Destination

1. Climb the Tower of St. Euphemia

The largest baroque building in Istria, the Tower of St. Euphemia is also the highest point in Rovinj, offering an enchanting view of the town and the archipelago that surrounds it. The church tower is a replica of the bell tower of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, with a bronze statue of Saint Euphemia on its spire. The statue spins around to show the direction of the wind with her right hand.

2. Take a stroll through the Old Town

In a leisurely half-hour stroll you can see three of the most famous Rovinj streets, starting with the Carrera Street, full of galleries and small shops, passing to the Bregovita street, considered the most beautiful one. Grisia street is a must, renowned for its traditional painting exhibitions.

3. Take a ride along the bike trails of the Golden Cape Park Forest

The protected Golden Cape Park Forest is a must for people who enjoy cycling, hiking and walking through a forest known for its Himalayan cedars, alleys of exotic cypresses and Mediterranean vegetation.

4. Visit the Batana Museum

Rovinj honors its long fishing tradition in a museum dedicated to a small wooden flatboat – batana. There you can see a 15-minute film about the crafting of this specific flatboat accompanied with the sounds of bitinada (a traditional Rovinj a cappella song).

5. Visit Monkodonjo

Located 5 km east of Rovinj, the ancient village of Monkodonjo dates back to the Bronze Age. Exceptionally preserved, encircled by walls over 1 km in length, it is composed of three parts: the central barrow, the crafts district and the living quarters. It is estimated that over one thousand inhabitants lived in the village.

6. Go birdwatching in the Palud Ornithological Reserve

Located only 10 km from Rovinj, this wetland area is famous for its richness of bird species. Palud is the only protected ornithological reserve in Istria and its biodiversity is due to the fusion of the wetland and the sea.

7. Dine at the Wine Vault Restaurant

Offering a unique wine-centered gastronomic experience that combines French cuisine and a rich wine chart with more than 550 different vintages from Croatia and around the world, this gourmet restaurant located in the 5-star boutique hotel of Monte Mulini is a foodie temple of Istria.

8. Scuba dive to the wreck of the Baron Gautsch

Austrian-Hungarian passenger ship Baron Gautsch, which sunk in 1914, still exudes the magical aura of La Belle Epoque, mostly because of its magnificently preserved wreck lying at the depth of 40 meters off the coast of Rovinj.

9. Sport fishing

The indented coast of the Rovinj area with its numerous bays, islets and cliffs is a habitat to many species of fish and a place of true enjoyment for fans of sport fishing.

10. Swim and sunbathe on the beach that connects the Red Island and the island of Maškin

Don’t miss out on one of the most beautiful beaches in Istria. Explore the island of St. Andrew (Red Island), its trim trails and walkways, maintained gardens with around 120 plant species and an old castle housing the Count Huetterot Mini Museum, energy fields, a viewing spot, and a mausoleum on the island of Maškin.

1. Visit the Roman Amphitheater in Pula

Built entirely from the limestone coming from local quarries, the Roman Amphitheater in Pula, dating from the 1^st century overlooks the harbor northeast of the old town. Designed for gladiatorial contests, it could receive up to 20,000 spectators in its heyday

The 30 meter high outer wall is almost intact and contains two rows of 72 arches.

2. Visit the Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč

One of the finest examples of the 6^th century Byzantine art is the Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč. A World Heritage site built on the foundations of a 4^th century basilica and a 5^th century church, this complex includes a church, an atrium and a baptistery with mosaics from earlier structures still visible on the northern nave floor.

3. Scuba dive to the Barun Gautsch near Rovinj

Austrian-Hungarian passenger ship Baron Gautsch, which sunk in 1914, still exudes the magical aura of La Belle Epoque, mostly because of its magnificently preserved wreck lying at the depth of 40 meters off the coast of Rovinj.

4. Visit the Cathedral of St. Euphemia in Rovinj

The largest baroque building in Istria, the Tower of St. Euphemia, is also the highest point in Rovinj, offering an enchanting view of the town and the archipelago that surrounds it. The church tower is a replica of the bell tower of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, with a bronze statue of Saint Euphemia on its spire. The statue spins around to show the direction of the wind with her right hand.

