Raša, the youngest town in Istria, was built in just 547 days to meet the needs of the local coal mine during the Italian rule, known as the fascist era. Originally named Liburnia, the settlement was later renamed Arsia (Raša) after the river of the same name, which defines the geographic and morphological features of the area. Mining activity dates back to the 17th century, and the modern mining settlement was built in 1936-1937 according to the project of the Italian architect Gustavo Pulitzer Finali. Raša is now a unique example of modern architecture and urbanism in Croatia.
The Raša Bay on the eastern coast of Istria, situated southwest of Labin, is formed by the former valley of the Raša River, which was submerged by the young post-glacial rise in sea level. The surrounding sides of the bay are steep and inaccessible, mostly built of limestone and covered with sparse Mediterranean vegetation, offering many points of interest and places worth visiting.
Sveta Marina is a picturesque coastal town on the eastern coast of Istria, with a small peninsula with olive groves and the Church of St. Marina enclosing a serene bay with a settlement and fertile valley. Former small fishing villages Drenje and Ravni have now become tourist centers at the foot of the eastern slopes of the village of Skitače and the peaks of Oštri and Goli. Ravni is now a popular destination for windsurfers and divers, while in the village of Drenje there is a Baroque church of St. Nicholas with a cemetery. Crna Punta is a cape with lighthouses built in 1873 at the foot of the village of Skitače. The legend of hidden gold is associated with Crna Punta, and divers who discovered mysterious passages underwater, only to find stone slabs with unresolved symbols, leaving many questions unanswered even today.
In addition to its cultural and historical significance, the natural beauty and untouched beaches are what primarily attract visitors to these parts of the Istrian peninsula.
