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Our visit to Rovinj was part of a 3 month road trip from the UK to the Greece. See my blog Rab to Dolomites, Italy - Week 12 for our daily trip report covering Rovinj.
Contents
1. Rovinj
1.1 About Rovinj & What to See
Rovinj has a very Italian appearance and apparently some inhabitants still speak Italian. It is an unspoilt historic town, but not Venetian like so many of Croatia's coastal towns. That made a nice change as we had just visited numerous Venetian towns in Montenegro and Croatia.
Rovinj is a reasonably large town and there is little traffic so it is great wandering around. There are not too many sights to see, but Rovinj is an exceptionally nice town in a beautiful setting.
Rovinj's main square is Trg Marsala Tita and it has a clock tower. In summer there are often street performers in the square. A street called Grisia branches off the square to the west through a Balbi's Arce and then climbs up to St Euphemia's Church.
The 18th century St Euphemia's Church is at the top of the hill in the centre of the old town. Its tower is very impressive and is visible from most parts of Rovinj. There isn't an entry fee and it is worthwhile seeing the interior. There are good sea views from the plaza by the church.
1.2. A Circular Walk around Rovinj
It is nice to walk around the perimeter of Rovinj. Start from the southern end of the harbour and and walk along the harbour to the piers in the northern section. The promenade along the harbour is surrounded by cafes and restaurants.
Then continue walking westwards along the sea and soon the street climbs up to St Euphemia's church. From there descend eastwards along the northern part of Rovinj. There are houses and shops on either side with a few alleys on the left descending to the sea.
Trg Valdibora is at the bottom of the hill and from around this area is an impressive view of the northern side of Rovinj. Then walk south to the very nearby main square of Trg Marsala Tita, which is just off the harbour.
Just north of Trg Marsala Tita walk down Rovinj's main shopping street (Via Carrera) that runs south eastward. At the end of Via Carrera take a side street to the right and you will be back at the harbour where you started.
1.3. Parking in Rovinj
We parked at a reasonably sized car park on the eastern side of Rovinj and it was a 10 to 15 minute walk into the centre. There were always places available and it cost Eur 1 per hour. Payable in advance by cash or card. Click here to see the location on Google Maps.
1.4. Beaches in Rovinj
We spent half a day at Zlatni Rt (Golden Cape). It is a 6 minute drive from Rovinj to the edge of Zlatni Rt (Golden Cape), and then depending on where you park, a 10 to 15 minute walk through wooded parkland to the sea.
The closest parking is on the road where it ends at Zlatni Rt. However, you have to get there early to find a spot. Otherwise there are large parking lots a bit further back. We parked at "Parking Monvi" which is a huge parking lot. You can pay at a machine with a credit card or cash, exact change only. We paid Eur 7 for the day, but there is also an hourly charge.
There are a couple of beaches in the large park (Lone Beach and Zlatni Rt), but we just found a nice shaded spot on the rocky shoreline. I think we were near Punta Cabana. It is a popular area so go there by mid morning to obtain a good spot and also to find parking. There were a couple of restaurants nearby and they were renting out sun loungers and umbrellas.
2. Pula
2.1. About Pula & What to See
Pula is a working port that isn't as reliant on tourism as other Croatian coastal towns. Pula isn't a particularly attractive town, unlike the numerous Venetian coastal towns dotted along Croatia's coast. However, Pula is more authentic and caters for locals rather than tourists.
There are many interesting historical sights in Pula and it is definitely worth visiting for half a day. Many of the sights date back to the Roman era and include:
The sixth largest amphitheatre in the world dating back to around 14 AD.
The Roman amphitheatre is the main tourist site in Pula and the entrance fee is Eur 10. In summer it is open from 08.00 to 22.00. We entered at 09.00 and there were very few people until 09.30.
Unfortunately they were constructing a large stage and screen for summer events. This prevented us from taking photos of the entire amphitheatre and the construction was noisy. They do this in summer at many amphitheatres and it spoils the experience for visitors who are paying high entrance fees.
The Triumphal Arch of the Sergii which was erected in 27 BC.
The Temple of Augustus which was completed in 14 AD.
The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary that dates back to Roman times, although much of the present structure is from the 17th century.
The Venetian castle built in the 1600's.
We didn't enter the Venetian castle as there was a Eur 6 entrance fee. This fee also includes the museum but we didn't want to visit it. Instead we walked the entire way around the castle on a reasonable path. There were good views of the moat, castle walls, Pula harbour and the amphitheatre. The views wouldn't have been much better from the castle.
The Pula indoor market which was constructed in 1903.
2.2. Getting There & Parking in Pula
We visited Pula as a half day trip because Rovinj was a more attractive town to base ourselves in. Pula is a 50 minute drive from Rovinj.
Car parking can be a problem in Pula but if you are willing to pay Eur 4 per hour there is a good solution. "Parking Karolina" is a large car park with 200 spaces next to the amphitheatre and it still had spaces when we left at midday.
The Eur 4 per hour charge is the most we paid anywhere during our 3 month road trip but it was worth the convenience. Before exiting you pay at the ticket machines by card or cash. There are clean toilets for a charge of Eur 0.70, but there are also free clean toilets at the amphitheatre.
3. Accommodation in Rovinj
We stayed in an excellent one bedroom apartment about a 10 minute drive from the the centre of Rovinj. We booked it through Booking.com for only Eur 61 per night. I have reviewed it on my blog "UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 2" (number 15).
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