Istarske Toplice

Passing through the river Mirna valley from town of Buzet towards the sea coast, just before the medieval town of Motovun, one’s attention is drawn to rock faces rising from the valley beds on both sides of the road. It is immediately clear that this has to be a climbing spot. The first routes appeared in 1995 and the area has been progressively enriched with new routes since. The most imposing crag is St. Stephen’s (Sveti Stjepan), containing several multi-pitch routes. It rises just above the thermal resort “Istarske toplice”. Other crags contain diverse types of rock, from vertical plates and overhangs with tufas to the larger roofs of the Hallejujah cave. There are routes for everyone’s taste, however, easier routes for the beginners are still missing.
Rock faces are exposed to the sun, making this area the most attractive for visits from fall to spring. Some routes in the Hallelujah cave stay dry in the rain.
Even if you decide to spend a day without climbing in this area, Istarske toplice have much to offer: nice sightseeing walks or a visit to the spa. Of course, at the end of the day there are opportunities for fine dining.
Remark: Time needed to approach the crags can vary from several minutes to 20 minutes in a steep climb, in case that you choose to visit the Hallelujah. This sector, furthermore, is not recommended for visits with children. Sectors are mutually distant and it is not recommended to plan switching between them during a climbing day. In the warm period of the year one should be aware of snakes.
Camping in any part of the resort is prohibited. We urge climbers to follow this rule in order to prevent negative consequences for climbing in this area.
The routes in the Sector (Sveti Stjepan) have been created back in 1995 and haven’t been reequi­pped ever since. Due to the destruction of endemic plants by climbers, climbing is prohibited in the Sveti Stjepan, Wellnes, MDMA, Analogic, Dreaming Verdon and Summer Sectors since 2018. If you are planning to visit this crag, please ask for information first.