Exploring Rovinj, the Jewel of the Istrian Coast

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Largely overlooked by British tourists in favour of Dubrovnik and the crystal clear waters of the Dalmation coast, Rovinj is the glittering star of Croatia’s Istrian coast. It surely won’t be long before this Italian-style beauty captures the imagination and hearts of tourists everywhere. But let’s just keep it between us for now okay?

Rovinj features pastel-hued houses in the quintessential Venetian style, all clustered on a dramatic peninsula with the tower of the Church of St. Euphemia the exclamation point, making this town picture postcard perfection.

It is the identity and history of the town that makes it so intriguing. It was originally ruled by the Venetians which explains the architecture and the remaining prevalence of Italian language. The locals are bilingual and speak a mixture of Italian and Croatian. The original Italian name of the town is Rovigno and is equally considered as the official name. As a self-confessed Italophile and a 5 day quarantine in place at the time when entering Italy from the UK, this was the perfect way to get my Italian fix!

The only problem is it can get a little confusing knowing whether to attempt some Italian or Croatian when speaking to the locals. I did end up saying hello in one language and thank you in another many times!

How Long Should You Stay in Rovinj

Many posts suggest that one day is long enough to see what Rovinj has to offer and you could say this is true. Perhaps if you are doing a longer tour of Croatia sparing one day will suffice. However if you want to build your holiday around Rovinj three or four days is ideal to explore the town at leisure, relax at the different beaches, take a boat trip and sample the many excellent restaurants.

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What to do in Rovinj

This is no tick list destination of must see sights, there is no set itinerary when it comes to Rovinj. Your only mission is to wander, relax and eat as much seafood as possible! These are some of my highlights…

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Explore the Old Town

My favourite thing to do on any trip is wandering through narrow cobbled streets and getting lost. Rovinj was no exception. As always aim to explore in the morning before it gets too crowded and so you can take pictures and savour the beautiful morning light. You don’t need to get up super early here either, it remains fairly quiet and relaxed for most of the morning.

Stroll through Zlatni Rt Forest Park

Only a few minutes walk from the old town is a beautiful park featuring tall cedar and cypress trees and a collection of pebbled beaches. This is the ideal place to escape the crowds and the hot summer sun. Walk, cycle or scooter around the path that hugs the Adriatic coast. Although it does still get busy here, particularly on warm days, it doesn’t feel as oppressive as the crowds within the town.

I think having a green space nearby is a major pull for me when choosing where to travel. I always find myself drawn towards nature, even in the big cities.

There are many pebbled beaches to explore as you meander round the park and these are a less hectic option than the “beaches” within the town, where finding a flat area to lie out on the rocks can be a challenge at busy times!

Mulini Beach

Speaking of beaches, my favourite day was spent relaxing at Mulini Beach. Easy to get to as it’s one of the first beaches you come to, just before you reach the actual park entrance. Yes you have to pay for sun loungers but it was my last day and I just wanted to soak up the Croatian sunshine before I went home so I practically threw my money at them.

Being a sandy beach obsessive I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the pebbled beach. It was large smooth pebbles rather than grainy shingle and it was actually nice to have no messy sand everywhere for once. Water shoes are a must though for Croatia. It definitely made swimming a lot easier.

I bought these bright pink Lakeland ones from Amazon and they were perfect. (Also available in less garish colours!)

The city beaches

Worth a trip for their handy location at least (if you’re staying in the old town). The beaches at Rovinj old town are a fascinating game of where can you lay your towel where you’re not going to hurt your back or end up with hundreds of pairs of feet walking over your legs. I know I’m not really selling it right now but they are a nice spot. The beaches are basically rocks jutting out over the sea and they have their own rugged appeal. There is also entertainment in the form of people jumping off the rocks.

The city beaches are also a nice place to sit if you happen to have cooler/cloudier days as I did. You won’t have trouble finding a spot and you can enjoy sitting by the sea with peace and calm.

