Hum, Croatia: The Smallest of Treasures

“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way”

Napolean Hill

Full of Charm and Rich in History

It was another day of castle hunting on the spectacular Istria Peninsula in Croatia. Our destination is Hum, Croatia.

It had been a successful day so far, but the road became concerning as we headed to our next castle. Driving down what appeared to be a private dirt road, at times single lane, we passed homes where people gave us looks as if to say, “Are you lost?” We started doubting Google Maps, which has been our stalwart on all our trips. Once we left the dirt road behind, we began climbing a winding mountain pass through a dense forest, with no signs or towns in sight. As we started to question whether we were lost, we decided to push a little farther. Ultimately, Google Maps proved worthy of our trust.

Suddenly, at the top of the hill, Hum emerged. Since our goal was to visit the castle, we were surprised to discover, just as we approached the entry gate, that what we were about to enter was the smallest city in the world by population. Naturally, that title gave us pause. Could it be a tourist trap? With a claim like that, it was hard not to be skeptical.

But there was a castle, so we could ignore the touristy side if needed. Through our castle-hunting adventures, we’d learned that incredible castles often appear in the most unexpected places—tucked within farmers’ fields, hidden deep in dense forests, perched on river islands, or even standing along sandy beaches. More often than not, the journey to find them is just as enjoyable as the discovery itself.

This time, it wasn’t just the castle that made the trip worth it; this tiny village brimming with charm captivated us. It may have helped that the views alone were stunning.

Is Hum really that small?

Hum, pronounced Hume, is reputed to be the smallest town in the world, with a population of 30, according to the 2011 census. Although not officially noted in the Guinness World Book of Records, it appears to be the case nonetheless. The village operates as a whole city with a mayor, elections, and administration facilities.

Tucked in the heart of the Istrian Peninsula, this tiny settlement is officially part of the greater town of Buzet. Remarkably, the entire city measures just 300 feet long and 90 feet wide, with only two streets. Along those narrow lanes stand 20 buildings, each contributing to the village’s peaceful charm. Perched atop a hill more than 1,000 feet above sea level, it offers sweeping views of the dense forest below and the vast valley stretching out in every direction.

Records recognize Hum as far back as the 12th century.

A fun fact about Hum is that the 1921 census reported that 100% of the town spoke Italian. How could that be? It was because Istrian Italians populated most of the Istrian region at that time. In 1920, Istria was annexed to Italy, and after World War 2, Istria was returned to Croatia. This provides a rich history to the area with trilateral cultural roots in Croatian, Slovenian, and Italian.

The Legend of Hum Croatia

As with many medieval towns, a legend explains their existence. The story goes that the Giants building the towns in the Mirna River valley had some remaining stones. Not wanting to leave the few remaining stones unused, they made the miniature fortress city of Hum.

Planning a trip to Croatia? Check out our Croatia Travel Guide

Hum in the Middle Ages

This medieval city was fully walled at one time, and all the homes were built within those walls. Much of that wall remains. It is unusual that no homes were built outside this tiny town, but as small as it was, it likely was their best chance for defense. There is a double-door main gate with cooper door shields and handles adorned with a Giogoltic script. There is also a castle, watchtower, and two churches: St Jerome, which was built in the 12th century, and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which was built in 1802 in the place of a previous church. The churches are small and worth a visit.

St Jerome has beautiful frescos to enjoy. On its walls, it is adorned with some of the oldest examples of ancient Croatian Glagolitic writing from the Middle Ages.

For those who like to hike, there is a fascinating 2-mile hiking path between Hum and the village of Roc called the Giogolitic Alley. The path has many large stone sculptures dedicated to the ancient Croatian script. Each stone sculpture represents a letter of the old alphabet, which is reported to have been used until the last century.

How often do you get to hike an alphabet trail?

How can this be an actual city?

Hum has a functioning local government with annual elections held on June 11th, a day celebrated as the Day of Hum. On this occasion, the men of the town gather in the City Lodge to cast their votes by engraving them onto a wooden stick, a tradition that has been passed down for generations. Interestingly, this custom continues to uphold the rule that only men are allowed to vote, reflecting the town’s deeply rooted historical practices.

The village also contains an administrative and public affairs facility.

Our Hum Visit

The day we visited was gorgeous and quite warm for late October. Due to it being a weekday, we were one of just a handful of people.

We felt we had Hum to ourselves.

In a town so small, we expected there would not be much to see or do. That turned out not to be the case. In fact, there’s quite a bit to see and do. There’s the castle, a small museum, and two historic churches, all connected by lovely cobblestone streets perfect for strolling. For the more adventurous, there’s a scenic hike to the nearby hill town of Roč along Glagolitic Alley. Or, if you prefer to slow down, you can simply sit on one of the wooden benches at the edge of town and watch the sunset in peaceful silence.

