Istrian Peninsula Archives - JBRish.com

After Dubrovnik, Rovinj would be another “must see” city in Croatia. A historic harbor town located along the Adriatic Sea on the west coast of the Istrian Peninsula, it is very reminiscent of a number of quaint Italian villages. Travelers will appreciate the abundance of varied, colorful scenes that project charm and romanticism.

Below is a view of the Old Town looking north from the Rovinj Marina at Luka Rovinj. The Church of Saint Euphemia’s spire rises above all other structures.

Here is a closer view

The hilltop location and weathered cobblestone streets provide an array of old world venues to investigate.

In destination cities, there are usually cafes, small boutiques and unique emporiums and Rovinj will not disappoint. Rovinj is made for walking. As a mostly car-free town it invites visitors to explore the narrow alleyways and traverse up and down the stone stairways. Pedestrians stop often to admire the old world architecture and colorful facades.

Don’t get the wrong idea however, Rovinj has also evolved to appeal to the more contemporary taste of savvy travelers. There are interesting eateries and shops with up-to-date color schemes and modern offerings.

Tourists may have a tendency to forget that daily lives swirl about as they visit surrounding streets, but somehow mundane images seem to take on additional appeal in a setting such as Rovinj.

The dominant building and a favorite tourist stop is the Church of Saint Euphemia built on the highest hilltop between 1725 and 1736 .

*The bell tower bears a strong resemblance to St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice and serves as a platform for the statue of St. Euphemia, the Patron Saint of Rovinj. The bronze sculpture is constructed on a spindle which enables it to turn indicating the direction of the wind.

The statue of St. Euphemia can be seen on the top of the bell tower in Rovinj.

The colorful buildings against the blue water and stormy sky provided plenty of opportunity for beautiful photographs.

To relax a bit and take in the ambience of the town, a stroll along the harbor is a top choice.

Walking around Rovinj, one is easily reminded that this is a seafaring locale relying on the Adriatic for its livelihood, tourism and recreation.

Reminders of the daily work

The rustic buildings pointing toward the sea have satellite dishes on the roofs providing a mix of the old and the new.

A number of marinas draw fishing and boating enthusiasts to the area.

A small ferry transports passengers between the town’s perimeter and the old section. A fine place to bid farewell to hard-to-forget Rovinj.

To catch the flight back to the United States, our tour group made a one-day stop over in Venice. Although we had been there before, the contender for the moniker, City of Love, still had plenty of charisma to offer.**

San Giorgio Maggiore island and church in Venice viewed from the Grand Canal walkway

The canals of Venice frame many interesting sights such as the Bridge of Sighs (left) and the San Giorigio del Greci Church (right)

If ever there was a location made for a romantic evening walk, it would be in-and-around the Grand Canal of Venice.

Early evening view of the famed gondolas with San Giorgio Maggiore island in the background

As darkness falls, the magic of the night unfolds in Venice

One of our favorite all-time great evenings was sitting in St. Mark’s Square with a glass of wine listening to the various orchestras compete in a make-shift “battle of the bands.” An evening in the square is a good place to cap off our great adventure.

*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_St._Euphemia,_Rovinj

**https://assist-ant.com/top-10-romantic-things-to-do-in-venice/

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See Previous Posts in this series:

Dubrovnik, Croatia – Pearl of the Adriatic

Old Town Dubrovnik – Above it all

Old Town Dubrovnik – The Low Down

Dubrovnik from the Adriatic and Mt. Srd

Montenegro & The Walled City of Kotor

Mostar – Bosnia and Herzegovina

Coastal City of Split, Croatia

Zagreb – Capital City of Croatia

Ljubljana – Capital of Slovenia

Slovenia – Cookies, Castle, Caves and Cuisine

Pula’s Ancient Heritage

File Courtesy of Wikipedia.org

Pula, the largest city on the Istrian Peninsula in Croatia, is a major tourist destination. The most iconic landmark is the Amphitheater built by the Romans under the reign of Emperor Vespasian during the first century AD.

Originally constructed on the outskirts of town, it now finds a place among more contemporary buildings and parks.

The Amphitheater has been given the nickname of the Arena because of the sand covering the floor of the structure.

According to Wikipedia, the Pula Amphitheater is the only one in the world that has all four side towers intact.

Considering the age of the Amphitheater, it is amazing that the walls are still standing in “relatively good” condition.

As visitors walk around and through the infrastructure, they can easily imagine long-gone attendees sitting on stone benches.

Among the artifacts in the subterranean gallery is a wall of aged jugs.

Built between 1929 and 1931, St. Anthony’s Church stands in sharp contrast to the Arena and would probably be considered an “architectural infant” within that comparative framework.

Although the Amphitheater is ancient, the ability to seat 5,000 attendees enables it to serve as a venue for current film festivals, sporting events and concerts.

Another ancient structure in Pula, built between 29-27 BC, is the Roman Triumphal Arch of the Sergii which leads to Pula’s Old Town. The arch, originally constructed as a city gate, was built to commemorate the three Sergii brothers who were participants in the naval Battle of Actium.

Old Town has a main street lined with many merchants. Closer to the center, there is a picturesque side street with a number of restaurants.

The town center originally served as a meeting place and is currently used to host public events.

The Temple of Augustus is pictured on the left of Forum Square. The town hall, partially shown on the right, stands where the Temple of Diana stood during medieval times.

A number of Old Town buildings show signs of retrofitting to accommodate more modern lifestyles.

Perhaps a lesser known arch is the Porta Gemina (Twin Gates), a city gate built by the Romans between the 2nd and 3rd century as part of they city wall which had ten portals of entry.