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Venice has its gondola and Rovinj proudly presents its batana
In the time of romantic sailboats Rovinj was the most significant maritime, fishing and fishing boat building center of Istria. The city had kept that role until recent times when modern motor boats took over.
However, even today, as in the old days, one can see in the Port of Rovinj numerous batana boats rocking in the mistral. Batana is a flat-bottomed wooden fishing boat that bears witness to the city’s long fishing tradition. Almost every Rovinj family living by or off the sea had one. The batanas used to have triangle-shaped sails whereas today they are run by motors. Rovinj batanas tell the story of numerous Rovinj families, of the traditions, habits and mentality of the “people living by and off the sea” (ljudi od mora) and deserve special consideration, which is why the city also has a museum dedicated to this special type of boat.
Batana Art & Craft
Program
Day 1
We invite you for a welcome drink, a glass of wine or Rovinj vermouth, a spirit prepared from healing herbs and Komovica brandy following a hundred-year-old recipe. Our agent will introduce you to the story of the batana boat you will have a chance to live out during the following days.
Day 2
We will start of with a sightseeing tour of the city of Rovinj placing an emphasis on its fishing tradition: a visit to the city shipbuilding facility (a small shipbuilding and boat repair facility), the city port, the spacio and the cantinon (traditional wine houses), the Church of St. Euphemia, the old city center and finally the Batana House Ecomuseum featuring a demonstration of net and bottle cover weaving. You can later relax in the Mediterranean style, enjoying coffee and home-made cakes on the city’s waterfront. In the afternoon hours you will have a chance to create a unique souvenir by yourselves in Rovinj fishing tradition-related workshops.
Day 3
Today we reveal to you the more beautiful side of Rovinj, the one from the sea, by taking you on a boat ride (maybe you of all people will have a chance to take a ride on the oldest boat in the Adriatic). The Marija motor boat, anchored in the Rovinj Port, is the oldest boat in the Adriatic, built way back in 1863. Through various modifications and additions, this old sailboat was turned into a motor boat, yet still preserving the spirit of days gone by. We will sail along the protected Rovinj shore with numerous islets and the Lim Channel all the way to the picturesque fishing town of Vrsar, where we will stop to make a tour round the town, take a walk along the waterfront and taste light fish dishes complemented buy good wine.
Day 4
We invite you to become a Rovinj fisherman for a day. We will sail on an old trawl-boat several nautical miles away from Rovinj, throw the nets and wait to see the catch. While waiting to see the freshly caught fish, you will have an opportunity to use a fishing pole and, with a little luck, catch a fish on your own. If you are impatient, entertain yourselves as fishermen do - by singing traditional songs and playing cards: briscola and tresette. After the enjoyment of pulling out the nets, hopefully full of fish, and sorting the catch, you will be served your well-deserved lunch prepared from freshly caught fish on the boat.
Day 5
Today we continue and finish our work in Rovinj fishing tradition-related workshops: more skillful excursionists will be able to make a long-lasting souvenir reminding them of the azure of the Adriatic Sea, the song of fishermen, the rocking of batana boats along the silhouette of the city and the statue of St. Euphemia that watches over it.
In the evening we will treat you to a unique sight: the sunset from the batana boat while enjoying a circular ride along the shore of the old city center of Rovinj and the rocky shore of magnificent beauty. We will get off the boat in an unusual location where the sea meets the hundred-year-old authentic Rovinj-style house in which the spacio, a traditional wine house, is located. You will enjoy a beautiful fish dinner in this unique ambiance, complemented by the sounds of the fishermen’s song and, of course, wine.
Day 6
Breakfast, departure, a gift from the host.
Maistra’s DMC department guarantees program
realization. For further information and reservations,
please contact:
DMC Department
Maistra Ltd., Obala V. Nazora 6, 52210 Rovinj, Croatia
tel: +385 (0)52 800 217, +385 (0)52 800 209
fax: +385 (0)52 800 383
e-mail: dmc@maistra.hr
www.maistra.hr |
Program is led by
This program is carried out in cooperation with the Batana House association from Rovinj, whose main purpose is to promote the cultural values and the traditional and authentic heritage associated with the fishing tradition of the city. The Batana House also includes a unique ecomuseum bearing the same name, which is entirely dedicated to this small flat-bottomed wooden boat - the batana. Every June the Batana House organizes a traditional historical vessel regatta, Lug Sail Batana Boat Regatta, and during the summer months a demonstration of the characteristic process of building the Rovinj batana is organized at the plateau in front of the eco-museum. Aming to preserve the authentic dishes and the tradition of building the batana, the association has released two books: Dishes Associated with the Batana (Jela od batane) and The Batana and its Lugsail (Batana i njezino oglavno jedro).
Accommodation
Maistra Hotels & Resorts
Date
The program includes the following services
- a welcome drink and program presentation
- 5 nights with buffet breakfast
- 4 buffet dinners with an offer of international and authentic dishes
- a sightseeing tour of Rovinj in the spirit of Rovinj’s fishing tradition: a visit to the Batana Eco-Museum, the Church of St. Euphemia, the city’s shipbuilding facility (a small one)
- coffee and cake on the city’s waterfront
- professionally-led workshops based on the Rovinj fishing tradition: fishing net weaving, bottle cover weaving, making of useful traditional items and own model of the batana boat
- a boat excursion along the shore, the Lim Channel to Vrsar
- tasting of Istrian wines complemented by a menu of small bites
- excursion with old trawl-boat including lunch prepared from freshly caught fish
- a ride on the batana along the shore of the old city; fish dinner served in the traditional spacio and local music (bitinada)
- a gift: a souvenir.
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