Baredine Cave

The origin of Baredine

Baredine Cave—Jama Baredine in Croatian—takes its name from the surrounding area near the village of Nova Vas, not far from Poreč. The name Baredine comes from the local dialect word bared, meaning uncultivated or wild land. Hidden beneath this rugged terrain lies an underground kingdom that was known to locals for centuries, but officially explored and opened to the public only in the 1990s.

Though the cave’s first documented descent dates back to the early 20th century, legends of its bottomless pits and cool depths lived on long before that, passed down in whispers from generation to generation.

A gateway into the underworld

Descending into Baredine is like stepping into another world. The temperature drops to a steady 14°C, and the air becomes still, wrapped in centuries-old quiet. Over thousands of years, nature has sculpted this space into a gallery of stalactites and stalagmites—natural formations that seem to defy time.

Each chamber reveals different moods: from dramatic halls filled with towering columns to delicate crystal formations that glisten in the cave’s soft lighting. Some of these structures resemble familiar shapes—a shepherd’s head, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, or even a snowman—sparking the imagination of every visitor.

Home to the olm: the cave’s guardian

But Baredine is more than stone. It is home to the olm (Proteus anguinus), a rare, blind amphibian that lives only in the underground waters of the Dinaric Karst. Known locally as čovječja ribica, or “human fish,” due to its pale, almost translucent skin, the olm is a symbol of purity and mystery.

Adapted to life in complete darkness, the olm is an ancient species, surviving unchanged for millions of years. In Baredine, it thrives in the underground lakes, far from sunlight but protected by the cool, stable environment of the cave.