Baredine Cave, Show cave in Tar-Vabriga, Croatia

Baredine Cave is a 132-metre-deep shaft cave near Nova Vas, about 9.4 km from Poreč. Visitors descend to roughly 55 metres through five halls: the Entrance Hall, Red Hall, Spaghetti Hall, Fourth Hall and Figure Hall. Named formations include the White Tower of Pisa, the Snowman and the Madonna, plus 10-metre-long curtains. Two lakes at the bottom, about 66 metres down, are around 16 metres deep.

Ceramic finds show the cave was known and visited about 4,000 years ago, and a medieval legend already described one stalagmite as a petrified woman awaiting her lover. Exploration began in the early 20th century; the passage to the underground lake was found in 1973, the cave was recognised as a natural monument in 1986, and it opened to visitors in 1996 as Istria's first show cave.

The name Baredine comes from the local dialect word "bared", meaning untreated or uncultivated land, referring to the surrounding countryside. A medieval legend describes one stalagmite as a petrified woman waiting for her lover, a story linked to the site long before modern exploration.

Visitors can only explore the cave through guided tours offered in multiple languages and running regularly. The temperature stays cool year-round, so bringing a light jacket or sweater is helpful.

The cave is home to a population of cave olms, rare amphibian creatures adapted to the dark underground waters. These overlooked animals are perfectly suited to the cold darkness and form an important part of the hidden ecosystem below.