Bale's Market Square

Bale, called Valle in Italian, is a small hill town in southern Istria, a few kilometres inland from Rovinj, and its market square is the natural place to begin exploring it. The settlement sits on a low hill among olive groves and fields of red earth, and the old centre is made up of tightly packed stone houses and narrow lanes that radiate from the square. Bale has been spared the kind of mass tourism that has transformed the coast, and that quiet is the main point of a visit.

The square is small, shaded in places and surrounded by buildings of local limestone that carry traces of Venetian and Gothic style, such as pointed arches and carved window frames. It is the town's meeting place and has served that function for centuries, when markets and public gatherings took place here. Today you will find a few cafes and shops around it, and locals chatting at the tables. The pace is slow, and in the early morning or late afternoon, there may be few people about except residents going about their day.

Just beside the square stands the most important monument in the town, the Castle of Soardo-Bembo, a fortified residence that combines Gothic and Venetian features and takes its double name from the two noble families who held it. A walk around the castle walls and into the old town gives a feel for how the community lived under the Venetian Republic. Churches dedicated to St. Julian and to St. Mary Magdalene, both listed in this guide, are within a short stroll, and the monument to the fallen soldiers stands nearby. Bale's scenic viewpoint, reached by walking to the edge of the old town, looks out over the countryside toward the sea.

The surroundings are famous for olive oil. The groves around Bale produce some of the best oils in Istria, and local mills and farms offer tastings and tours, where you can learn about the harvest in autumn and the different varieties. The town also has a lively cultural calendar, with a summer programme of concerts, exhibitions and other events in its squares and courtyards, including a jazz festival that draws musicians and listeners from far away. If you can time your visit with an event, the old town takes on a different character after dark.

Plan an hour for the square and the old town, and longer if you add a tasting or a lunch. The easiest way to get here is by car from Rovinj, and a short walk is enough to see the main places. The visit suits couples, slow travellers, photographers and anyone interested in the quieter, inland side of Istria.