Rovinj Cityguide: the nicest town in Istria

Rovinj is perhaps the nicest and most beautiful town in Istria. Despite the fact that many tourists have already discovered Rovinj, it remains a charming and cozy town. One of the oldest cities in Croatia, it is also called the pearl of the Adriatic coast and we couldn’t agree more. Stroll through the romantic streets of the old town or relax in the park Zlatni Rt, and take a dip in the clear blue sea. It was our first stop in Croatia and the city managed to grab us right away. Quickly read more all our travel tips for Rovinj.

In this article:

Rovinj
Rovinj city guide

What to do in Rovinj

You can spend days in Rovinj alone wandering around the colorful streets of the old town, but there is plenty to do outside the old town as well.

Sights of Rovinj in a nutshell:

  • Stroll through the colorful streets of the old center
  • Visit the Zlatni Rt natural park. and enjoy a quiet day at the waterfront
  • Visit one of Rovinj’s many beautiful beaches
  • Make the climb to St. Euphemia Church and enjoy breathtaking views
  • Stroll through the artsy little street of Grisia
  • Score the best souvenirs at the Rovinj market
  • End your day with a delicious gelato on the promenade
  • Rent a scooter and explore the area
Rovinj
Rovinj city guide

Forest Park Zlatni Rt

After a few days of strolling through the city, we decided to enjoy a day of sunshine and a swim in the Zlatni Rt nature park. The park Zlatni Rt is a lovely place by the water where you will find numerous cypresses and all kinds of exotic plants. Not only is it a popular spot with tourists, but locals also like to come there. The most popular spot is Kurent Bay. Here you will find numerous spots for a quick snack, grassy meadows and more than enough shaded areas. We found this a delightful place to visit.

Day at the beach

Rovinj is known not only for its charming old center, but also for its beautiful beaches. Some of these beaches can be found in the park Zlatni Rt. These are the most beautiful beaches in Rovinj:

  • Lone Bay: Lone Bay is also found in the Zlatni Rt Nature Park.
  • Kurent: the most popular bay of Zlatni Rt.
  • Mulini Beach: within walking distance of downtown
  • Amarin beach: fine pebble beach and close to restaurants and bars
  • Camping Val Saline beach: a very long pebble beach with numerous facilities
  • Plaža Veštar: our campsite was located at plaža Veštar, a small beach, not very special, but very quiet.

Highlight of Rovinj: the Church of St. Euphemia

While wandering around the city, be sure to stop by St. Euphemia Church. It’s quite a climb, but absolutely worth it. Once at the top, you can enjoy great views of the city and the sea. Especially during sunset, a spectacular spectacle.

Rovinj
Rovinj sights

Stroll through the artsy little street of Grisia

If you are an art lover, then don’t miss the alley Grisia, definitely not to be missed. This colorful little street flaunts the artwork of local artists, as well as small boutiques where you can shop for jewelry and ceramics, among other things.

The market of Rovinj

Almost every day you will find a market on the promenade where you can score souvenirs, snacks and other items, among other things. During high season, it can get quite crowded.

Eating gelato on the boulevard

End your day with a delicious Gelato on the promenade of Rovinj. In fact, Rovinj has many Italian influences and one of them is its delicious ice cream. From the harbor, you also have a great view of the city.

Rent a scooter and explore the area

From our campsite it was about 7 km to the old center. With our old Tomos we took a great ride through all kinds of crazy back roads. This also allowed us to see a completely different side of Rovinj. So we drove right through olive groves, stopping along the way for fresh pizza at a small farmhouse. Places we would never have gone otherwise. The surroundings are beautiful and absolutely worth the effort. If you don’t have a bike, scooter or moped with you, we definitely recommend renting a scooter for a day and going for a nice tour.

