The charming Croatian town with an Italian touch

Times

30-06-2025

Midway along the Istrian coast of Croatia, the exquisitely photogenic old town of Rovinj juts out into the Adriatic, its weathered houses cascading down to the water's edge. Part of the Republic of Venice for centuries, it remains Croatia's most Italianate of cities. Its easily walkable old town is a maze of cobbled streets and alleys, Venetian palazzos and pastel-coloured façades, punctuated by views of the shimmering blue sea. It's a paradise for foodies, with local produce including fantastic seafood, exquisite truffles and superlative olive oil; and there's no shortage of superb places to eat and drink, from small taverns to Michelin-starred high fliers. Surrounded by a scattering of small islands, flanked by beaches and on the doorstep of Croatia's most prestigious wine region, Rovinj is ideal for a culture-packed weekend, a romantic getaway or a deep dive into Croatian gastronomy.
• Morning Explore the old town• Eat at Giannino• Afternoon Dobravac Winery• Drink at Augusto Coffee Shop• Evening House of Pelinkovac• Eat at Agli Amici
• Morning Hit the beach• Eat at Snack Bar Rio• Afternoon Batana Eco-Museum• Drink at Aperitiv Bar Circolo• Evening Sunset views• Eat at El Bugadur
• Start in the small, compact old town, which was originally an island but was linked to the mainland in the 18th century. From the café-lined main square (Trg Marsala Tita), wander uphill along Ulica Sv Kriza to the imposing baroque Church of St Euphemia, which occupies a broad terrace at the top of the hill and holds the tomb of this early 4th-century saint and martyr. Climb the 17th-century bell tower, Rovinj's most visible landmark, modelled on St Mark's in Venice. Expect steep wooden steps at the top but phenomenal views in all directions; on a clear day you can catch a glimpse of the Alps (£4). Stroll down Ulica Vladimira Svalbe, where narrow alleys lead straight down to the water's edge. Aim to get a little lost, to stumble over small craft shops and cafés, hidden squares and old stone doorways; the old town is tiny and it won't be long before you find your bearings again. • Head to Villa Dobravac, a multi-award-winning, family-run winery 15 minutes' walk from the old town, for an introduction to Istrian wine. Their nearby vineyards are planted mainly with local grape varieties malvazija and teran, and they also produce their own olive oil and have a few guest rooms. You'll find up to seven of their wines available for tasting, including Sonata, a refreshingly crisp malvazija; Simfonia, a knockout orange wine, also made from malvazija; and Fuga, a brooding deep red teran monster (tastings from £25; villa-dobravac.com).• Pelinkovac is a bitter herbal liqueur that is popular in Croatia and made from wormwood — think along the lines of Italian amaro and you're on the right track. The House of Pelinkovac is run by Darna, a small, family-owned distillery opened in 1925, and combines a shop with informative displays and the opportunity to try the drink itself (free; darna.hr).• Follow the waterfront around the harbour past the Grand Park Hotel to reach Mulini beach, its arc of fine shingle flanked by chic beach bars serving Aperol to Rovinj's beautiful people. Walk just a little further to discover a succession of rocky coves and quiet beaches along Punta Corrente, secluded and overhung with conifers, with views stretching back past the island of St Catherine.• This small museum on the waterfront shines a light on the batana — a traditional wooden fishing boat with a single sail or which is propelled by a standing oarsman. The batana has been used in Rovinj for centuries, its flat-bottomed hull allowing it to be manoeuvred in shallow, rocky waters. You can see some of them moored just outside the museum alongside Mali Mol, or Little Pier (entry from £4; batana.org). Afterwards, take a boat ride on a batana from Mali Mol, accompanied by stories of local folklore and songs (one-hour ride, £42 for two people; batana.org).• Take an evening stroll along the waterfront, which is the best spot for sunset views across the boats moored in the harbour. If you fancy stopping somewhere, Konoba Kantinon is a good choice — a traditional restaurant with friendly staff housed in a former wine cellar. Order a platter of Istrian prsut (prosciutto) and a couple of glasses of teran (tapas from £8; maistra.com).
The fisherman's son Corrado Pellizzer opened his landmark restaurant back in 1972 and it's still a local favourite, hidden away in a quiet backstreet. Inside there's a contemporary feel, with an impressive wall covered in wine bottles. Seafood takes centre stage, with the ever-changing menu dictated by the morning's catch, supplied by three local fishermen. Highlights might include a trio of scallop, sea bass and cuttlefish carpaccio, tagliatelle alla marinara, or melt-in-your-mouth tempura oysters. Don't miss the signature carob cake dessert (mains from £15; restoran-giannino.com).