5. Visit the Cathedral in Pula

The main altar of the cathedral is a Roman sarcophagus dating from the 3rd century. The church was built around it sometime at the 5th century. The floor reveals fragments of 5th and 6th century mosaics. After a fire, church was rebuit in 1242 and the Renaissance southern portal was added in the 15th century. Further improvements were made in the early 16th and 17th centuries.

6. Lim Bay, Rovinj

The Lim Bay enjoys the status of a preserved landscape. It is over 10 km long and looks like a fjord, shaped by the dissolution of the limestone bedrock.

7. Walls of Motovun

Known for its film festival in the recent years, Motovun is the most beautiful and best preserved Istrian medieval hilltop fortification. Taking a walk along its walls is like being on a time travelling expedition, because the higher you climb its two sets of fortified walls, the older they get. Once at the top, take a moment to enjoy the view and imagine a merchant caravan in the valley of Mirna underneath.

8. Hum - the smallest city in the world

With a population of only 17 people, Hum is officially listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the smallest town in the world. This small, fortified medieval town was first mentioned in documents dating from 1102, in a deed of gift of Urlich II to the Patriarch of Aquilea. Around that time, the frescoes of Hum, counting among the very few things left worth seeing in Hum, were made..

9. Cape Kamenjak

Cape Kamenjak is the most southern tip of the Istrian peninsula, a long narrow strip of land about 9.5 km long and 1.5 km wide. It is an area of unspoiled beauty, rich with wildlife and fish and thus rightfully proclaimed a nature park under special protection. It is open to visitors, divers, sports fishermen and other nature loving adventurers willing to look after its beauty as well as enjoy it.

10. Brijuni Islands

The Brijuni island group that lies off the southwest coast of Istria in the vicinity of Pula, was once the meeting place of the European and world jet set. As the only national park in Istria, Brijuni with its 14 islands covering an area of 736 square hectares presents a unique play of nature that brings together remarkable animal species and rare and rich flora all at one place. It ranks as one of the loveliest archipelagos in the Mediterranean.

1. Visit Pula

Quoted by the Italian poet Dante Alighieri in the Divine Comedy "as Pula, along the Kvarner gulf, that marks the end of Italy and bathes its boundaries", Pula is an ancient city, with evidence of human presence dating back 1 million years, reaching its zenith during the Roman rule in 46–45 BC, when it was raised to colonial rank and the sixth roman amphitheatre was built there.

2. Visit Opatija

Opatija came to fame in the late 19^th century as a royal holiday town, built as the first tourist resort on the Croatian coast from a small fishing village.

With the secessionist and neo-classical mansions climbing steeply into the hills, Opatija offers stunning vistas, great architecture and Viennese style coffee houses well worth a visit.

3. Visit Zagreb

A town formed from two rival hilltop villages, Kaptol and Gradec, whose numerous disputes ended in carnage on Krvavi most (Bloody bridge), Zagreb is today a bustling metropolis and the capital of Croatia. Rich with cultural sights and small underground designer stores, it can be very interesting for a short trip or even a long weekend.

4. Visit Dubrovnik

The poster city off the Croatian National Toursim Board, Dubrovnik is known as one of the oldest free trading towns in the Mediterranean, rivaling Venice.

Should you wish to see it during your stay in Croatia, there are flights from Pula Airport that can take you there and back for a daily tour.

5. Rafting on river Mrežnica

Plenty of waterfalls, greenery and clear, warm water make river Mrežnica one of the most beautiful rivers in Croatia.

Ideal for canoeing, rafting and great for kayaking, one can travel along river Mrežnica from one to five days.

6. Explore the Risnjak Nature Park

Located in Gorski kotar, the most mountainous and heavily forested region of Croatia, about 15 km inland from the Adriatic Sea, the park covers 63.5 square kilometers. As a place where Dinaric and Alpine zones meet, Risnjak offers a magnificent variety in plant and wildlife on a relatively small area.

