March the 17th, 2025 – You might know that there is a desert in continental Croatia, far from the coastline. Did you know there’s also an Istrian desert, however? This weird natural phenomenon doesn’t get much airtime…
As Morski writes, there’s an Istrian desert worth visiting. It is known as Piski to locals, and although it doesn’t stretch endlessly into the distance like the Sahara does, it’s still a wondrous natural phenomenon that enchants all those who happen to stumble upon it with its appearance.
One thing that should be mentioned is that the Istrian desert isn’t your typical desert and isn’t what you might expect. In fact, it isn’t even made of grains of sand, but marl, a natural material very rich in silt, clays and minerals. When marl grows hard, it transforms into something called marlstone. Local man Peter Šavron grew up nearby and knows these bizarre “marl dunes” like the back of his hand.
“The proper name for these channels made by water is gullies. Water erosion has caused them to occur, and if you look closely, you’ll see that this material is actually a very soft form of sedimentary rock,” Peter explained.
Despite not being comprised of sand, the strange Istrian desert provides all those who see it with a natural, wondrous backdrop. As you wander through these marl dunes, you’ll feel like you’re walking on the surface of another planet. The landscape is truly unreal, reports HRT.
This strange natural phenomenon spans ten whole hectares and attracts all kinds of visitors either by chance or on purpose. It has become a tourist attraction of sorts in its own right over time.
“I think that the name “desert” intrigues visitors and then they come and see this natural phenomenon and are amazed by it. There are a lot of visitors, and we know that from the number of photos they post on social media of the desert,” stated Martina Meštrović from the Grožnjan Tourist Board.
Local man Peter will soon also offer a zip line crossing.
“I’ll do it so that people have the opportunity to see this area from the air, from a bird’s eye view, which is very interesting indeed. It’s also for the sake of its preservation. Instead of walking across it, people can simply go over the top of it,” he explained.
This strange yet stunningly beautiful Istrian natural phenomenon is valuable, constantly shaped and altered by passing winds and rain. It would be a shame if excessive tourism destroyed it.
