VELI BADIN ROCK-SHELTERS

At the southernmost tip of Karst Edge, above the village of Sočerga and right on the border with Croatia, you’ll find impressive rock-shelters hidden in the cliffs below Veli Badin. These magnificent natural formations, with their overhanging shapes, resemble giant elephant ears with a touch of imagination. This is why the locals call them “Istrian Ears” or “the Ears of Istria”.

The Veli Badin rock shelters are renowned for their unique colors and shapes, as well as their special microclimate, which is perfect for nesting endangered bird species like the blue rock thrush, rock pigeon, red-rumped swallow, and alpine swift. This exceptional habitat has earned the site a Natura 2000 designation. The best times to visit the rock-shelters are spring and autumn, as it can get quite hot during the summer months. Autumn is particularly ideal for admiring them when the bushes, especially the smoke bush, display beautiful yellow, orange, and red hues, and Karst Edge is bathed in warm autumn colors.

The path to the “Istrian Ears” starts at the Church of St. Quirinus above the village of Sočerga. It is well-marked and mostly flat, but be cautious as it runs close to the edge of a precipice. Along the way, you’ll encounter a stunning natural stone bridge with an arch measuring 6 meters long and 2.5 meters high.