Of course, there is always shopping and grabbing a bite to eat.

Lining the two streets that make up Hum are several quality shops, cozy taverns, a wine bar, and a charming restaurant. In many of the small boutiques, you can sample local delicacies for free, adding to the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the town.

Specialties

At one stop, a friendly shopkeeper encouraged us to try their unique local specialty, a champagne beer, which turned out to be a delightful surprise. She set us up on this quaint little table outside overlooking the village and beautiful valley while we enjoyed this impressive brew. Loving both beer and champagne; it was quite the perfect blend. (See the pic in the photo gallery below)

Champagne beer, though, is not what made Hum famous. As small and out of the way as this town is, it has deep traditions and cherished products, specifically Humska Biska, a traditional Istrian brandy made with mistletoe and herbs.

It makes an excellent souvenir, too!

Other local specialties in the shops are homemade Istrian delicacies such as truffles, cheese, olive oils, wine, honey, sausages, and varied flavored Rakija’s. When given a chance, never pass on trying the truffles! It’s one of our personal favorites from this region.

Want to learn more about the food of the Istria region, especially truffles? Check out our post on Croatian Cuisine

Spoiler alert: we loved it!

Festival!

Now, when you are known for a unique product as Mistletoe brandy, a festival would be appropriate to celebrate it. Hum holds the Grappa Festival each October, showcasing its local specialty brandy. Producers from all over the region come to display their craft and seek to win the big prize.

The day we visited was the week before the festival. We wish we could have stayed for it, but we were going to be halfway down the west coast of Croatia by the weekend!

Maybe next time!

There is no cost to enter Hum, but there is a nominal charge (in 2020 it was about $2.00) for parking in the lot across from the entry gate. There is no street parking allowed.

Getting to Hum, Croatia

The area has a rich history dotted with incredible hill towns, medieval castles, and glorious countryside. Hum is one of many beautiful destinations in the area. Therefore, we found that having a car provides a unique chance to wander off the beaten path and explore such treasures.

Visiting Hum would take only a few hours, at most, of your time, even with stopping for lunch. A car would allow you to explore the area further.  

During the tourist season, bus tours stop in Hum. Taxi and Uber are always an option, but they can be pricey, and getting one to take you back can be a challenge.

Hum is two and a half hours from the Croatian capital, Zagreb. It could be a possible day trip, but it would be a long day. Most people will stay in some of the closer, bigger cities, such as Opatija (where we were staying), Rijeka, and Motovun, which are easy drives. Though we seem to have taken the rougher route, there are better roads to reach Hum.

Want to spend the night in the smallest city in the world?

Surprisingly, we saw signage for some small vacation rentals in town. Some were in the few modern buildings within the city walls, and some were in the ancient structures.

Of the few accommodations available within Hum, they appear to be apartments or rooms within homes.

With the controversy surrounding Air BnBs’ and such, it would be fascinating to hear how the few villagers here feel about this. Based on their hospitality, I may expect they enjoy having a guest or two stay the night.

When planning a trip, it’s always wise to compare accommodation prices across different platforms. Expedia, based in the U.S., and Booking.com, based in Europe, don’t always feature the same properties, so checking both can give you the best range of options. We personally prefer Booking.com for its user-friendly interface and wide selection, but we always recommend double-checking the hotel or vacation rental’s official website too, sometimes you’ll find exclusive deals or perks when booking directly.

Click the link below to explore hotels and vacation homes in the area you are planning to visit. Who knows? It might be just the spark you need to start planning your next grand adventure.

Final Thoughts

An adventurous path led us to a charming village that was much more special than the Venetian castle we first sought.

Hum, Croatia, is a picture-perfect ancient village that is so much fun to photograph!! Joelle may have stopped every three steps to take another pic. The cobblestone streets and ancient buildings take you back to days past. The landscape that surrounds it, which includes some vineyards, is breathtaking.

There is a presence in this tiny town that speaks to the pride of its few residents. The welcome is kind, and the warmth is genuine. We so enjoyed the people we had a chance to chat with while shopping. The residents have preserved the ancient authenticity of Hum while keeping the village livable for its residents, including several children in their count.

It was one of our many memorable stops because of the magnificence of Croatia as a whole.

Ultimately, we came for the castle, but found the town to be the best part. How often do you get to visit the smallest city in the world?

© 2025 Wanderers Compass All Rights Reserved

Hum, Croatia has a town webpage, but it is pretty bare-bones. Check it out by clicking the link here.

Our Hum, Croatia Photo Gallery

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