Dinkwads Abroad

Sitting just at the northwestern tip of Croatia, Rovinj is about as close as you can get to Italy, and it has all the Italian vibes you could hope for. Coastal views of deep blue sea, cobblestone streets, colorful plaster buildings, and the classic terracotta roofing to top it all of!

Rovinj may not make it to everyone’s list of places to go in Croatia, as it is tucked a little further away, involving a car rental and a drive up and around a peninsula to the very tip of the country. But if you have the time (and see my perfect two(ish) week itinerary here to see how to make time for it), it’s worth a stop to take a break from the bustling cities and slow down on a quintessential coastal town. And you can read details on everywhere we stayed/ate/drank here, or details on what we did here if you’d like all the detailed logistics on how to work it into your trip and to read my thoughts on the city!

Where To Stay

We stayed at the Golden Goose Guesthouse. The location was perfect right in old town, and the staff was incredibly helpful (even when we had to call them at 11 PM to get the code to get in). See my full review here!

Rovinj is not a massive city, so you can get to the heart of it pretty quickly from most anywhere. But my recommendation is to stay as close to the manmade peninsula, the very tip of Rovinj, as possible. Accommodations may cost a little bit more, but they put you right in the heart of the restaurants, bars, coffee shops, markets, shopping, and coastal views.

Budget

They’re right at the edge of old town and get great reviews for a good price!

The rooms look basic, but clean. At the end of the day, it seems like a good, affordable place to lay your head at night!

Mid-Range

Golden Goose Guest House

Trevisol 64, 52210, Rovinj, Croatia
Check Availability Here

The rooms were clean, affordable, and smack dab in the middle of everything we wanted to do. My only recommendation: Make sure you get the house code since it closes in the evening! Don’t risk getting locked out like we almost did! Read my full review for what I liked and didn’t like about it.

The Melegran

Garzotto St 14, 52210, Rovinj, Croatia
Check Availability Here

The rooms seem to be a great mix of modern and traditional, clean, and decent priced. They also offer bicycle rentals to explore town!

High End

For those who want to splurge a little bit!

Adriatic Hotel by Maistra Collection

Obala Pina Budicina 16, 52210, Rovinj, Croatia
Check Availability Here

With a hot tub and spa, you can really relax and treat your body after what’s probably been a lot of walking so far on the trip!

Villa Valdibora

Silvana Chiurca 8, 52210, Rovinj, Croatia
Check Availability Here

All the modern amenities with the charm of an old building!

What To Do

Whether you want to just sit and enjoy a drink on the promenade, see ancient Roman ruins, or go search for your own truffles, Rovinj has something for everyone!! Read my full breakdown, costs, reviews, links, and helpful logistics for what we did in my full post here! And to see how we structured these into our day, see the full day by day itinerary.

Shop the Local Art

Kill two birds with one stone by taking a stroll to enjoy the beauty of the city while also shopping some local art! There are plenty of boutiques you can shop in old town, and part of the fun is just finding them. But my favorite was Atelier Inter Arte, with the hand sculpted masks and wall hangings.

Take a Free Walking Tour

Explore the stunning streets with a local guide to learn the history and culture as you see the sights! Book a tour here.

Climb St. Euphemia’s Belltower

Climb to the top of St. Euphemia’s Church, towering above the terracotta roofs and overlooking the coast and the sea beyond!

Shop the Rovinj Market

Find local truffles, honey, oils, and more at the Rovinj Market, every day in old town.

Take a Truffle Hunting Tour

For the true truffle lovers out there, book a tour and travel out into Istria with some local truffle hunters and their dogs to find your own! You can book a tour here.

Explore Roman ruins at Amphitheater Pula

Take a 30 minute bus ride or drive over to Pula to see one of the most well preserved Roman monuments at the Pula Amphitheater!

Take a dip in the Adriatic

Swim along the coast line in the bright blue waters at Plaza Balota right off the edge of the peninsula.

