Rinas House

An introduction to Rinas House

The rich red earth of southern Istria provides such fertile ground for farming that it is no surprise that the rolling hills are dotted with small villages, often little more than a farmstead and a barn or two, whose way of life follows the turn of the seasons. Ruzici is just such a hamlet and here the aptly named Ruzic family have restored this delightful farmhouse which was formerly the home of the owner's fondly remembered mother, Rina. The owner, Romano, grows Teran and Merlot grapes in his vineyard and in the early autumn he harvests them to produce a potent red brew in a small workshop adjoining Rina's House. The friendly family may live a few kilometres away but they are natural hosts, who, despite not speaking very much English, will go to great lengths to ensure that a stay in their house is as enjoyable and memorable as possible.

All members of the family were pressed into service to lovingly restore Rina's House into a comfortable holiday retreat in which tradition pours through the exposed stone walls and wooden beamed ceilings. The lovely thick sandstone walls keep the interiors refreshingly cool, while for cooler evenings in early or late season, a wood fire can be lit in the traditional 'kamin' in the kitchen. Guests can sit around the heavy wooden dining table as generations of farmworkers have done over the years. There is an attractive separate living room on this floor with wooden floors and family knick-knacks collected over a generation or two. A wooden staircase leads upstairs (tall people need to mind their heads) to a particularly spacious double bedroom and a smaller twin bedroom looking out over the fields and woodland to the distant outline of Mount Ucka. A modern shower room completes this floor.

Outside, a couple of chairs can be set out on the terrace to take in the rural views, and you can relax by the pool in the garden. The landscape offers rewarding walking country and even mountain biking. Romano's son-in-law, Klaudio, is a member of a local mountain biking organisation and he may be able to arrange the hire of bikes for guests (the house has two bicycles) wishing to explore the quiet lanes of the countryside on two wheels. Exploring farther afield, medieval Labin on the site of an Illyrian hill fort is only 9km away, while the pebbly bay at Rabac can be reached in about 20 minutes. There is a mini-market and restaurant in the village of Sv. Martin (also known as Martinski) 2km away, while the main east coast road linking Opatija with Pula is easily accessible.

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