Village Traditions Day Trip from Koper

The Village Traditions trip is a memorable experience as it combines rich history, culture, nature and gastronomy which are all closely related to the tradition of the Coast and the Karst region.

You will begin your trip by visiting Socerb Castle which is situated near the homonymous village and offers a beautiful view of the Gulf of Trieste. Due to its excellent strategic position, the castle was very important already in the Middle Ages. Nearby there is also a cave, known as Holy Cave, which in the entrance hall contains the only underground shrine in Slovenia. A legend says that the cave was once inhabited by a hermit, Saint Servulus, who after becoming a Christian lived there for two years.

You will then continue your trip towards the Mediterranean village of Hrastovlje, best known for the Church of the Holy Trinity, which contains a late-medieval Danse Macabre fresco. The church was built in the 13th century and is embraced by the encampment wall and two fortified towers from the 16th century. During Ottoman and Uskoks invasions the settlement represented a safe retreat for the local people. The interior of the church is decorated by frescoes and Glagolitic inscriptions. The frescoes depict the creation of the world, the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden, the Passion of the Christ, people working on a farm, and the most famous sequence called the Dance of Death. The church was painted in 1490 by the inscribed artist Janez of Kastav and the images were discovered in 1951 by the local painter Jože Pohlen. The church is inscribed in the World Heritage List.

You will explore the village and admire a private collection of souvenirs, uniforms and other military objects from the both World Wars. Later on, you will view Jože Pohlen’s collection of graphics and paintings and end our trip by visiting a local organic farmhouse where we will refresh yourself with excellent wine and tasty food.