Hike Zlatni Rt Forest Park

Walk 30 minutes or catch a ride to Park Forest Zlatni Rt for dramatic cliffsides and peaceful forest walks.

Where To Eat

Read my full reviews of the places we ate and specifics on what we ordered, how much it cost, and whether or not you need cash or a reservation! But these are the places you should add to your must try list!

Deliziata

Ul. Vladimira Svalbe 54, 52210, Rovinj, Croatia

A small sandwich shop with a limited, but delicious selection of sandwiches. Made with fresh ingredients, it’s the perfect lunch or snack at a good price!

Tunaholic Fish Bar

Zdenac 11, 52210, Rovinj, Croatia

For all the fish lovers out there, make sure you get an amazing sandwich from Tunaholic! These aren’t your classic tuna salad sandwiches – these are modern, updated tuna sandwiches (or other fish). A true culinary art!

Augusto Coffee

Ulica RIcarda Daveggia 7, 52210, Rovinj, Croatia

Start your day off sipping coffee and eating fresh pastries in an adorable alley!

La Fondiaria Restaurant Rovinj

Iza Kasarne 14, 52210, Rovinj, Croatia

Mostly seafood and pasta with a fairly small menu, but it all looks delicious!

Maestral Restaurant

Obala Vladimira Nazora, Rovinj, Croatia

Views of the old town against the sea. They have a pretty large menu of grilled seafood, pastas, and grilled meats.

Where To Drink

Whether you’re here for the caffeine or cocktails, we’ve got you covered! If you want to see everywhere we drank in Rovinj and read my reviews, read my full post here.

Coffee

Augusto Coffee

Ulica RIcarda Daveggia 7, 52210, Rovinj, Croatia

Mentioned above for the great pastries, but the coffee is just as good and worth a stop even if just grabbing the coffee to go!

Libations

Valentino Cocktail & Champagne Bar

Ul. Sv. Kriza 28, 52210, Rovinj, Croatia

Comfy cushions line the rocky coast, so you can sip your cocktail in comfort as you look out over the Adriatic!

Carera 5

Carera ul. 5, 52210, Rovinj, Croatia

Grab a glass (or two) of their super affordable wines from their large wine list, and enjoy people watching on the edge of old town, just off the promenade!

Mediterraneo Cocktail Bar

Ul. Sv Kriza 24, 55210, Rovinj, Croatia

Another cocktail bar right on the coast. Since you’re not sitting on the cliff like you are at Valentino’s, this may be more accessible for those with mobility issues or who would like more comfortable seating with the same great view.

Apertiv Bar Cocktail

Trg Campitelli 1, 52210, Rovinj, Croatia

A great spot for breakfast, lunch, or a local craft beer!

FAQs And General Tips

How long do I need in Rovinj?

If you are just wanting to explore old town, 24 hours would be enough time. However, if you are wanting to do swimming, a truffle tour, go see Amphitheater Pula, or anything that really takes you outside of old town, I would recommend two nights to make sure you get plenty of time.

Do I need to make dinner reservations?

If you would like to guarantee a spot on the promenade, I highly recommend dinner reservations! But if you don’t care where you sit, you can probably get by without. If you’d like to see where we ate and where I recommend, check out my blog about where we ate!

Will I be able to get around easily speaking English?

Like the rest of Croatia, you won’t have any issue communicating in English!

Will I need a lot of cash?

The only place we went that was cash only was Carera 5, but make sure you always have some cash on you just in case. It was very credit card friendly though.

How to get to Rovinj?

See my full itinerary here with recommendations on how to get to Rovinj. There are buses that go there, including Flixbus. But depending on where you come from, the buses may take a long time. A car rental may be your quickest option, which is how we got into town.

Where else should I go in Croatia?

Great question! We fell in love with different places all over Croatia, and you probably will too! While we visited Dubrovnik, Korcula, Split, Rovinj, and Zagreb, other popular places to visit are Hvar, Trogir, and Zadar. To see my perfect itinerary based on where we went and what we learned, check out my ideal itinerary here with all the details of where to go and how to get there!