population under the Kingdom of Italy, sparked one wave of emigration. Retaliatory persecution of the local Italian population under the subsequent rule of Yugoslavia resulted in two-thirds of the population had emigrated to Italy by April 1956.

The founding of the Town of Arts in 1965 saved Grožnjan from the fate that befell many other Istrian towns - in ruins and sitting nearly empty. This initiative gave housing to Croatian and Slovenian artists, and musicians, who were able to preserve the beauty and charm of the town, and turn it into a cultural gem in northwestern Istria.

And it is a real gem. Lacking the clear blue Adriatic, many inland Istrian towns are sadly neglected by tourists, and therefore receive no investment, or public funding for basic maintenance or services. This is despite them often being more delightful than the coastal towns, jammed with identikit hotels and holiday apartments.

This is fine by me though, as I know there will always be a quiet spot to get away from the coming crowds.