Rovinj, Croatia

September 3-4, 2026:

Rovinj is a Croatian fishing port on the west coast of the Istrian peninsula. The old town stands on a headland, with houses tightly crowded down to the seafront. A tangle of cobbled streets leads to the hilltop church of St. Euphemia, whose towering steeple dominates the skyline.

Thursday, September 3, 2026:

Batana Boat Ride and Dinner at Spàcio Matika

We started our experience in Rovinj with a ride on a batana boat and a traditional Croatian meal at the Spàcio Matika Restaurant.

Batana Boat Ride

View of Rovinj from the Batana Boat

Entertainment on the Batana Boat Ride

Bars on the Rocks – Rovinj

Puntulina Restaurant

Sunset from the Batana Boats

After Docking the Batana Boats

Spàcio Matika Restaurant

Entertainment Spàcio Matika Restaurant

17th Century Rovinj – An Island

We walked from the the Spàcio Matika Restaurant to our hotel for a good night’s sleep.

Friday, September 4, 2026:

Rovinj Old Town Walk

We started our walk with view of Old Town Rovinj. We noticed how the former town walls are now houses along the waterfront.

Old Town Rovinj

Town Walls Converted into Houses

Next we walked past an art stall and other souvenir shops along the waterfront.

Art Stall and Other Souvenir Shops Along the Waterfront

Then we passed a “Yugoslav-Era Monument“, which celebrates the Partisan Army’s victory over the Nazis in World War II and commemorates the victims of fascism. The minimalist reliefs on the ceremonial tomb show a slow prisoners’ parade, the victims prodded by a gun in the back from a figure with a Nazi-style helmet.

Yugoslav-Era Monument

Next to the monument were two bronze busts of World War II anti-fascist resistance fighters and people’s heroes Matteo Benussi Cio (right) and Pino Budicin (left).

Busts of Matteo Benussi Cio (right) and Pino Budicin (left)

We then entered the Rovinj Market. There were souvenirs, honey stalls, and fresh produce. In the center of the market there is a fountain which dates from Habsburg times, 1908.

Rovinj Market

Croatian Honey

Fresh Produce

1908 Habsburg Fountain

Next to the Rovinj Market is the the Antonio Gandusio Theatre, named after one of the greatest theater and film comedians, an Italian ‘’novocento’’ born in Rovinj in 1873.

Antonio Gandusio Theatre

Behind the Rovinj Market is the Fish Market (labeled Ribarnica/Pescheria)

Fish Market

As we continued along Ulica Giuseppea Garibalija, we saw a building (Nel Centro City Apartment) with a carved stone head over the doorway.

Carved Stone Head over the Doorway

We soon came to the Square at the Bridge (Trg na Mostu/Pizza del Ponte), which marks the site of the medieval bridge that once connected the fortified island of Rovinj to the mainland.

Square at the Bridge (Trg na Mostu/Pizza del Ponte)

Goga Mare Apartment Building

Kavana Al Ponto Caffè (detail showing Rovinj island and bridge)

Along one side of the square is the Rovinj Heritage Museum (Zavičajni Muzej Grada Rovinja), which has temporary exhibits.

Rovinj Heritage Museum (Zavičajni Muzej Grada Rovinja)

Next door, the town’s stately, yellow Cultural Center posts lovingly hand-lettered signs in Croatian and Italian announcing upcoming musical events.

Cultural Center

Hand-Lettered Sign Outside Cultural Center

Across the street is the Viecia Batana Café, with an inside mural and good chocolate cake and ice cream.

Viecia Batana Café Mural

We then reached Marshal Tito Square (Trg Maršala Tita). The square has a Clock Tower and a Boy with a Fish Fountain.

Clock Tower

Boy with a Fish Fountain

Extending off Marshal Tito Square is the Little Pier (Mali Molo). This is where we started our Batana Boat Ride last night.

Little Pier (Mali Molo)

At the base of the Little Pier, there is a Stone Wind Rose (ruža vjetrova) and a modern commemorative stone monument dedicated to the anti-fascist fighter Anton Bučković. Anton Bučković was a fighter from the partisan battalion of the Istrian brigade “Vladimir Gortan”, wounded on September 30, 1943. After being transferred for treatment to the Rovinj hospital, he was captured by the Nazis and hanged from a lamppost in the square.

Stone Wind Rose (Ruža vjetrova)

Modern commemorative stone monument dedicated to the anti-fascist fighter Anton Bučković

We then walked along restaurant row along the waterfront to the Batana Eco-Museum. Rovinj has a long, noble shipbuilding tradition, and this humble-but-endearing museum gives the story of the town’s distinctive batana boats.

