Poreč at the center of interest: free guided tour "Know Your Country" gathered about seventy participants and returned focus to heritage
The Tourist Board of the city of Poreč organized a free tourist tour on Sunday, January 18, 2026, as part of the national project "Know Your Country", prepared on the occasion of the International Recognition Day of the Republic of Croatia. According to the organizers, about seventy participants responded to the tour, which once again showed that interest in professionally interpreted cultural-historical heritage does not wane even outside the main tourist season. In Poreč, the Mediterranean rhythm and layered history meet in one place, and such tours increasingly confirm how much the audience appreciates when the city's past is not "retold by heart", but interpreted understandably and argumentatively through space, architecture, and life stories.
The gathering began at Freedom Square, where the tour started exactly at noon. That detail was not accidental: tours were organized at the same time in other Croatian cities included in the project, thereby additionally emphasizing the symbolism of joint commemoration and encouraging citizens to experience their own country as an open classroom of identity. Poreč thereby imposed itself as an example of a destination that, alongside sun and sea, is increasingly positioning itself through cultural tourism content, heritage interpretation, and memorable experiences. For visitors who arrive in the city specifically for such events or wish to stay longer, it is practical to plan
accommodation offers in Poreč near the center and key landmarks.
Tour at noon, as well as throughout the country: a project that connects local experience and national story
The project "Know Your Country" has grown in recent years into a recognizable framework in which city stories open up in numerous communities on the same day and at the same time. The Poreč tour was thus part of a larger "mosaic" of tours offering citizens the opportunity to access quality guided content without financial barriers, and enabling tourist guides to show the importance of their profession outside classic commercial tours. The organizers emphasize that the goal of the project is the promotion of cultural heritage, strengthening awareness of the value of professional guidance, and encouraging sustainable tourism, and in a broader sense, emphasizing the role of tourism workers in preserving national identity and the country's international reputation.
In Poreč, this idea is read particularly clearly because it is a city that can be "read" through epochs in a small space: a street, a square, a facade, a sacral complex, or a detail on a stone wall can become an entrance into a story that transcends local frameworks. That is precisely why the turnout of participants is not a surprise. Events that offer meaningful content, clear structure, and the leadership of a person who knows how to tell a story without exaggeration, regularly attract audiences of different generations. Many participants of such tours are not "tourists in passing", but residents or people from the wider region who want to experience the city in a different way, with more context and less superficiality.
Besides the symbolism of the common term, the feeling of belonging that such projects create is also important. When tours happen simultaneously in dozens of cities, the message is clear: heritage is not isolated in museums and tourist brochures, but is part of everyday life, and understanding one's own history is not reserved for experts. Poreč further reinforced this message with its recognizable scenery of the old town core, where it is almost impossible to take a step without encountering traces of past centuries.
The old core and the Euphrasian Basilica complex: why Poreč is a magnet for cultural heritage lovers
After the initial gathering at Freedom Square, a tour of the old town core followed, and the central point of the tour was the complex of the Euphrasian Basilica, one of the most important monuments of early Christian architecture on the Adriatic. The city was presented to participants through historical layers, from ancient times to the present, with an emphasis on lesser-known facts and details that make Poreč special. Such an approach is particularly important in destinations that visitors often experience through "the most famous postcards", while the layering of the space remains hidden to them.
The complex of the Euphrasian Basilica in the historical core of Poreč was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997, and UNESCO describes it as an exceptionally complete example of an early Christian episcopal complex. This description emphasizes that it is a group of buildings distinguished by the complete preservation of elements such as the basilica, atrium, baptistery, and episcopal palace, as well as layered development through late antiquity and the early Middle Ages. It is also important that UNESCO in its materials does not treat the monument as an isolated object, but observes it in relation to the city that surrounds it: the basilica and associated buildings become the axis around which the urban and cultural history of Poreč is read.
For the tour participants, such information was not just an incidental fact, but a framework helping to understand why Poreč, despite its size, is one of the key places for the story of early Christianity and architecture on the eastern coast of the Adriatic. In the interpretation, the idea of continuity was particularly emphasized: the city changed, upgraded, and adapted, but certain points – like the sacral center – remained recognizable even in later centuries. When the atmosphere of narrow streets and squares is added to this, it is not difficult to understand why such tours attract not only history lovers but also those seeking an experience of the city "from the inside", beyond the usual routes.
For part of the visitors discovering Poreč for the first time or planning to stay for several days to explore the cultural sites of Istria in more detail, it is useful to consider in advance
accommodation near the old town core, especially if they want their walk to the main landmarks to be part of the experience, and not a logistical challenge.
The guide as a key "translator" of the city: the role of Jadranko Mates in creating the experience
Professional guidance in Poreč was held by licensed tourist guide Jadranko Mates. According to participants' impressions and the organizer's description, his interpretation was dynamic, precise, and simultaneously accessible, with enough breadth so that topics are not reduced to a mere listing of data. Precisely such an approach is crucial in tours that gather a wider audience: people come with different prior knowledge, interests, and expectations, and a good guide must find a common language without trivializing the content.
Especially highlighted was the combination of historical anecdotes, local stories, and lesser-known details that "ajar" the everyday life of the former city. Such elements do not serve entertainment for entertainment's sake, but have a clear function: they help facts be remembered and spaces be experienced as places of life, not just as a backdrop. The relaxed atmosphere, laughter, and attention that participants maintained throughout the entire tour show that the audience wants tours that are professional, but not stiff.