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Hidden away on a narrow alley off Carera Ulica, this is a great little café, with a few shady tables outside, mouthwatering cakes, plant-based milks and perfect coffee. Service is relaxed and friendly, and the hip interior has an industrial edge, with rough walls and upcycled wood (drinks from £2.50; @augustocoffeeshop).
Croatia's only two-Michelin-starred restaurant (it was awarded its first star within just three months of opening in 2022), Agli Amici is the sister establishment of the phenomenal restaurant of the same name in Udine, Italy, drawing upon five generations of hospitality in the Scarello family. Run by the Italian chef Emanuele Scarello, Rovinj's Agli Amici has two seasonal menus — one dedicated to the sea (Rovinj) and the other to the land (Istria). Expect the likes of Istrian langoustine with buzara sauce, raw scampi and grilled peas and cuttlefish in gold leaf with citrus and pepper. The affable Scarello wanders the floor, chatting to guests between courses. Bookings open 60 days in advance (seven-course tasting menu £177, wine pairing £80; maistra.com).
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This is the best place to eat on the waterfront alongside the harbour. It has consistently good food, but standout dishes include octopus salad, and pljukanci (traditional Istrian pasta) with scampi. Nab a seat on the enclosed terrace, a remnant of the bar that stood here in the 1960s (whence the name), which gets you harbourside vibes without the seagulls — although there are tables right by the water's edge as well (mains from £15; puntulina.eu).
On a raised terrace above Trg Campitelli, this classy bar serves imaginative and creative seasonal cocktails such as the summery Bionda — tequila, malvazija, apple purée, fresh lime juice and Pernod. The terrace is particularly nice in the evening, as it catches a bit of a breeze; inside there's a saloon-like feel with a big wooden bar (cocktails from £8; barcircolo.eatbu.hr).
This lovely old-town restaurant spotlights seasonal ingredients, such as in a dish of linguine with wild asparagus. Salted cod pâté with generous truffle shavings may be followed by roasted octopus on sautéed Mediterranean vegetables, plus there's excellent natural wine. Grab a table outside, above the rocky shore, where the sea is illuminated at dusk by underwater lights. (mains from £15; fb.com/elbugadur).
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Waterside luxury and viewsThe Grand Park is a fabulous five-star hotel set along the waterfront, facing the old town with the slopes of a lush forest park behind. Supremely stylish and modern, it exudes a feeling of understated luxury, its spacious rooms decorated in earthy tones, with clean lines and natural materials, and a sea of Mediterranean plants surrounding the balconies. Along with upscale dining at the Michelin-listed Cap Aureo, there's an elegant cocktail bar, a spa and wellness centre and an infinity pool on the fifth-floor terrace (B&B doubles from £185; maistra.com).
Old town stay A lovely boutique hotel, housed in a 17th-century bishop's palace in the heart of the old town. Surprisingly homely, it has 23 tastefully furnished rooms, excellent breakfasts, wrought-iron beds, lots of exposed stone and a wonderful hidden garden — perfect for a coffee or an evening drink (B&B doubles from £105; angelodoro.com).
Heritage hotel Converted from three houses dating back to the 1920s, this beautiful boutique hotel on the eastern edge of town has 12 rooms, exposed wooden beams, parquet flooring and handmade Venetian terrazzo, as well as a lounge bar and wine cellar housed within a former water cistern (B&B doubles from £105; hotel-spiritosanto.com).
Pula Airport is 25 miles from Rovinj and easyJet has direct flights from the UK (easyjet.com). From the airport, it's a 35-minute drive to Rovinj (£50 taxi for up to three people; rovinj-transfers.com). Alternatively a shuttle bus runs into Pula's town centre (£5) from where it's 45 minutes to Rovinj by bus (£6.50; arriva.com). There's also a fast catamaran service between Venice and Rovinj in the summer (£76; adriatic-lines.com). Rovinj's largely pedestrianised old town is small and easy to get around on foot.
It's easy to explore the rest of Istria from Rovinj. Porec, with its Unesco-listed Byzantine mosaics, is 22 miles away, the hugely impressive Roman amphitheatre in Pula is the same distance, or head inland for medieval hill towns including Motovun and Groznjan. The Limski kanal, a drowned river valley and nature reserve, is less than five miles away.
Rudolf Abraham was a guest of the Croatian National Tourist Board (croatia.hr), Istria Tourist Board (istra.hr) and Maistra (maistra.com)