"Poreč/Parenzo, a cross road in Europe !" Top 5 Page for this destination Porec by JLBG

Porec Travel Guide: 276 reviews and 639 photos

The Poreč fish. - Porec
The Poreč fish.

Prehistoric remains have been uncovered in and around Poreč, which shows that the spot has been inhabited for a very long time.

Two centuries AD, a Roman castrum was built on the peninsula. During the reign of the emperor Octavian, in the first century, it became a colony, Colonia Julia Parentium.

In the 3rd century it had an organized Christian community with early Christian complex of sacral buildings. The Basilica was built in 5th century. When the Roman Empire of Occident fell, the city was invaded by the Ostrogoth.

After 539, it was under the control of Byzance and in 788 of the Francs.

At the end of 6th century, Croats arrived. In the 12th, the city earned it's autonomy.

It has been under the power of the patriarch of Aquilea since 1232, and of the patriarch of Venice since 1267.

In 1354, it was plundered by the Genoese.

At the end on the 16th and beginning of the 17th, the plague devastated Poreč and it's population was dramatically reduced.

During the second half of the 17th, immigrants from Southern Dalmatia and a few Greek and Albanese groups settled in and around Poreč.

After the fall of Venice, it was administered for a while by Napoleon Bonaparte.

It became part of Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1797.

Since 1861, it has been the capital and the seat of the National Assembly of Istria.

From 1918 through 1943, it was ruled by Italy.

During WW2, the town was bombed and heavily damaged. It was freed from the German army by the Yugoslav army on April 30th 1945.

The history of Poreč/Parenzo allows to name it a cross road in Europe and an absolute must see !

Euphrasian Basilica - Porec

Euphrasian Basilica

The city plan still shows the ancient Roman Castrum structure. The main streets are Decumanus and Cardo Maximus still preserved in original ancient forms. Trg Marafor is the Roman forum with two temples, one dedicated to Neptune, erected in the first century AD

The complex of the Euphrasian Basilica, was built in the 5th century and extended to it's present state in the 6th century under the Byzantine Empire and bishop Euphrasius. It is has been inscribed by UNESCO in 1997 on the world heritage list. It contains the famous fish mosaic.

I quote from the Unesco report for inscription on the World Heritage list : "The Poreč episcopal complex is an outstanding and almost completely intact early Christian cathedral complex with a unique basilican church and a representative and stylistically important episcopal palace. It is, furthermore, a structural ensemble which, when taken with the archaeological remains of several earlier building phases, forms part of a greater unit, namely, the historic town of Poreč. As such it provides the unifying factor for cultural, urban, and architectural history beyond the cathedral complex alone and into the late classical and early medieval town in which it was established. The nomination dossier rightly draws attention to comparable ecclesiastical complexes in Ravenna and Aquileia. However, its exceptional quality when compared with these important sites lies in the fact of the completeness and compactness of the group and in the intimate relationship that it has with its historic town."

Venetian Gothic style palace - Porec

Venetian Gothic style palace

In 1844, in the first existing guide book, Poreč was already described as a main destination. For decades, Austro-Hungarian aristocracy made Poreč their sea-side resort.

Poreč, with a permanent population under 10,000, is now the Croatian tourist capital and in Summer, it's population sky-rockets well over 100,000 coming mostly from the whole Europe but with also visitors from the other continents. Then, in Summer, you have better visit early in the morning. That is what I did ! Moreover, the light is better for good pictures !

Pros and Cons
  • Pros:A must
  • Cons:Touristy
  • In a nutshell:Avoid tourist's rush hours (or rush weeks)
  • Last visit to Porec: Aug 2005
  • Intro Updated Sep 19, 2007
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Reviews (70)

View of the city - Porec View of the city Transportation (4)

The satellite view given by Google Earth (two photos have been pasted) shows on top the parking lot for the market.... more travel advice

The harbor - Porec The harbor Transportation (4)

The harbor of Poreč stands on the east coast of the peninsula. It is well sheltered by the island and the piers that... more travel advice

Map of Pore&#269 - Porec Map of Poreč Transportation (4)

This map of Poreč and surroundings is on display at several places in the city. This one was shot on the side of the... more travel advice

Map of Istria - Porec Map of Istria Transportation (4)

For those that do not know, Istria is a small, triangular shaped peninsula of Croatia that extends between Trieste in... more travel advice

Comments (22)

  • Reply
    hopang's Profile Photo
    Sep 4, 2011 at 5:26 AM

    Porec seems to be a wonderful tourist destination with great attractions especially the Bazilika and the Mosaic Museum. We certainly hope to visit Porec one day. Thanks for your virtual tour with outstanding photographs. ~ho & pang

  • Reply
    Maurizioago's Profile Photo
    Oct 16, 2010 at 1:55 AM

    I hope to go to Porec at the beginning of november. Ciao!

  • Reply
    BruceDunning's Profile Photo
    Feb 10, 2010 at 11:06 AM

    WE have the plan to be here in May for one month in Croatia. Thank yo so much for all the tips and directions you point out. It saves a lot of time in knowing where, and how to get around.

  • Reply
    mvtouring's Profile Photo
    Jan 17, 2010 at 1:41 AM

    wishing you happy travels for 2010. Thanks for lovely tips & photo's ;-)

  • Reply
    TheWanderingCamel's Profile Photo
    Jul 12, 2009 at 9:01 AM

    A\wonderfully comprehensive tour of Porec's Byzantine basilica - a must on my list when next in Croatia.

  • Reply
    Arkeolog's Profile Photo
    Apr 12, 2009 at 11:33 PM

    You have an another great page here. I liked your tips and photos. Statues look interesting. I liked Croatian sculptor Mestrovic's when I was in Croatia.

  • Reply
    Jun 29, 2008 at 11:31 PM

    Another excellent web site! with a lot of information!

  • Reply
    angiebabe's Profile Photo
    Feb 5, 2008 at 3:17 PM

    amazing 70 tips on Porec! when my eyes are staying open better and my brain is more turned on than going off i will have a good read!was there in 2002 - am looking forward to the refresher!thanks so much for yr major visit to my Telouet page!!

  • Reply
    Mikebond's Profile Photo
    Sep 19, 2007 at 6:39 AM

    Tu devrais effacer le lien à l'album du concours, puisque cet album n'existe plus!

  • Reply
    frankyboy5's Profile Photo
    Jun 3, 2007 at 1:41 PM

    This is umbelivable!THis is the whole Porec guide book!Fantastick!Greetings:)Member from Budapest

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