Batana Eco-Museum

Across from the Batana Eco-Museum is the Great Pier (Veliki mol). We took a walk out on the Great Pier to get a good view of Katarina Island, the Grand Park Hotel Rovinj, and Old Town Rovinj.

Great Pier (Veliki mol)

View of Katarina Island

Grand Park Hotel Rovinj by Maistra Collection

View of Old Town Rovinj

Next we headed through the Gate of St. Benedict to see the Church of St. Benedict (now an atelier).

Gate of St. Benedict (Vrata na obali)

Old Green Door by the Gate of St. Benedict

Church of St. Benedict

We explored the streets around the Church of St. Benedict.

Archway by the Church of St. Benedict

Ulica Remigija Devescovija

Pod Lukovima

Ulica Montalbano

Trevisol Café

We saw the Renaissance-Baroque Palace of the Constantini Family, with a carved stone head of Petrarch.

Renaissance-Baroque Palace of the Constantini Family

We then exited through the Gate of the Holy Cross back to the waterfront.

Gate of the Holy Cross

Along Ulica Sv. Križa, we passed the Petite Galerie and Mediterraneo Bar (with drinks on the rocks).

Petite Galerie

Mediterraneo Bar

We then spied some sunbathers gathering on the rocks at the Valentino Bar (not open yet).

Sun Bathers on the Rocks at Valentino Bar

Next we stopped to see the Church of the Holy Cross along the waterfront, today filled with an art exhibit.

Church of the Holy Cross

On the way back to Marshal Tito Square, we stopped to take pictures at Restoran Santa Croce.

Restoran Santa Croce

Once back in Marshal Tito Square, we located and passed through the main gateway to Old Town Rovinj, Balbi’s Arch. The arch has a Venetian Lion and carved stone heads of an Ottoman and a Venetian.

Balbi’s Arch

Balbi’s Arch Venetian Lion

Carved Stone Heads of Bearded Ottoman and Venetian

Just past Balbi’s Arch on the left, is the Old Town Hall. It too features a Venetian Lion and flies five flags, Rovinj, Istria, Croatia, the EU…and Italy.

Old Town Hall

Old Town Hall Venetian Lion and Five Flags

Next we found a little square, Trg Piazza Matteotti, named for Giacomo Matteotti, another much-revered Italian patriot. This square once functioned as a cistern (collecting rainwater, which was pulled from a subterranean reservoir through the well on the square).

Trg Piazza Matteotti

Well on Trg Piazza Matteotti

To the left is the Italian Union building – showing Rovinj’s bond with Italy.

Italian Union Building

Next we saw on the left an art gallery – Arts Fontika.

Art Fontika

And on the right, we saw a tunnel/archway to Arsenale Ulica.

Tunnel/archway to Arsenale Ulica

The tunnel/archway contained a shrine to the Madonna and Child.

Shrine to the Madonna and Child

Next we entered Old Town Rovinj’s main street, Grisia Ulica, lined with art galleries and souvenir shops.

Grisia Ulica

Almost immediately, to the left of Grisia Ulica was a pretty courtyard containing the Vino Vigneto Wine Bar.

Pretty Courtyard

Vino Vigneto Wine Bar

And then a lot of art galleries and souvenir shops along or near Grisia Ulica.

Behar Art Gallery

Gallery Zubak

Galerija Naiva

Atelier Devescovi

Galerija 2B

Rovigno in Ceramica

We then saw a Lion’s Head Doorknocker and a Blue Bike along Grisia Ulica.

Lion’s Head Doorknocker

Blue Bike with Blue Door and Shutters

We then saw two pretty archways with a blue door and green door.

Archways with Blue Door and Green Door

Across Grisia Ulica was the Aura Family Distillery.

Aura Family Distillery

As we continued up Grisia Ulica, we had a good look at the St. Euphemia Bell Tower.

Bell Tower of St. Euphemia

On top of the Bell Tower the statue of St. Euphemia is actually a weather vane. When St. Euphemia is looking out to sea, it means the stiff, fresh Bora wind is blowing, bringing dry air from the interior…a sailor’s delight. But if she’s facing the land, the humid Jugo wind will soon bring bad weather from the sea.

Statue of St. Euphemia on top of the bell tower

Once we reached the top of Grisia Ulica, we took a few steps to the left to see a house with a blue door and blue shutters.

House with Blue Door and Blue Shutters

Also at the top of Grisia Ulica is the Church of St. Joseph.

