All across Istria this weekend, towns and villages will be marking the Feast of St Martin, a celebration of the new wine and the end of work on the vineyards.
Martinje, as it’s known in Croatia, also involves plenty of music and dancing. In Pula, eight local winemakers will present their wares at Giardini, at the foot of Kaštel, from November 9-11. Festivities start at 5pm every day and run until midnight. A different DJ spins each evening.
In Momjan, Martinje is presented by the Tu I Tamo band, and runs between November 10-12 inclusive. Vrsar, meanwhile, is putting on a whole weekend of entertainment, from cycling tours to Nordic walking, rallying to soup-making, with a whole day of choirs singing in the main square on Saturday, November 11.
For more background on the history and tradition of this annual event, see here.