On March 21st, 2025, I spent a day traveling through the Istria region of Croatia, stopping in Pićan, Bale, Završje, and Oprtalj. My main goal was simple: enjoy the day taking photos of various places, and while exploring, I decided to also capture photographs of old windows that reveal each town’s character. This one-day road trip turned into a personal exploration of Istria’s architectural details and the stories behind them.
During my stops, I came across a variety of windows—some with weathered shutters, others with bright pops of color. Each window told its own tale. Some were chipped and worn, hinting at a long history, while others looked more recently painted but still fit seamlessly into the stone walls that define Istria’s traditional look. Photographing these windows offered a close-up view of local heritage and the practical yet charming design choices people have made over time.
I’ve always found windows fascinating because they blend function with personal style. These particular windows, scattered across different towns, showcased how diverse Istrian architecture can be, even when it shares common roots. Each set of shutters, each decorative iron grate, and each archway provided insight into the region’s layered cultural influences—from Venetian to Austro-Hungarian. It’s one thing to see these towns from a distance, but focusing on a single architectural element gave me a fresh perspective on how history and daily life intersect.
If you’d like to see more from this trip and other similar trips around Croatia, check the website croatiacaptured.com where I publish much more content like that.
