Hum is located in central Istria and counts today only 20 people. A half an hour pleasant ride from Umag, you can turn your trip to Hum in one of the beautiful stories of Istrian towns .
This hidden part of Istria is extremely appealing to unusual hikers.
So small! Is it really a city?
The criterion of classifying a place as a city differs from country to country. Many believe that the Vatican is the smallest city in the world. In fact, the Vatican is a sovereign state. Hum is today a memorial city, one of the few preserved examples of urban development exclusively within the city walls.
Origins and customs
According to the legend, Hum was created when giants built cities in the Mirna valley, an area in central Istria that includes beautiful towns on hills like Motovun, Roč and Bale, and the rest of the stones eventually built Hum. Despite so small a population of humans, until today, the custom of "Choosing a Preacher on a Summer Day" has been preserved, when all the men from the parish in the town hall elect the village chief in a way to incarnate their voices in a wooden stick.
What can you see and do in Hum?
In addition to being known as the smallest city in the world, Hum has recently been known as the City of Bishop, a brandy with an image, whose recipe supposedly stems from Hum. Combine a one-day visit to Hum with some of the neighboring towns on the hills like Draguć, Grožnjan or Motovun and enjoy a leisurely meal at the friendly Hum's Tavern.
Also worth seeing in the immediate vicinity of Hum is the picturesque village of Kotle, where life is slowly returning after the village is completely deserted and known for its watchtowers and waterfalls.
*photos from visitcroatia