Croatia: Rovinj, Porec & Pula

A quick 3-hour ferry ride took us to one of the quaintest seaside towns I have ever seen—Rovinj, Croatia. The town sprouts directly up and out of the sea, with a towering church keeping watch over the old town. So many Americans flock to Dubrovnik, Split, and the many islands nearby, but Istria up here in the North is the place to be. It is truly a seaside destination, not filled with tour groups and hundreds of tourists. As soon as we got off the ferry, we noticed the Italian influence as it was part of the Venetian Republic for five centuries until the Russians took it over in 1947 and became part of Yugoslavia. We stayed with a dear friend (our neighbor from London 2005), Leila, who had a lovely flat overlooking the sea and a quaint garden terrace for drinks.

On our first day, we rented bikes and explored the area. I’m normally not a beer drinker, but for some reason, a cold beer at an outdoor café by the sea is just the ticket to quench my thirst. All along the sea are beach chairs and little bars and small cafes. There are plenty of beach areas and smooth, flat, rocky outcrops to sunbathe. Ladders have even been installed to help swimmers get back up from the sea. But can I really call these seaside areas “beaches”? The water is beautiful, blue, and calm, but there isn’t a white sandy shoreline. It’s all rocks. It reminds me a lot of our favourite island, Paxos, in Greece. If shade is needed, you can rent an umbrella and beach chair at one of the hotels for about 7 € a day. If that isn’t your scene, there are chairs and areas to lie under the tall pines close to the sea.

PULA

We took a local bus to Pula—about 45 mins from Rovinj and an easy way to get there. Since I couldn’t make it to Rome on this trip, I was able to partake in one of my favourite hobbies here in Pula_— nerding out on cool historic sites. The Romans really knew how to win over conquered people—build a few temples, a forum, and a fabulous sports arena to host games of all sorts. It’s much smaller than the Roman Colosseum but is the only remaining amphitheatre to have four corner towers intact. You’ll have to excuse the history buff in me, but I was amazed to see something in Croatia first built during Caesar Augustus’s reign (2-14 AD), but Claudius enlarged it to its current footprint, holding 23,000 spectators! Today it hosts everything from sports to concerts, and seats about 7,000. There was a lot to see in just one day: the Fortress Kastel perched on the highest hill was built in 1632 when the Venetians ruled the sea; the Temple of Augustus dates back to the 1st century BC which stood in the old Roman Forum, and the Triumphal Arch of Sergius. It was built in 29-27 BC by a wealthy Roman wife to honor the three male members of the family. Walking through the town, you can see a mix of Roman, Venetian, Austrian, and Italian architectural styles.

POREC

The next day, we hit the road again by bus to nearby Poreč, another atmospheric little town on the Istrian coast with gorgeous architecture and so very clean. The town, like Rovinj, is built directly on the sea’s edge, but the 6^th Basilica of Euphrasia is the town’s most important site and is famous for the Byzantine mosaics studded with gems. Climbing up to the top of the bell tower, we had a beautiful view of the surrounding area. Just walking through the countless alleys with the ancient stone houses and the beautiful squares brought happy and peaceful thoughts.

A short boat trip to the Red Island (about 15 mins south of Rovinj) was another one of our jaunts from Rovinj. There are so many beaches and places to dip into the blue waters that it’s hard to decide which one to hit. We chose one close to a nearby pizza joint (with bathrooms and a bar!) There are actually two islands joined together by a concrete walkway, so you can visit both little islands and eat or swim at numerous places. On the way back, the other passengers on the boat shouted with glee—Delfino, Delfino (Dolphin). Jack and I chuckled under our breath as the boat captain had to stop so everyone could take videos of a single dolphin swimming in the sea. Guess we are a tad jaded after the many years by the Gulf.

Back in Rovinj, which I have to say is my favourite, but the problem is choosing a restaurant. Lucky for us, Leila knew everyone in town and guided us to some of the best—La Vela, Puntulino, and Ancora. The last night was at Puntulino, and we had the best table in the house, nestled at the base of the rocks along the water’s edge. There are no OSHA rules here. I had to be careful not to fall in when we finished dinner and wine! If you are looking for a tranquil and beautiful town with beaches and good food—Rovinj is it.

Oh, BTW, Jack was the first to comment: “Two weeks into our year of adventure, and we are still married!” (Let’s see what the next few weeks hold.)

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