Rovinj beach
Rovinj tour

Hotspots & food in Rovinj

Rovinj is a food heaven! What an amazing city for indulgent dining or a cozy drink. Explore the top hotspots in Rovinj:

  • La Concha: Craving Mexican? This is the place to be. We had an amazing meal here, and it was surprisingly affordable.
  • Cafe Limbo: This hotspot’s terrace is found on a staircase—a super cozy spot for drinks.
  • Mediterraneo: Super HOT! A bit pricey, but worth it for drinks in Rovinj’s most beautiful spot—their cute terrace is perched on a rock.
  • Agroturizam Mofardini: A cozy restaurant near a farmhouse offering Italian and local dishes.
  • Restoran Pizzeria Giovanni: Pizzas amidst olive groves.
  • Cogito Coffee: For the most delicious coffees.
  • Da Sergio: Best pizzas in town.
  • Trevisol: A cozy, lively bar.
  • Monte: Luxurious dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant.
  • Spacio Matika: A cozy tavern for a delightful meal.
  • Pizzeria Harlekin: For a great pizza.
  • Rovinj Mali Raj: A stunning location.
  • Segutra: Perfect for seafood lovers.

Best time to travel to Rovinj

In the months of May through October, you have the greatest chance of good weather. In July and August it is very warm in Rovinj also the water temperature then averages around 24 degrees. Because of the pleasant temperatures and school vacations, these are also immediately the busiest months. Therefore, we think the best travel time to visit Rovinj is June, late August, September or October. In November there is a lot of rain and it can get quite cold.

Transportation in Rovinj

You can only explore the center of Rovinj on foot. If, like us, you stay overnight outside the city center, it’s nice to have a bike or scooter. A car is also possible, but you are often stuck with parking. Then it is more convenient and often cheaper to take a cab or uber. Another inexpensive option is the bus, but it does not run everywhere.

Which budget do i need in Rovinj?

Rovinj does not have to be expensive, but then you have to pay a little attention to where you are going to stay and where you are going to eat. The prices of the different restuarant vary considerably. If you choose a restaurant on the boulevard with a view of the old center, you will quickly pay double than at a restaurant hidden somewhere in a side street.

So to cut our costs a bit, we often choose to eat outside the center and then have another drink downtown. Unfortunately, we visited Rovinj in high season so we were quite a bit over our daily budget (60 euros per day), still I found the cost not too bad. We made up roughly the following:

  • Camping Val vidal: + / – 20 euros per night
  • Dinner: +/- 30 euros per day
  • Lunch: +/- 20 euros per day
  • Groceries: +/- 10 euros per day
  • Other costs: +/- 5 euros per day

Total budget per day Rovinj: 85 euros per day

Rovinj beach
Rovinj tour

Practical information about Rovinj

  • You pay in Croatia with the Kuna
  • The city’s population is nearly 15,000
  • There are special beaches for dogs
  • All freeways in Croatia are toll roads, except the highway near Zagreb.
  • If you are going to Rovinj by car, check in advance what items are mandatory in your car, such as a warning triangle, first aid kit, spare bulbs, etc.
  • If you have the dog with you, rabies vaccination is mandatory and your dog must be microchipped.
  • A passport or valid ID of at least 6 months is required for Croatia. A visa is required only if you wish to stay in Croatia for more than 90 days.

What are nice places to stay in Rovinj?

In Rovinj we found the campground Val Vidal to which we are incredibly eager to return. This small-scale campground is nice and spacious, doesn’t have that many sites and there is a lovely atmosphere. And also very nice, it is within walking distance to the beach. We really loved this place and it has become one of our favorite stops on our road trip through Europe.

Rovinj beach
Rovinj tour

How to get to Rovinj?

Rovinj is located on the border of Italy and Slovenia. We decided in Bohinj to drive to Rovinj, but made another stop along the way at a small campsite near Postojna in Slovenia. By car, the drive takes about 4 hours, but with an old van, you will soon spend double that. Also, it can get quite hot during the peak season, so we opted to make an extra stop along the way. We decided to spend the night at Camping Miriam. An incredibly cute campsite in the middle of nowhere. Early in the morning we left for Rovinj. Just as well, because on the way we soon found ourselves in a traffic jam and by noon it was over 30 degrees.

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Our verdict

By : We Wander Why 9 / 10

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