7. Explore the Plitvice National Park

The oldest national park in Southeast Europe and the largest national park in Croatia, also a UNESCO World Heritage site, Plitvice lakes have more than 1,200,000 visitors per year and are among the most visited nature parks in the world.

8. Fly with Griffon Vultures from the Cres Nature Park

Very steep and wild, Cres is quickly becoming an important conservation project due to its wondruous biodiversity that includes 24 reptile, 200 bird, 87 butterfly, 15 bat, 7 amphibian, 31 dragonfly species, as well as a colony of 120 bottlenose dolphins that live around the archipelago.

If you call yourself a nature lover, you will visit Cres.

9. Spend a day in Fužine

Surrounded by three mountains (Tuhobić, Viševica and Bitoraj) and three lakes (Bajer, Lepenica and Potkoš), Fužine is only an hour away from Rovinj and Vrsar.

Fužine is today a nice little town renowned for its typical mountain cuisine that includes bear paws, frogs and other interesting delicacies.

10. Visit Susak, the only sand island in Croatia

Susak, a wondrous sand island resting on limestone bedrock, completely different from any other island in Croatia, devoid of traffic and tourism, a unique experience worth the trouble of getting there.

1. Panoramic airplane flight

Vrsar is one of the rare places in Istria that has its own sports airport. Take advantage of it and enjoy a panoramic flight over Vrsar, the archipelago and the Lim Bay.

2. Visit the street of Casanova

The famous gigolo stayed in Vrsar on two occasions, in 1743 and in 1744. If his comprehensive memoirs are to be trusted, a few local beauties fell under his charms during each stay.

3. Visit Kaštel – Poreč bishop’s summer residence and churches

The present-day palace came to be by partitioning the original Romanesque castle, and was used as Poreč bishops’ summer residence. It comprised a fortified building with a cistern and four flanking towers that are the continuation of the Vrsar walls dating back to the 15^th century.

4. Visit Dušan Džamonja’s Sculpture Park

The sculptures, graphics and drawings displayed in the monumental complex comprising a house and a sculpture park, belong to one of the greatest Croatian and European modern sculptors, Dušan Džamonja. At the end of August, Vrsar becomes a mecca of sculpture lovers because the Montraker international school of sculpture is organized there at that time each year.

5. Enjoy the view from three romantic viewing spots

The viewing spots offer a view of the Vrsar archipelago and are decorated with sculptures made in the workshops of the Montraker international school of sculpture – a stylish stone table and a resting bench.

6. Take a ride down the Vrsar- Lim-Vrsar eco bike trail

The eco bike trail in the vicinity of Vrsar offers cyclists three types of rides: a short and the easiest one, a medium length trail for the moderatly advanced, and the longest trail that reveals the full glory of Istria and the Mediterranean. On their ride, cyclists pass a deposit of ceramics from the Bronze Age on the main summit, then proceed to Dušan Džamonja’s Sculpture Park, and finally make their way to the Crljenka sports airport or the Lim Gulf.

7. Take a stroll through the Kontija forest

The 140-year-old forest of Oriental hornbeam and other kinds of trees is the best preserved of its kind in Istria.

8. Visit Romuald’s Cave and the Lim Gulf

The Lim Gulf, over 10 km long preserved landscape, shaped by the dissolution of the limestone bedrock has a climbing cliff on its northern and Romauld’s Cave on its southern end. The cave was home of Saint Romuald from 1001 to 1004, who lived, prayed and meditated in it. Cave is a speleological phenomenon too, as its entire decor is located on the left side, while the right side remains empty. There are some evidences of life of Paleolithic hunters.

9. Fishermen’s festivities

Vrsar has the longest tradition of holding fishermen’s festivities which last from spring till autumn. For more information about these folk evening activities on the Vrsar Riviera check the Event Calendar.

10. Visit to Dinopark Funtana

Dinopark Funtana is the first amusement park in Croatia dedicated to life-size dinosaurs. Numerous remains of dinosaurs have been discovered in different locations across Istria, so they have become part of the peninsula’s story. Take this amusing journey way back into the past and experience these unusual creatures.