Church of St. Joseph

Also at the top of the hill are the Bell Tower and Church of St. Euphemia. Rovinj’s landmark Baroque church was completed in 1736. It’s watched over by an enormous 190-foot-tall campanile, a replica of the famous bell tower on St. Mark’s Square in Venice.

Bell Tower and Church of St. Euphemia

The terrace in front of the Church of St. Euphemia has a fabulous view of the Adriatic sea.

View of the Adriatic Sea from the Terrace of the Church of St. Euphemia

We entered the church through its right transept.

Right Transept Entrance with Stone Relief of St. Euphemia Holding Rovinj

Nave of the Church of St. Euphemia

Main Altar

The highlights of the church are the right transept altar featuring Euphemia—depicted, as she usually is, with her wheel (a reminder of her torture) and a palm frond (symbolic of her martyrdom), and holding the fortified town of Rovinj, of which she is the protector; and then her sarcophagus behind the right transept altar.

St, Euphemia Altar

St. Euphemia with her Wheel, Palm Frond, and Holding the Fortified Town of Rovinj

Sarcophagus of St. Euphemia

On the wall by the sarcophagus of St. Euphemia are two paintings: one shows her martyrdom (we noticed that the lions seemed disinterested in her) and another showing a boy helping pull the marble sarcophagus from the sea up to Rovinj.

Painting depicting the martyrdom of Saint Euphemia

Painting depicting arrival of the St. Euphemia sarcophagus in Rovinj

Next, we walked toward the north shore of the Rovinj peninsula. Close to the waterfront was a small lighthouse and WWII pillbox.

Small Lighthouse and WWII Pillbox

We spotted another building with a blue door and blue shutters and the luxury sailing cruise ship Orient Express Corinthian.

Building with Blue Door and Blue Shutters and luxury sailing cruise ship Orient Express Corinthian

Descending via stairs to Arnolongo Ulica, we got a good view of the Adriatic Sea through a sea viewpoint.

Adriatic Sea View

We now headed east along the waterfront on Ulica Vladimira Švalbe. We saw a couple of old doors, the Tartufi Istra Shop, and the Angelo D’Oro Hotel.

Old Doors

Tartufi Istra Shop

Angelo D’Oro Hotel

Then we found the most Instagrammable site in Rovinj, the Atelier Charm‘.

Atelier Charm’

On the wall across from the Atelier Charm’ was a photo outside the restaurant we ate at last night, Spàcio Matika Restaurant.

Photo of Spàcio Matika Restaurant

Continuing east on Ulica Vladimira Švalbe, we saw an old door with a balcony overhead and another carved stone head over a doorway.

Old Door with Balcony Overhead

Carved Stone Head Above Doorway

Then we stopped for a break at Revera Bar along the waterfront.

Revera Bar

While enjoying the view of the Adriatic Sea, we saw a fisherman on his boat.

Fisherman on HIs Boat

Continuing on Ulica Vladimira Švalbe, we saw a little shop with cute carved cats and ducks.

Carved Cats and Ducks

We then turned inland on Vrata Valdibora Ulica. At the end of this street there is an interesting building anchored by the Natali Shop.

Vrata Valdibora Ulica

Natali Shop

Around the corner from the Natali Shop is a beautiful Old Town Rovinj street, Casale Ulica.

Casale Ulica

Facing the Natali Shop, we turned left to explore Zdenac Ulica. On the right we saw the end of Arsenale Ulica we entered earlier on this walk.

Arsenale Ulica

Just past Arsenale Ulica, we saw a rounded door jam (used to carry heavy wine and olive oil barrels into a house).

Rounded Door Jamb to Carry Heavy Wine and Olive Oil Barrels through the Doorway

Lastly on Zdenac Ulica, we stopped to visit the Frnjolić Home Craft Shop.

Frnjolić Home Craft Shop

We returned to the Natali Shop and started climbing up the hill. Past an arch on Ulica Bregovita, we saw a colorful courtyard on the left. This courtyard also had a rounded door jamb (to carry wine and olive oil barrels through).

Colorful Courtyard

At the top of Ulica Bregovita there was another arch, with a courtyard on the right hosting the Bluebini Heritage Hotel & Korta Tapas Bar, with a shrine to the Madonna and Child in the archway.

Courtyard for Bluebini Heritage Hotel and Korta Tapas Bar

Shrine to the Madonna and Child in the Archway

Continuing uphill, we turned around to see the Church of St. Thomas.

Church of St. Thomas

We made our way back down Ulica Bregovita and turned right to reach Casale Ulica. We turned right on this street and walked uphill to reach the Limbo Cocktail Bar, an archway, and the C.A. Schneider Modern Art Gallery.