Filipana: Village Church, Mulberry Tree and Regional Routes

Filipana combines a 17th-century parish church with an old mulberry tree, a traditional village festival and nearby walking routes. When planning your visit, it is worth distinguishing Filipana’s own features from the broader themes of the wider destination of Općina Marčana. This helps you decide whether to focus on local history, a festival date or the wider regional landscape.

Getting your bearings and local history

The approximately four-kilometre-long L50164 road connects Prodol and Divšići; Filipana lies halfway along it. Check local road conditions before setting out.

The parish church of St Philip and James was built in 1609. It has three naves and a bell-gable on its projecting façade. There is also a roughly 450-year-old mulberry tree in the village centre. Its shade offers a place to sit and rest, as well as an opportunity to talk with local residents. Here, the history of sacred architecture meets a place for conversation in the heart of the village.

The area around Filipana bears traces of prehistoric and ancient settlements. Nearby Vrčin is considered one of the larger prehistoric hillforts in Istria. Its double defensive walls, excavated necropolis and settlement dating from the 13th to the 11th century BC place it within a long history. The view therefore stretches from the church built in 1609 far back into prehistory.

Festivals and routes nearby

Filipana Night is a traditional village festival held in Filipana in early August. If you would like to plan your stay around it, check the date for the relevant year. A trail along dry-stone walls leads from the area around Filipana to the Ciganica pond in the forest.

Official cycle route 342 is an easy, eight-kilometre circular route from Divšići in the direction of Filipana. Check the local signposting before setting out. The routes offer different ways to explore: the dry-stone wall trail leads to a destination in the forest, while the cycling route is described as a circular route.

In the wider destination of Općina Marčana

The indented coastline of Općina Marčana stretches for 36 kilometres, from Raša Bay in the north to Budava Bay in the south. It drops steeply into the deep waters of the Adriatic; green peninsulas and hidden coves shape its landscape. The Camino South Istria also passes through the municipality. This 193-kilometre pilgrimage route is divided into seven walking stages. The coastline and pilgrimage route broaden the perspective from Filipana’s local features to a wider landscape and route.

Other cultural themes in the wider destination of Općina Marčana offer their own points of interest. In Rakalj, the birthplace of Mijo Mirković houses a memorial collection on his life, literary work and legacy, as well as the local pottery tradition. In Mutvoran, the main altar of the Church of St Mary Magdalene was created in 1533; the parish church of St Peter and Paul in Marčana dates from the 15th century. In Hreljići, the pilgrimage to Our Lady of Health at the church of the same name takes place annually on the second Sunday in October. The specific programme may vary.

Discover more destinations: Hreljići, Krnica, Orbanići, Kavran, Peruski, Bratulići, Rakalj, Cokuni

See the wider travel overview: Općina Marčana.