Dolphin Sunset Tour

I’m a huge boat trip addict, every time I go away I simply have to include a boat trip (if I’m on the coast obviously). If you stroll along the harbour you will see many companies offering boat tours and they all pretty much offer the same ones. You can choose between a trip to Lim Ford, a Dolphin spotting sunset tour, trips to Red Island and Panorama Tours.

Because I didn’t feel like I had loads of time I decided to do the sunset tour. The dolphin tour offers the chance to get great pictures of the peninsula at sunset and the possibility of seeing some dolphins. Sadly we only just caught a tiny glimpse of the dolphins but it was still a lovely trip. Just remember to take a warm cardigan or jacket as it might be warm still when you set off but by the time you get back it will be getting dark.

The Dolphin Sunset Tours typically cost 100 kuna (13 Euros)

Relax by the harbour

Obvious but imperative. The harbour at Rovinj is simply beautiful and there are a few spots to stop and rest awhile. My favourite was a little further around the peninsula away from the main harbour and the restaurants as it was lovely and quiet. Rather than eating lunch at the restaurants by the harbour take a breakfast of pastries and a book to start the morning. Because the first two mornings I spent in Rovinj were cloudy and cool I only did this on the last day and it was heavenly.

Climb the Bell Tower

Here I am giving you advice on something I didn’t do, oops. I never actually made it up the bell tower. The morning I wandered up to the church was Sunday morning and there was a service going on so I didn’t want to interrupt. I am certain the views must be incredible, especially in the early morning or evening. It was the one thing I’d wished I’d done there.

Where to Eat in Rovinj

Balbi – best for food

Awarded the accolade of my favourite meal in Rovinj Balbi has a touch of class. Soft, flaky seabream encased in delicious filo pastry, mmm! You cannot make reservations here so you might have to wait for a table but it’s definitely worth it. I happened to go after my boat trip in the evening so it was quiet – I had planned on getting a takeaway pizza and eating it back at my apartment but once I went out the restaurant tempted me and I’m so glad it did!

• Travel tip no 48: even if you think you’re going out to get a takeaway pizza make sure you have plenty of money with you just in case you end up tempted by a decadent restaurant instead. Otherwise you’ll end up counting out your change to see if you can have dessert! (I did)

Maestral – best for views

You have to book one meal here at sunset to enjoy the beautiful views across the sea towards the old town. The food is also really good unlike some other obvious tourist spots.

If you want a table by the water at sunset you must book well in advance. It’s worth stopping by on your first day there to see what availability they have.

Giannino – best for service

Renowned for their fresh seafood, this restaurant also had excellent service. It’s tucked away up a quiet street so you have to know where to go, a classic sign of an excellent restaurant in tourist areas. I made the huge error of filling up on a pasta dish of truffle ravioli and didn’t save room for a fish course. If I ever go back to Rovinj it’s top of my list along with climbing the bell tower!

Dessert

Gelateria Italia

Not only do they serve the best ice cream in Rovinj they also do it in full Italian – no speaking English for the tourists here! There is something about being spoken to in another language and not being treated like a tourist. It makes you feel as though you are actually in another country! (And made me crave a trip to Italy!)

Slasticarna-Pasticceria Breski

An innocuous little bakery tucked down a narrow side street off the main shopping street which has the most delicious cakes. Luckily for me it was very close to my apartment so on one of the cloudy mornings I took a breakfast of cakes back to my room and cheered myself up immensely!

Where to Stay in Rovinj

Guesthouse Bellavista

I cannot recommend this apartment enough. I was on the second floor and the views were beautiful (clue’s in the name). There isn’t a balcony per se but the doors open the full length of the apartment wall making you feel immersed in the view. It catches the late afternoon sun so it’s a great way to escape the crowds and enjoy the peace and quiet and still enjoy the sunshine and views. Looking out over the trees and the church tower in the distance is lovely.

In my view the location was perfect. You are just away from the busy streets in the heart of the old town but close enough to explore easily. It’s also very handy for the bus and taxi rank.

Light and airy and in an ideal location – full marks!

Take a look on Booking.com

Planning a trip to Croatia? Check out these too…

One Day in Zagreb – coming soon!

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Island Hopping from Split

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3 Days in Dubrovnik

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