Sveta Katarina: Church, Olive Oil and Cycling Route

Those interested in cultural history, olive oil or cycling will find concrete starting points for planning a trip in Sveta Katarina. The church, a tasting by prior telephone arrangement, and the challenging Istria Bike Trail 681 appeal to different interests. This lets you plan around what you would like to experience locally without conflating the different themes.

Church and Altarpiece

The church of Sveta Katarina is a branch church, built in 1858 on the site of an earlier church. Its main altar features a painting of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, created by Valentino Lucas of Labin in 1885. The building and its furnishings therefore each have their own historical context: the church dates from the mid-19th century, while the altarpiece was created later in the same century. Those interested in sacred art can focus on the saint depicted and the period in which the painting was created.

Olive Oil and Tastings

At Jakovici 53, a producer offers Terra Rossa extra virgin olive oil. According to the producer, the olives are harvested by hand, milled on the same day and cold-extracted. A tasting is available by prior telephone arrangement. If you would like to include one, arrange the appointment in advance by phone.

The Smotra maslinovog ulja istočne Istre (SMUII) offers a different format. The event program includes tastings of extra virgin olive oils from eastern Istria and young, unbottled Pićan wine. The audience can also vote for the most successful olive oils and wines. This means there are two distinct ways to get acquainted with them: an individual tasting appointment arranged by phone and an event program with audience participation. If you would like to plan your trip around the SMUII, check the current dates in advance.

Cycling on the Istria Bike Trail 681

The official Istria Bike Trail 681 passes through Sveta Katarina and is considered very challenging. This rating is an important factor when planning a bike ride. Route details may be updated by the responsible authority, so check the current route before setting out. The cycling route is therefore a separate reason to visit, rather than simply another stop for tasting or sightseeing.

Regional context: Općina Pićan

Within the wider travel destination of Općina Pićan, the municipality lies in central Istria, in the Labinština area. It covers 51 square kilometres and is surrounded by fields and vineyards. The historic town of Pićan is the seat of the municipality, situated on a prominent limestone hill west of Čepićko polje. This landscape and geographical setting is part of Općina Pićan.

In Pićan itself, the historic buildings tell the story of several periods. The monumental town gate dates from the 14th century and was restored in 1613 for Bishop Antonio Zara. The bell tower, built of white limestone, was constructed in 1872 and stands 48 metres high. At its base, a historic stone measure has been preserved; it was once used to measure the dues paid by the subjects. The Church of the Annunciation acquired its current exterior through the reconstruction of 1753; its interior was given a Baroque makeover under Bishop Piccardia.

Pićan also offers its own vantage points for taking in the landscape: from the Franz Ferdinand viewpoint, the view extends across the hilly countryside of central Istria. Those interested in architecture and history will find different architectural traces of the past in the town gate, bell tower and parish church. These insights complement the themes related to Sveta Katarina without conflating them with Pićan’s sights.

Discover more destinations: Zajci, Grobnik, Pican, Krbune.

Go to the wider travel overview: Općina Pićan.