Bale's Cultural Summer

Bale's Cultural Summer is the programme of concerts, exhibitions and open-air events that animates the old town of Bale, a small Istrian hill town a few kilometres inland from Rovinj, between roughly June and September. For most of the year Bale is a quiet place of stone houses and narrow lanes among olive groves, but in summer its squares, courtyards and the walls of its castle become stages and galleries, and the town takes on a lively, intimate cultural atmosphere that is quite different from the beach resorts on the coast.

The best-known part of the season is a jazz festival, the Last Minute Open Jazz Festival, which brings musicians from Croatia and other countries to play in the open air, in the town squares and in a small music tavern called Kamene priče, which means stone tales. The music often continues in informal jam sessions after the main concerts, and the compact size of the town means that audiences, musicians and residents mix easily. The setting, with its warm stone walls, lanterns and old arches, suits the music well, and the evenings are often magical when the heat of the day has faded.

Alongside the music, the programme usually includes exhibitions of painting, sculpture and photography, workshops, readings, film evenings and traditional events that celebrate local customs. Many of them take place in the old town, around the Soardo-Bembo castle, a fifteenth-century fortified house that is the main monument of Bale, and in the courtyards of the stone houses. Because the programme changes from year to year, you should check the schedule locally or on the tourist board's listings before planning a visit, and verify that a particular event is on the day you intend to come.

The town is small, so exploring it on foot is easy. The market square, the churches of St. Julian and St. Mary Magdalene and the scenic viewpoint, all listed in this guide, are a few minutes apart, and the Bale olive groves surrounding the town produce oil of high quality, which can be tasted at local mills and restaurants. Restaurants in the old town serve Istrian dishes made with fresh ingredients, such as homemade pasta, truffles, grilled meat and local wine. For a swim, the nearby coast offers pebble and rocky beaches such as San Polo and Colone, a short drive away.

Parking is available outside the old centre, and the walk into the old town is short. In the evening, it can be cool, so bring a light layer. The programme suits music lovers, couples, families and anyone who likes small-scale culture in a beautiful setting. Allow an evening, or stay overnight to enjoy the quiet after the concerts.