Motovun

Today was a free day in Motovun.  What a beautiful town to spend time in.  But it is a difficult to write about because we have hundreds of pictures and they are all great.  We will start with the hotel.  We lucked out and were staying in the hotel Kastel.  The group was split up and were staying in 2 other places as well as the hotel itself.  The hotel Kastel was right at the center of the old town.  As I understand it, it was originally the residence of one of the ruling Venetian families of Motovun.  Apparently someone screwed up because we got an absolutely stunning room on the second floor right across from the old gate.

The hotel Kastel in Motovun

Our room in the hotel Katel (the Kasteleum)

A view of the old gate from or balcony.

The town is perched up on top of a rock on a major trade route, so it is in a very desirable location that is easily defensible.  Apparently it has been continuously occupied for about 3500 years.  Most of the architecture dates from the Venetian times.  It was a very important center for the Venetian empire.

Old town well across from hotel Kastel dating from 1300's

The town was an absolutely impregnable fortress whose gate were never breached by force.  This also leads to some absolutely stunning views.

View from Motovun with early morning clouds

Outer fortifications of Motovun across a beautiful garden.

View from Motovun

view of adjacent village from Motovun

View of the new (circa 1800) cemetery

The walls of Motovun

Playground and outer fortifications

outer walls of Motovun

view of Motovun from new cemetery

The town was very picturesque with narrow streets and hidden little gardens.

At the end of a very relaxing day we went to David house for happy hour!.  David and his wife live in Vancouver but live in Motovun a couple of months a year.

David and his wife in the doorway of there house in Motovun.

David's house in Motovun.

Tomorrow back on the road again to Buzet.