Rovinj is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in Croatia. Its fabulous old town is a masterpiece of Venetian architecture: a maze of alleys with Gothic and Renaissance buildings perched on a scenic promontory overlooking the sea.
The Church of St. Euphemia dominates Rovinj Old Town with its majestic bell tower inspired by that of St. Mark in Venice. The view of the turquoise sea is enchanting, as are the surroundings of Rovinj, such as the Limski Canal and the scenic old-fashioned Istrian villages.
The bond with Venice is still strong, so much so that both Croatian and Italian are spoken in Rovinj, and from the town it is possible to visit Venice with comfortable day trips: in summer high speed catamarans connect the two wonderful cities in just a couple of hours.
What you will find in this guide to visiting Rovinj:
- Rovinj: Interesting Facts and Things to Know Before You Go
- Best Things to Do in Rovinj
- Best Things to Do Near Rovinj
- Best Restaurants in Rovinj
- How to Get to Rovinj
Rovinj: Interesting Facts and Things to Know Before You Go
Rovinj is one of the most beautiful and famous cities in Croatia, located along the Istrian coast, between the towns of Porec and Pula. Rovinj is located in one of the most scenic areas of Istria, near the Limski Kanal, a kind of fjord that stretches for over 35 km. It is not actually a fjord, because it was not carved by a glacier but by a river, so it is what geologists call a ria.
But what really makes Rovinj stand out is its breathtaking old town, a masterpiece of Venetian architecture that stands on a scenic promontory. Rovinj Old Town dominated by the fabulous bell tower of St. Euphemia’s Basilica has become one of the most iconic pictures of Croatia, with its houses overlooking the sea, the maze of labyrinthine alleys, the stairways towards the turquoise sea.
Rovinj was founded by the Illyrians and later became a Roman town, called Ruvinium. It was later incorporated into the Byzantine Empire and passed through several rulers until 1283 when it became part of the Republic of Venice and quickly became one of the most important towns in Istria.
Rovinj Old Town stands on a promontory that, seen from above, has the shape of an egg, this is because it was once an island close to the coast. The Venetians in 1763 filled the canal so as to merge the Rovinj Old Town to the mainland. This led Rovinj to develop considerably along the coast as well, where today there are ports, beaches and some good hotels and resorts. After the Venetians the town was ruled by the Austro-Hungarians until the end of the First World War, when it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy.
After WWII, a large part of the Italian-speaking community (which in 1917 therefore even before unification with Italy was 97.8% of the population) was forced to leave Rovinj, which was ceded to SFR Yugoslavia. Following Croatia’s independence in 1991, the town became part of Croatia and one of its main summer destinations. Rovinj is officially a bilingual town where both Croatian and Italian languages are spoken as well as the signs are in both languages.
Rovinj is also famous for its excellent hotels and resorts and for having some of the most beautiful beaches in Croatia. Right in the heart of Rovinj Old Town is the fabulous Spirito Santo Palazzo Storico, which offers excellent rooms and suites in a beautifully restored historic mansion.
Just south of the old town is the wonderful Grand Park Hotel Rovinj, a brand new 5-star hotel boasting world-class restaurants and spas, and other excellent hotels and resorts, such as the Hotel Monte Mulini, Hotel Lone and the Hotel Eden, while to the north is the excellent Family Hotel Amarin.
Just opposite Rovinj Old Town is the pretty Otok Sveti Katarina, a small forested island that once housed a palace of the Austro-Hungarian aristocracy. It can be easily reached in a few minutes by taxi boats from the old town and is home to a charming resort, the Island Hotel Katarina.
Best Things to Do in Rovinj
Rovinj Old Town
The stunning Rovinj Old Town is a masterpiece of Venetian architecture, perched on a scenic promontory topped by the Church of St. Euphemia. The old town is easily explored on foot and is a maze of labyrinthine alleys, mostly uphill. Here you will find most of Rovinj’s attractions. In fact the town doesn’t have many attractions, like museums or things like that, it’s the old town itself which is the real attraction. And the best way to visit it is to get lost in its narrow streets.
