Barban

Barban is a walled town above the Rasa valley whose main square is closed by two Venetian gates, and its distinguishing feature is a contest: the Trka na prstenac, in which riders gallop down a course and try to put a lance through a small metal ring hung on a cord, scoring by which of the ring's zones they hit. It was first recorded here in 1696, lapsed, and was revived in 1976; it runs each August with riders in traditional dress. Ring-tilting of this kind survives in only a handful of places on the eastern Adriatic, the best known being the Sinjska alka in Dalmatia.

What you actually see

• Ring-tilting on horseback - first recorded here in 1696.
• Scored by zone - where the lance passes through the hanging ring.
• Revived in 1976 - after the tradition lapsed.
• A small walled town - two Venetian gates on the square.

When to go

August for the race; the town is quiet the rest of the year. Half a day.

Honest expectations

Outside the August event there is little to see beyond a small stone town. Seating at the race is limited and sold. The town has few services. The event is a local occasion, not a tourist show.

Nearby

Pula is west; Labin and Rabac are north-east.