05 INTACT NATURE OF THE MIRNA RIVER VALLEY AND THE WINE TOWN OF BRTONIGLA

Start from the parking lot near the football field along the narrow road to the road Grožnjan-Buje. Take this road to the main crossroads then turn left onto the main road (attention, traffic!) and ride mainly downhill through villages of Krasica and Bijele Zemlje to the river Mirna. Just before the bridge (11.6 km) turn right. Carry on along the road which follows the river to 18.6 km and turn right and uphill; the road goes to Nova Vas and Brtonigla. From Brtonigla go down onto the main road Novigrad-Buje, turn right (attention, traffic!) and ride along the main road to the road Umag-Buje; turn right uphill towards Buje. At 30.1 km turn left to the side road which leads into the very centre of Buje; from there, ride downhill towards the starting point near the football field. What to visit Brtonigla region is a famous wine growing area with many taverns and wine tasting parlours, among which we recommend Veralda near Brtonigla and the wine boutique San Rocco in the centre of the village. Brtonigla is the home of one of the leading restaurants of the region, San Rocco, famous for its imagina-tive fish and truffles-based cuisine (prior reservation obligatory), and for those who are fond of traditional cuisine we recommend the taverns Astarea and Morgan in the nearby village of Bracanija. The most significant natural phe-nomenon that is certainly worth visiting is the karstic cave Mramornica near Brtonigla. The valley of the river Mirna is surrounded by beautiful and peaceful Nature.