With 23 galleries and plenty of studios, the tiny town of Groznjan is now known as the 'Town of Artists'. Nearly wiped off the map not once but twice, Groznjan is a place with an instinct for survival.
Groznjan is one of Istria's prettiest medieval hilltop towns, 228 metres (750 feet) above sea level. Its position provides spectacular views, the Adriatic coast to the west and the dramatic landscape of the glorious Mirna Valley to the east. The northern region of Istria is rich with these ancient, Italianate settlements. What sets Groznjan apart is that this town feels loved, alive and cared for. Amazing when you consider that, just 40 years ago, it lay derelict and deserted - and not for the first time.
In 1630 bubonic plague almost wiped it out. The Venetian republic then set about revitalising the municipality. Tradesmen and artisans settled in the town itself. For the surrounding villages, the Venetians brought in peasants to work the land: Dalmatians, Montenegrins and Albanians, the Illyrian provinces were never short of strong backs. Groznjan grew and prospered. In 1902 Austrians built the Paranzana Railway, opening up new markets in Koper and Trieste. The depression of the 1920s saw the economic migration there. After World War II, this part of Istria was assigned to Tito's Yugoslavia. Some two-thirds of north-west Istria emigrated to Italy. In Groznjan only 20 souls remained. Neighbouring towns such as Zavrsje never recovered (although there are current plans to revive it). In Groznjan, local artists began using the empty buildings as studio space and by 1965 it was formally declared a 'Town of Artists'. Premises were allocated for the International Cultural Centre for Young Musicians (MKC HGM Groznjan, Umberta Gorjana 2, 052 776 106).
Groznjan's street signs are hand-painted ceramics, rather than state-manufactured enamel; the colours of the shutters are subtle but just right; there are ancient-looking stone seats perfectly sited for enjoying the view; and everywhere you look, there's a gallery. There's a perfect little town square and outside the town loggia on balmy, summer evenings are recitals by operatic tenors or noodling jazzers, all performing as part of the Groznjan Musical Summer (www.hgm.hr).