Croatia Travel Blog

Archive for the ‘Istria’ Category

What a contrast from the tourist melee of Porec! Novigrad is a sleepy town of vividly painted old houses that’s known for its marina. I suppose the lack of beachfront have kept tourists down to a manageable level which made it a pleasant place to wander. A curious occurrence: we were just about to order in Amfora restaurant (after finally finding it) when the server informed us that the restaurant had just been closed by the health department! Bad luck. We ate a disappointing meal next door where the chef substituted overcooked penne for the promised fuzi.

Busy, busy Porec buzzes with tourists from spring through fall which makes it one of the least tranquil of Istria‘s coastal towns. With souvenir stands everywhere, it’s hard to imagine that it was once an important Roman town and now boasts one of Croatia’s seven World Heritage Sites, the Episcopal complex of the Euphrasian Basilica. The 5th century mosaics are stunning and a recent renovation has highlighted the rest of the complex. You can even climb the bell tower although the narrow wooden staircase couldn’t comfortably handle the stream of ascending and descending visitors. You could once see the mosaics for free but now there’s a new 30kn admission charge.

Only a 20 minute boat ride from Rovinj is the wooded Crveni Otok or Red Island and what a gorgeous day we spent out there. I hadn’t been for years and was surprised when some locals told me that there was no more “FKK”, that is, that it was no longer an official naturist site. Red island is actually an island and an islet separated by a causeway. The main island is  Sv Andrija island a hub for water sports. The islet Maskin,  is utterly quiet and peaceful. Paths run through the pines, making it beautiful for walking. Even though not an “official” naturist site, the secluded coves are perfect for getting that all-over tan. A pair of rubber shoes comes in handy for getting into the crystal-clear water.

We were delighted to eat at the one restaurant on the island. Lavanda served up perfectly respectable pasta, seafood and salad.

 

This gorgeous peninsula, Zlatni Rt, is a protected park about a kilometer from Rovinj‘s old town. I highly recommend renting a bike as the easiest way to explore the park but make sure you take your bathing suit so you can plop down on one of the many pine-fringed coves! There are beach showers, but make sure to have a 2kn coin handy to get about 15 seconds of fresh water. There are also plenty of snack bars dotting the peninsula. Typical of Croatia: you’re never too far from sustenance.

Checked into the extraordinary five star Lone Hotel, the only design hotel in Croatia and the second five-star hotel in Rovinj. It is unquestionable the most beautiful and intriguing hotel I’ve seen in Croatia. See more about the Hotel Lone.