A great way to visit Rovinj Old Town, admiring the most scenic corners and learning more about its fascinating history, is to join a nice guided walking tour.
Church of St. Euphemia
The Church of St. Euphemia is certainly the most famous attraction in Rovinj: its bell tower dominates the Rovinj Old Town giving it the typical Venetian look. The basilica is located on the top of the promontory, in the center of the old town, and is a baroque church originally dedicated to St. George and then also to St. Euphemia, whose relics are kept inside the church, in a 6th century sarcophagus. St. Euphemia is also the patron saint of Rovinj and it is said that she was tortured by the Emperor Diocletian and thrown to the lions.
The construction of the church began in 1725 and the works were finished in 1736. It stands on the site of ancient buildings of the early Christian era, while its current facade was built in 1883 and has a simple yet impressive appearance. The interiors are in Baroque style with frescoes, paintings and other precious treasures. Among the most notable artworks are the richly decorated altars, a large fresco depicting the Last Supper, a painting of the Martyrdom of St. Euphemia, a collection of 15th century Gothic statues and the famous sarcophagus of St. Euphemia.
The 61-meter high bell tower dates back to the mid-17th century and is the work of the Italian architect Antonio Manopola, who was inspired by the bell tower of St Mark’s Basilica in Venice. On top is an imposing 4-meter-high statue of St. Euphemia, made in bronze and serving as a wind vane. You can climb the 192 wooden steps of the bell tower for a nice view over the city.
Balbi Arch
The ancient main gate of Rovinj Old Town is called Balbi Arch, and is located on the harbor side. It was built in 1679 as the main gate and still today leads to Via Grisia, one of the main streets of the old town. Looking at the arch of the gate you will notice a curious detail: on the external side there is the carved head of a Turk, while on the other is the carved head of a Venetian. You will also easily notice the winged lion that stands on the arch, the famous symbol of Venice.
Ulica Grisia
The main street of Rovinj Old Town is Ulica Grisia, or Via Grisia, which from near the port reaches the Church of St. Euphemia. It is mostly uphill and looks like a long stone staircase. It is lined with craft shops, souvenir shops and restaurants, but also with beautiful buildings in different styles, from Gothic to Renaissance to Baroque. In the summer it is teeming with people and on some days it hosts exhibitions by local artists.
Rovinj City Museum
The most important museum of the town is the Rovinj City Museum, located in Trg Maršala Tita, the large square in front of the old port, where there is the Balbi Arch and the clock tower with the Venetian coat of arms on the facade.
The Rovinj City Museum is located inside the seventeenth-century Baroque palace that belonged to the Counts of Caliphs, and has a small but interesting exhibition dedicated to local history and arts. On the ground floor temporary art exhibitions are often organized (in summer), in addition there are some exhibitions of archaeological finds and photographs and documents on local history. The first floor is dedicated to local art, with artworks from the 16th to the 19th century by Croatian and Italian artists.
Zlatni Rt – Golden Cape Forest Park
About 2.5 km south of Rovinj city center, easily reachable by walking on the promenade that leads from the port towards the new marina, passing in front of the Grand Park Hotel Rovinj and the famous Mulini Beach, there is the Golden Cape Forest Park.
This huge park was founded by Johann Georg Ritter von Hütterott, an industrialist from Trieste who made success building ships for the Austro-Hungarian navy. At the end of the 19th century he bought this promontory, once desolate and covered with forests, which he began to transform into a wonderful garden in order to build a luxury hotel.
He had a magnificent botanical garden built with thousands of plants and kilometers of tree-lined avenues. It is a perfect place for a quiet stroll. There are also rocky beaches and good swimming spots. The park is also home to several animals and birds, and has been a protected nature reserve since 1948.
Best Things to Do Near Rovinj
Lim Fjord (Limski Kanal)
A few kilometers north of Rovinj is the Limski Kanal, also known as Lim Fjord. It is actually incorrect to call it a fjord, because the fjords were carved out of glaciers, while this was carved out by a river. In fact it is the ancient estuary of a river or, as geologists call it, a ria.
