The city of Rovinj is without any doubt true heaven on Earth. If you have ever been to Istria, for sure you´ve visited this amazing city. It is located on the western coast of Istria, between Pula and Porec. It has around 15.000 inhabitants. Together with Porec, they are the most famous touristic places in Istria, but also in overall Croatia.

Full day visit

I just can’t imagine my vacation in Istria and not spending one full day there. As it could get very crowded, the recommendation would be to get there as early as possible. In this case, you could catch some parking places next to the old town. If not, there are also many places a few hundred meters away, in front of numerous buildings and apartments. From there you should go down the road till you come to the sea. Luckily Rovinj is not that big, so you will for sure find something.

Once you are close to the sea, you will see many hotels on your left side. The city center should be in the opposite direction, to the right. Now is the right time to leave everything behind, and to start to enjoy. Probably the first thing you will notice is the small island opposite the city. The name of the island is St. Cathrine. View on the island is really amazing, with all these small boats gliding in front of it. I guess now you slowly start to see why I think the city of Rovinj is a heaven on Earth.

As the old city is located on a peninsula, the easiest would be just to walk next to the sea. Sea will give you some refreshment, especially during the hot summer days. On your way to the main square, you will pass by many coffee places. Take your time and have a nice cool beverage or an ice cream. There are really many places to choose from. Probably you will be a bit annoyed by the staff asking you to come inside. This approach is common for touristic places, and Rovinj is no exception. Although you could have there also something to eat, I would not recommend it. There are many nicer restaurants in the old city.

Choose restaurants in the old city

The nicest part in my opinion starts when you reach the main square and continue left. Following this direction will take you all the way to the church of St. Euphemia. Now it is the right time to have lunch or dinner. Restaurants here are really amazing. Normally doors are opened so you can easily peek inside and decide if this the place. Menus are also placed outside so you can check offerings or compare prices.

On this route, on the left side there are some extraordinary bars where you sit on the rocks a few centimeters from the sea. During the night they also turn on some underwater lamps. Trust me, at night, this is the place to be. If I remember right, prices for cocktails could go sky high. But this is a small price to pay for this amazing atmosphere they offer.

During the day this is part of the city where you could also refresh yourself in the sea. There are many people sunbathing on the rocks, and instantly you will want to do the same. The negative thing is that it is really not suitable for small children.

Grand final – church of St. Euphemia

Tour ends all the way up in front of the church of St. Euphemia. View on the city of Rovinj from here is really breathtaking. If the church is open feel free to enter. The church is really nice. From here I would suggest going back using another way on your left. You will go down through narrow streets where you could buy some hand made souvenirs. Normally souvenirs here should be authentic. This is what I really like about the old city, everything is authentic, original, and hand made by local people.

As you leave the old city, shops and food choices will become less authentic. Good thing is that your children will for sure appreciate it. Reward them with a pizza cut or T-shirt with a print of their favorite Marvel hero.

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