Church of St Peregrine

Why it is worth your time

The Church of St Peregrine is the parish church of Umag and the place where the town keeps its protector: according to tradition Peregrine was a Christian martyr killed in this region in the 3rd century, and his relics drew pilgrims for centuries, until the Venetians carried them to Venice. Today's church is baroque, raised in the 18th century on the site of older buildings, with a three-nave space, marble altars and an organ, and its bell tower is separate from the church and stands right by the shore, where it also serves as a landmark for ships.

The interior is bright and simpler than the facade promises, with several paintings from the Venetian period and with a reliquary keeping what of the saint's remains was returned to the town. The church is open around the masses, entry is free. The feast of St Peregrine at the end of May is the town's greatest holiday, with a procession and a programme on the square.