In the 11th century hermits lived in the caves along the Limski Kanal, while its name seems to derive from the Latin word Limes, because the channel marked the border between two ancient Roman provinces. Limski Kanal is now famous for mussel and oyster farming and is one of the finest tourist attractions in the area.
Limski Kanal is a 35 km long cove, with a width of up to 600 meters and squeezed between cliffs up to 150 meters high. There are trails leading to some nice viewpoints (GPS: 45.13422, 13.69948) which can be reached by MTB or 4WD from the village of Rovinjsko Selo.
Postojna Caves
One of the most famous day trips from Rovinj is the one to the Postojna Caves, in Slovenia, considered to be among the largest and most famous caves in the world.
They are approximately 150 km from Rovinj and are easily accessible on guided day tours which also include a visit to Predjama Castle, a picturesque medieval castle set on top of a 120 meter high cliff and include round-trip transport and guided tour of the caves and the castle.
Crveni Otok
The famous Crveni Otok, also known as the Red Island, is one of the islands located in front of the Rovinj coast, easily reachable in just 15 minutes by boat. In summer there are frequent connections from the port of Rovinj, the first at 6 am and the last at midnight.
Actually Crveni Otok consists of two islands joined by a bridge, the largest is the island of Sveti Andrija, the smallest is Maškin. Sveti Andrija was owned by Von Hütterott, the same who built the beautiful park of Zlatni Rt. The island is famous for its beautiful beaches, peaceful atmosphere and beautiful park, with woods and paths perfect for a stroll. There is also a nice resort on the island, the Island Hotel Istra.
Best Restaurants in Rovinj
Kantinon Tavern
Kantinon Tavern is a good restaurant located right in front of the harbor and serves good seafood specialties, such as fish stew with polenta, seafood ragout or Istrian stew “žgvacet”, but also delicious tartare. It is located in an old tavern where a huge 5000 liter barrel of wine stands out. It also has a nice terrace, perfect for an aperitif or a casual dinner. Good selection of local wines.
Veli Jože
Veli Jože is another good restaurant located near the port and serves excellent Istrian cuisine. The place is very quaint and old-fashioned, full of antiques, and even has a terrace. It serves excellent seafood specialties, shellfish, oysters, grilled fish, but also some good meat dishes.
Monte
Monte is a refined and elegant restaurant located in the heart of Rovinj Old Town, a stone’s throw from the cathedral, at Ul. Montalbano 75. It is located in a historic house, has a modern, contemporary atmosphere with a beautiful garden. Awarded with 1 Michelin Star, Monte serves regional cuisine revisited in a creative way, made with the best local ingredients. The tasting menus include 6 courses and range from fish to meat. They also have a vegetarian menu and a good selection of local wines (mainly Istrian, Dalmatian and Slovenian), as well as some wines from northern Italy and a selection of champagne, sherry and porto. Prices start at 994 Kn (drinks not included).
How to Get to Rovinj
Rovinj is well connected to other cities on the Croatian coast by Road 21 and E751, so the best way to get there and around is undoubtedly by car.
Getting to Rovinj by boat
In summer there are some ferries from Venice to Rovinj (4 hours) operated by Venezia Lines and Kompas. Also very convenient is the ferry that runs between Porec and Rovinj (30 minutes), which allows you to move easily between the two cities. The islands off the coast are connected by frequent boats that depart from Port Delfin, just south of Rovinj Old Town.
Getting to Rovinj by Bus
Rovinj Bus Station is located in Trg Na Lokvi, southeast of the old town. Rovinj is well connected with the major cities of Croatia and Slovenia. There are buses to and from Porec (1 hour), Pula (45 minutes), Koper (1.5 hours), Rijeka (4 hours) and Zagreb (3 hours). There are also some buses operated by FLIXBUS to Trieste (1.5 hours) and Ljubljana (3 hours).
