Sveti Bartul: Bortulja, Mining Trails and Church

Bortulja, mining history and hiking offer different ways to plan a stay in Sveti Bartul. The Church of St. Bartol adds a historical dimension to these themes. You can choose between festival culture, architectural history and outdoor activities; the hikes range from short routes described as easy to a much longer tour rated moderate.

Bortulja: Festival and Tradition

Bortulja is a traditional festival in Sveti Bartul. Its established program includes a traditional tournament in briškula and trešeta, two regional card games. This gives the festival a clear connection to local gaming traditions. The name “marenda pod urehom” refers to a walnut tree in the center of Sveti Bartol. For the 2025 edition, the marenda included prosciutto, cheese, tripe, octopus salad, sauerkraut with ombolo and sausages, as well as ćevapčići. At the 2022 edition, young musicians performed on Istrian instruments. If you plan to travel for Bortulja, check the dates of the relevant edition before booking.

The Church of St. Bartol

The Church of St. Bartol in Sveti Bartul was built in 1561. A statue of the patron saint stands on a well-preserved altar. Behind the church is a spring covered by a domed structure. The year of construction, altar and spring offer different historical and architectural points of interest during your stay.

Hiking Trails and Mining Landscape

The Krapan–Sv. Bartul mining trail is described as easy and is 1.7 kilometers long. “Spoj Sv Bartul” is named as a separate connecting route; it is also described as easy and measures 1.2 kilometers. The connector is the shorter of the two routes, with a length difference of 0.5 kilometers. Views of the surrounding hills are among the features of the landscape around the mining trails. Older and contemporary mining landscapes meet here, and the surroundings are shaped by a mild Mediterranean climate.

The Presika–Labin–Church of St. Barbara hike is considerably longer: it measures 15.39 kilometers and is rated moderate. Sveti Bartul lies along this tour at kilometer 9.2 and serves as a stopping point. Compared with the short mining trails, this is a much longer route with a moderate rather than easy difficulty rating. Check trail conditions and markings locally before setting out.

Mining Heritage in Općina Raša

In the wider destination of Općina Raša, Raša was built between 1936 and 1937 as a planned mining town, based on designs by architect Gustavo Pulitzer Finali. The Raša mine employed more than 10,000 miners from 1928 to 1966. Employment at the mine therefore began before construction of the planned town.

Cycling as Part of Bortulja

The program for Bortulja 2025 included a cycling tour of about 11 kilometers, starting and finishing in Sveti Bartol. The activity was intended for all age groups, including children accompanied by their parents. If you would like to include cycling in your travel plans, check the dates of the relevant Bortulja edition.

Discover more destinations: Raša, Ravni, Stanišovi, Topid, Brgod, Trget, Skvaranska, Trgetari.

Go to the wider travel overview: Općina Raša.