You haven’t really seen Istria until you descend underground – to a world shaped by nature’s long, patient work over hundreds of thousands of years. Among the many pits and caves on the green peninsula, Baredine Cave, or Grotta Baredine, is one of the best known that is open to visitors. It is adorned with numerous stalactites and stalagmites, but the sweetest sight is definitely the one at the very end of the route: our little olm.
Geology nerd note: the difference between caves (Croatian: špilja) and pits (Croatian: jama) lies in their inclination. A pit is a vertical cavity entered at an angle steeper than 45°, while a cave is more horizontal, with a gentler slope. Stalactites hang from the ceiling and form as water acts before dripping onto the ground, while stalagmites grow from the floor toward the ceiling and form after the water drips. They can meet along the way, and the place of their courtship is called a stalagnate, or a cave column.
Baredine Cave is a striking example of karst geology and the first speleological site in Istria to be opened to visitors. It is located on the western side of the peninsula, not far from Poreč and Novigrad. It was opened to visitors as early as 1995, which is also when divers first descended into its lakes for a Hungarian documentary. The name Baredine comes from the surrounding terrain, which once referred to uncultivated, rocky land. At first glance, it is clear that this is no longer the case today: the cave is now surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, Istrian terra rossa (the region’s distinctive red soil), botanical routes…
The cave is 433 ft deep, and the path that runs through it, through its five chambers, is 984 ft long. You first descend through an opening 49 ft deep into the first chamber. You then continue through the remaining chambers to the final point, a small underground lake. Over the course of a 40-minute tour, you pass through five chambers (984 ft of pathways) and descend to an underground lake at a depth of 197 ft. The entire visit takes place in the company of a guide.
Along the way, you will see beautiful stalagmite and stalactite formations hanging overhead like jellyfish and octopuses. Among them stand out the 33 ft long “curtains” and a formation known as the shepherdess Milka. According to legend, in the 13th century, a nobleman from Poreč named Gabriel fell in love with the shepherdess Milka. His mother could not stand her and could not break up their relationship, so she paid bandits to kill her. They threw Milka into the cave, and when Gabriel found out, he mounted his horse and disappeared into the dust. The horse was found near the cave, but neither he nor Milka were ever seen again.
The most famous motionless formation in the cave, however, is the so-called Snowman Torchbearer, a distinctive cave formation. Located in the final chamber, next to the underground lake, Snowman attracted the attention of speleologists when they noticed that it was growing unusually fast. And when they began photographing it, at that very moment, it finally fused with the stalactite above it. A historic moment captured on camera – something that normally takes hundreds or even thousands of years.
This raises the question: is photography allowed inside the cave? As you can see, it is – but without flash. You would blind the olm. Seriously 🙂. It awaits you in the final chamber, that is, in the pool where it lives. Incidentally, the Istrian olm has genetically gone slightly its own way compared to its Dinaric sisters from the Dinaric Alps, hence the name “Istrian.”
In ancient times, people believed it to be a baby dragon in local folklore, associating its underground life with death and demons, and so they killed it. Today, this little dragon is protected by law, and it has also protected itself through its ability to quickly burrow into mud and to survive without food for up to ten years, in some cases.
The olm was not the only humanlike presence to have lived in the cave. Our ancestors also descended here carrying lavori – large household basins – to collect the water that dripped here during the summer, as evidenced by prehistoric pottery fragments found here.
Information About Visiting the Cave
Visits to the cave are possible exclusively with a guide, and guided tours are organized every 30 minutes, sometimes even more often. Tickets can be purchased upon arrival. The price list at the end of 2025 was as follows, but if you are reading this text in 2028, that means a) this website has not collapsed, and b) you should check their official website – if theirs hasn’t collapsed either.
- Adults: €12
- Seniors (65+): €10.5
- Children (ages 5–15): €8.5
- Children (ages 0–4): free
- Students: €10
Baredine Cave: What to See and Do Nearby?
- Traktor Story & Konobon Art Gallery – located right next to Baredine Cave. An exhibition of vintage tractors and agricultural machinery, along with the classic Mediterranean trilogy known as bread, olive oil, and wine. In the vinotheque, you can taste and purchase local products from the region.
- Poreč – Baredine Cave is 9 km (5.6 miles) from Poreč.
- Motovun – Baredine Cave is 28 km (17.4 miles) from Motovun
- Aquapark Istralandia
- Višnjan Observatory
Baredine Cave: Where to Eat?
- Agroturizam Musizza – traditional cuisine and excellent food, a pleasant setting, friendly staff, and less than 3 km (1.9 miles) from Baredine Cave.
