Rovinj - the tourist center of Istria

Rovinj - the tourist center of Istria

If you are planning a vacation in Istria, the city of Rovinj is definitely a must-see and a favorite destination of local and foreign tourists for years.

The town located on the west coast of Istria is the most visited tourist destination in the region and a place that conveys all the charms of Istrian tourism. The combination of beautiful nature, rich cultural heritage and top gastronomic, catering and accommodation offers is what makes Rovinj a place you will want to return again and again.

Thanks to the favorable Mediterranean climate, Rovinj is an ideal option for a vacation in Istria even outside the main summer season, so you can take advantage of the opportunity for a perfect vacation in Istria already in spring or early autumn and enjoy all the beauties with less crowds.

How to get there?

If you are coming to Istria by plane, you will land at the Pula airport, which is 5 km from the center of Pula. You can get from Pula to Rovinj by regular bus lines that run every hour during the season (the ride takes 45 minutes), or you can rent a car that will take you directly to your vacation home in Rovinj.

All parts of the Istrian peninsula are well connected by the Istrian highway, better known as the Istrian epsilon, so if you intend to get to Rovinj by car, join the highway from the direction of Zagreb or Split towards Rijeka and by passing through the Učka tunnel you will quickly reach your destination.

If you are coming from the direction of Italy and Slovenia, after entering Istria, we suggest that you take the local roads to Rovinj and get to know the beauties of Istria.

What to see and do?

You will fall in love with Rovinj from the first sight of its old core, picturesque streets and colorfully painted house facades. Strolling through the core of the old town, charming city squares, interesting hidden courtyards, but also numerous art galleries of local artists capture the attention.

The most dominant symbol of the city is certainly the Church of St. Euphemia - the patroness of the city and its inhabitants, located on a hill in the middle of the peninsula, from which there is a wonderful view of the city and the archipelago that surrounds it.

You will find more about the history of the town itself in the baroque palace of the Counts Califfi, where the Museum of the City of Rovinj is located, and the story of the long fishing tradition is told in an interesting way by the Batana Museum, which got its name from a small wooden boat with a flat bottom. In the museum, you can also watch a short film about the construction of a batana with a performance of bitinada - a traditional a cappella song from Rovinj.

In the southern part of the city is the protected Zlatni rt Forest Park, one of the most beautiful landscapes in west Istria and the most popular place for walking and relaxing in nature. This green recreation area is known for its avenues of exotic cypress trees and Mediterranean vegetation. The area of the park is an ideal location for cyclists, walkers, lovers of free climbing, as well as for all those who want to swim in the crystal clear sea.

Rovinj is surrounded by 20 islands and islets, the most famous of which is the Red Island, created by joining the islets of Maškin and the islets of Sv. Andrew. It is located 15 minutes by boat from Rovinj, and is known for its numerous paths and promenades by the sea, beautiful gardens and the old Hutterott castle. It is rich in beaches, the most visited of which are those located on the southern side of the island of Sv. Andrije because of the rich offer of various activities: swimming pool, mini golf courses, diver center, beach volleyball and others.

The entire Rovinj archipelago you can also explore with kayaks that you can rent in the city, and for all diving lovers there are 4 diving centers that offer the rental of the necessary equipment to enjoy underwater reefs, caves and shipwrecks. The area around the Red Island is ideal for windsurfing, and the local center offers courses and equipment rental for windsurfing in Rovinj. Other sports include football and tennis courts.

Gastronomy

The old town streets of Rovinj will delight you with the superb gastronomic offer of small taverns, the so-called spacca’s, which serves wine, fresh sardines, cheese, prosciutto and olives and in an authentic way shows you all the charms of a real vacation in Istria. For true gourmets and all those with a more refined palate, Rovinj also has two Michelin restaurants where you can try specialties of Adriatic fish, crabs and shellfish, Istrian prosciutto, delicacies with wild asparagus and dishes with Istrian truffles accompanied by top wines from this area.

The most famous wine of this region is the Istrian Malvasia, with its refined aroma and fresh taste, which complements the taste of fantastic Istrian dishes prepared from seafood.

For all wine lovers, we definitely suggest a day trip from Rovinj to the inner Istria and a visit to one of the local wineries and vineyards that nurture the thousand-year tradition of winemaking in Istria.

Accommodation

As the tourist center of the Istrian region, it is not at all surprising that Rovinj offers a variety of wonderful holiday villas in Rovinj. The offer of luxury villas in Rovinj is getting richer every year, so there is no doubt that you will easily find a luxury villa in Rovinj that meets all your needs.

When planning your vacation in Rovinj or its surroundings, be sure to book some of Home Rent  holiday villas in the Rovinj area and remember your vacation in Istria as one of the best.