Croatia 2025 – Day 1 (Rovinj)

Leaving Venice

Up early, we walked to Accademia Bridge (Ponte dell’Accademia) for some early morning photos, then to Bar all’Angelo for pistacchio pastries and cappuccini. We took a water bus (vaporetto) to a stop across from the train station, where we’d meet Ella and Dražen. The Mercedes van fit all of us, plus our luggage, no problem. The drive to Rovinj was about three hours, with a brief stop at a place similar to an Autogrill (don’t recall the name) for a snack and bathroom break. We drove through Slovenia, but we didn’t stop, so I don’t count it as a country visited, even though technically we were in-country for a bit and got to enjoy the coastal views.

Teresa and I on Accademia Bridge in Venice

Early morning view of Venice from the Accademia Bridge

Waiting for the tour guides to pick us up

Rovinj is pronounced “ro-VEEN”. While the Croatian pronunciation technically has the “nj” combination sounding like the “ny” in “canyon”, saying “ro-VEEN” is widely understood and accepted.

Rovinj

No cars (except delivery trucks and other approved vehicles) are allowed in the old town section of Rovinj, so Dražen dropped us off about 2 blocks from our apartment. Ella helped us tote the luggage. After getting the keys from the owner and dropping off our luggage, Ella gave us a short walking tour of old town. What a spectacular little town! Our apartment was right on the water, and there’s a lovely promenade the follows the small harbor with its very blue water. Rovinj is known for its historic old town, featuring cobblestone streets, colorful Venetian-style buildings, and the prominent Cathedral of St. Euphemia, which stands on a hill at the heart of the town. The cobblestone streets are fairly steep in places, and worn smooth, so can be slippery. Wear grippy shoes!

Graciano restaurant – we ended up not eating there

Rovinj, over the millennia, has been under Greek, Roman, Venetian, Italian, and Yugoslavian control until 1991 when the Republic of Croatia proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. The Istria area of Croatia (which Rovinj is a part) was part of Italy until the end of World War II. There are several winged lions (symbol of the Republic of Venice) in Rovinj (and all over Croatia) since the region was part of the Republic of Venice for nearly 400 years. If you see a winged lion, there will almost always be a book as part of the sculpture. If the book is open, it means that area came under Venetian control willingly (or, at least, without bloodshed). If the book is closed, it means the area was conquered by Venice.

Balbi’s Arch – thge main entrance to Old Town

View from the other side of Balbi’s Arch

Canon outside the Church of St. Euphemia

Mediterraneo Bar

During our walking tour, we passed a bar that’s nestled along the cliffs – literally. We came back for a drink before dinner. The Mediterraneo Bar features seating that’s right on the water. Our chairs were inches from the edge! The drinks were good and the view spectacular.

Our table said “Don’t Feed the Mermaids”

Shopping and Dinner

After cocktails, we did some shopping on the main street in old town. We sampled (and bought) some liqueur they’re known for in Istria called Teranino. It’s made from wine, and is delicious! It tasted like Christmas, with hints of cinnamon, clove, and cherry. Ella told us the best brand is Aura. We bought a bottle for the apartment, and another to bring home.

Dinner was at Balbi. We had some nice local wine. The food was decent, with the exception of the squid stuffed with cod, which was a bit over cooked.

Overall, it was a nice leisurely day finished by an evening stroll along the water and some after-dinner gelato.