In a broader sense, such tours remind of the often neglected fact that tourist guides are not just "escorts", but interpreters of cultural context. Project organizers emphasize the importance of professional guidance and the role of tourism workers in presenting the country, which is best seen in practice precisely in such examples: the same location can remain just a beautiful photograph, or become an understandable story connecting history, architecture, faith, everyday life, and today's challenges of preserving cultural assets.
Poreč is grateful for such interpretation because it offers strong "anchor points" – from ancient traces and medieval layers to the early Christian complex which is internationally recognized as heritage of exceptional value. But without a guide who knows what is essential and what is mere decoration, the visitor easily misses the key thing: why something has been preserved, how it changed, and what it tells us today about the community living in that space. Precisely therein lies the difference between a walk and an experience.
Why International Recognition Day is a key context: a date that marked modern Croatia
The project "Know Your Country" is linked to the International Recognition Day of the Republic of Croatia, which is marked on January 15. That date, according to official reminders of institutions, marks the day when Croatia was recognized by the European Community, and subsequently by many other states, whereby the country's international subjectivity was confirmed in an extremely demanding historical moment. In public addresses and official texts, it is often emphasized that international recognition was not an isolated act, but part of a complex process of political changes and war circumstances, which is why January 15, 1992, is remembered as one of the key dates of recent Croatian history.
In that sense, it is not accidental that the project is placed precisely within the framework of that memorial day. The idea is clear: marking an important state date does not have to be reduced only to protocol messages, but can include content that brings citizens closer to the space in which they live, its identity, and cultural foundations. When heritage is experienced as a living value, and not as decor, it is easier to understand why the country's international reputation is also connected to the way it protects and presents its cultural heritage.
In Poreč, that connection is particularly visible because the UNESCO status of the Euphrasian Basilica complex also carries a clear message of responsibility. Such status is not only recognition but also an obligation to preserve, maintain, and present cultural assets in a way that respects their authenticity and integrity. That is precisely why professional guidance becomes a tool of public education: it helps understand why a certain space must not be reduced to mass consumption and why the balance between tourism and preservation is crucial.
Cultural tourism out of season: free tours as an incentive for more sustainable destination development
One of the important dimensions of the Poreč tour is the date: mid-January, outside the peak of tourist traffic. Such a choice has multiple layers. On one hand, the project is linked to a state memorial day, but on the other hand, it shows how cultural content can be a powerful tool for "extending" the destination experience even outside the summer months. When a city presents itself as a place of stories, and not just as a place of consumption, then it becomes interesting even in a period when travel is generally less frequent.
Organizers at the national level also emphasize broader goals: promoting cultural heritage, strengthening awareness of the value of professional guidance, pointing out challenges faced by domestic tourist guides, and encouraging the development of sustainable tourism. In practice, this also means encouraging the audience towards a more responsible relationship with space. A visitor who understands the value of a monument will also understand the need for visitation rules, preserving peace during religious rites, or the importance of heritage not being "consumed" to exhaustion.
In Poreč, in recent years, there is increasingly frequent talk about the quality of experience and authentic values of the destination, and such programs contribute precisely to that. They create a different rhythm of the city: instead of a quick passage, they offer slowing down and understanding. Instead of fragmented information, they offer a whole. And instead of tourist "attractions" as products, they offer heritage as a common good.
For visitors who want to come to similar events or spend a weekend in Poreč dedicated to cultural content, it is useful to also consider
accommodation for visitors to the Euphrasian Basilica and the wider old town core, so that sightseeing would be simpler and more pleasant, especially if they plan multiple locations in a short time.
Poreč as a "story" destination: from local response to long-term effect
The response of about seventy participants also speaks to the audience's need for programs that are well-designed and professionally guided. In a time when information is often consumed superficially, and content is reduced to short forms, it turns out that there is a stable audience that wants to understand the context. Poreč is in this sense a good example: the city is not just a stage for the season, but a space where cultural layers can be interpreted throughout the year.
For the tourist board, such events also have a reputational effect. They send a message that the destination is focused on quality and content, and not just on numbers. At the same time, they give the local community an opportunity to experience their own city from a new perspective, which is often the best start to a more responsible relationship with space. When residents become the "best readers" of their own heritage, then they can convey a different experience to guests as well, without clichés and without superficiality.
The Tourist Board of the city of Poreč, after the tour, thanked the participants for the large turnout and positive energy and announced the continuation of the development of programs promoting authentic values of the destination and a quality experience of local heritage. Such a direction logically continues on the experience of this year's tour: interest exists, the audience reacts, and the city has content that can support it. Ultimately, Poreč showed that heritage is strongest when it is told clearly, professionally, and with measure – just as participants could experience on January 18, 2026.
Sources:- Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) – press release on the project "Know Your Country" and the tour date January 18, 2026 at 12:00 ( link )- Association of Tourist Guide Societies of Croatia – information on the project and continuity of implementation since 2018 with HTZ support ( link )- Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia – official context of international recognition of the Republic of Croatia on January 15, 1992 ( link )- UNESCO World Heritage Centre – description and data on the inscription of the Episcopal Complex of the Euphrasian Basilica in the Historic Centre of Poreč (inscription 1997) ( link )- Istria Tourist Board (istra.hr) – information on the Euphrasian Basilica and UNESCO heritage status ( link )
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