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Poreč Attractions

There aren’t many towns like Poreč’s ancient town centre that contain so many important and valuable sites in such a small space. Poreč is today a town of tourism, culture, sport and entertainment. It developed during Roman times on a small peninsula and has preserved parts of its original architecture, layout and street names, as well as other traces of its turbulent history.
Poreč is a town where the past and the present, the traditional and the contemporary mingle in a very special way. When you walk through the old centre, from Cardo and Decamanus, the Euphrasius’ Basilica complex, Marafor square, Poreč tower, and go past its palaces and houses, the Istrian parliament and museum, you will feel as though you are travelling through time.
Asides from Poreč’s ancient town centre, there are lots of things to see in the surrounding area. Baredine cave, which is the only open geological monument in Istria, and the historical town of Saint Lovrec where you can discover many interesting stories and legends, are only some of the places you should not miss when you are staying in Poreč.

Top 10 attractions

	Old Town A huge attraction in itself. It developed on the peninsula in Roman times and has kept its original urban street system. The peninsula, which is where Poreč’s centre is located, is divided lengthways by Decumanus Maximus street with a parallel series of ancillary streets. They are connected together by horizontal streets with Cardo Maximus at the centre. As a result of this layout, the town area takes the form of a proper square with the houses inside it.
	Euphrasius’ Basilica complex The most significant and valuable cultural historical site in Poreč. It is the best kept memorial of early Byzantine art in the Mediterranean and is on the UNESCO world cultural heritage list. It was built in the 6th century during the time of Bishop Euphrasius and Emperor Justinian I.
	Marafor square The Roman square (forums) with two temples, Mars and Neptune, was constructed in the 1st century. The square is located at the tip of the peninsula.
	Poreč tower According to some sources, Poreč once had 11 towers, and three have been preserved: the north, south, and the pentagonal. All three were built in the 15th century, as an extra safeguard against possible invasions by the Ottomans.
	Palaces from the Gothic period Fifteen have been preserved. They can found on Cardo and Decumanus streets, as well as on Matija Gupac square, Poreč’s Middle Age centre.
	Romanesque house This is near Marafor square and was built in the 13th century. There is a stable on the ground floor, stone steps lead to the first floor, which is a large area with a hearth, and the façade is decorated with two double lancet windows and a wooden balcony.
	Istrian Council house An original Franciscan Gothic church built in the 13th century that was rearranged in a Baroque style in the 18th century. Today it houses exhibitions and concerts, and in the last century it was the seat of the regional parliament.
	Poreč Homeland museum Located in the Sinčić Baroque Palace that was built in the 18th century. There is a Lapidarium on the ground floor that houses an archaeological collection and Roman monuments. On the first and second floors there is an original Baroque salon with pictures and artistic items. The museum houses a rich collection of documents and an historical library.
	Baredine Cave The only open geological monument in Istria.
	Saint Lovreč A town near Poreč that was built on the site of a prehistoric building.