A place in central Istria, 15 km south from Pazin, with the surrounding area (Zminjstina) has in total 3500 citizens.
In Gradisce (old Zminj) is a preserved prehistoric fort from the 2nd B.C. Ceramic fragments found on the hill Saint Foska in 1956 show that Zminj was populated already in the Iron Age. The ruins of the walls in Kortina, west from the village Modrusani, probably originate from an antic villa. About the presence of the Croatians in the early middle age testify place names, ceramics and 226 emblems found on the area of today’s primary school in Zminj. This region changed the rulers, Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy and Germany till 1945. Zminj and its surroundings take on the fight against the fascists in 1943, as a strive for the reunion with Croatia. Zminj was liberated on the 7th May, 1945.
The cave Festinsko kraljevstvo, a cave in the village Festini, near Zminj, is worth visiting because of its natural beauty and the stone figures resembling fairy tale figures. Entering the cave, you can hear the harmonious sound of the water that have created wonderful underground treasures reflected in small pools of water.
The small, family held, dairy farm Latus is situated on the hill above the village Orbanici. Following the trends in the dairy industry, the company is developing and growing, but the basic principle remains the same: tradition, nature, family. In the way that Nona (Grandmother) Santina produced the cheese, with the conviction that dairy products must be made exclusively of milk, daily up to 10 000 liters of milk are processed by a dozen hard-working hands. The subcontractors of which the milk is bought are industrious cattle farmers from Istria, the almost extinct real lovers of cows, earth, Istria ... The love that every liter of milk contains turns into the taste of the milk products Latus.
In the village Paladnjaki, near Zminj, is the same named rural household (agritourism) Paladnjaki. The agritourism is a connection between the traditional cuisine and the modern trends of stone handling and lighting of the interior. Besides the excellent dishes, they also offer award-wining wines from their own production.
Zminjstina is a more and more visited holiday destination for visitors from all over Europe. Because of the central location are all cities and beaches near, but distant enough to avoid the traffic jam and the summer hectic. Many of the houses are renovated into villas with swimming pool and there are also new holiday homes with swimming pool to satisfy the growing demand on accommodation in Zminjstina.