Croatia - Rovinj

Post 3 of 4 Trip to Northern Italy, Croatia, and Slovenia

Croatia lives up to all the hype - it is simply stunning. The towns, the coast, the water, the food, and the people are all quaint and storybook. We stayed up north where it is not as crowded with tourists and easy to navigate - the cliffs and views and sunsets are breathtaking. Reminds you of the simple and important things in life, you don't need alot - someone you love, a glass of wine, and the sea. Just like Santorini, there is a focus on sunsets, fresh seafood, and lounging on rocks and cliffs all day long, well into the evening. Just wake up in a bathing suit and end the night in one - easy living!

Rovinj

We drove from Venice, stopped in for lunch at Trieste, before arriving in Rovinj. The town sits on a little peninsula and is easy to stroll around - little restaurants hanging off cliffs, shops with local artisans, and the most slippery cobblestones I have ever experienced - prepare accordingly.

These streets aren't made for walkin' (in heels)

This whole trip was filled with many great moments, but Rovinj was especially great because there was no planning, no doing, just relaxing and taking it all in. We sat by the water or in the water from morning to night - we took morning walks and just stopped to swim and then continued on to breakfast and then back to the beach or jumping off a cliff - I could have stayed longer for sure.

The Essentials:
1) Hotel Adriatic is in the perfect location in town, amazing breakfasts, modern and the right amount of trendy. Staff is top notch - they even went and found our car and parked it for us upon arrival. They also partner with Mulini or Lone hotel which is alittle out of town but have more of a Miami-esque beach cabana setup on the water - less sandy beach, more rocks into the water but you can find both if you like. The sister property hotels were both more "resorty" - Adriatic is younger and better location/bar and I think the rooms were beautiful. They have amazing bookmarks too in the rooms (Costa Rica Four Seasons is on par with this small gift)!! I am a sucker for little things like that, especially stationary related items left as a personal touch.

View from the Hotel

2) Ferry to St. Katarina Island for the day which is free if you stay at Hotel Adriatic. Just a lovely beach experience and roam around the island, not to mention pretty view of Rovinj from the water. 

3) Restaurants - truffles and amazing wine abound. We ventured out of town to a small local place and it was totally worth it although I was skeptical at first - alot of locals and fun staff - ask Hotel Adriatic for the name as they recommended it and I lost it (sorry!).  The town is so small so we ventured around to many of the little nooks and crannies that had small restaurants - really a great town to just explore and get lost in - you never know what you might find. And just grab a drink, blanket and sit on the rocks for the sunset and beyond, it was my favorite.

4) Just swim and stay in the water - we came in September and it was still warm and sunny. And if you're up for it, try some cliff diving once the locals help you find a good spot. The water is so clear that it's less scary and overall was a thrill!

Till next time...