. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sunday 30 August 2009

Rovinj

rovinj houses on the sea

Rovinj is one of the most 'photogenic' towns in the Mediterranean, once a fishing town, today is a tourist resort. At a distance of some 40 kilometres from Pula, Rovinj has long been known as the town with favourable and beneficial climatic features. So, today its people are still proud of this long tradition and 'fight' for the title of 'healthy town'... The rest is nature’s work. The entire coastline, with its twenty-two islands is an area of protected natural heritage.

rovinj street

I was so excited about our visit to Rovinj. My ancestors(from my mom's side) even had a house there some 100 years ago, that was sold, after the 2nd world war. This is my first time and will definitely have to go for a better visit soon, hopefully. It is one of those places that will leave you mouth open. Just like Venice. So similar. Rovinj was from 1283 to 1797 one of the most important towns of Istria under the Republic of Venice. The city was fortified by two rows of walls with three town gates and therefore it is so normal to have all those resemblances.

rovinj panorama-marina

I really don't know how to present this amazing town in just a few pics(I made around 800), but I will try my best.

rovinj street

When we came to Rovinj from Pula (45 min. by car) it was 4 pm and still very, very hot outside. The kids were taking a nap in the car, so they were very confused when we shocked them with walking outside. So, after taking a portion of Italian homemade ice cream and some drinks, we realized that we still needed something to awake them, as gorgeous vintage houses and cobbled streets weren't entering in the definition of fun and gorgeous for them.

rovinj marta, damjan, my sister, filip, mladen and pablo

So, we visited Rovinj's aquarium and after some great examples of sea life, they were in the better mood;), even that Aquarium was ratther small with about 15 aquariums only.(I will make a separate post including all the pics from aquariums, the Verudela one+Rovinj one)

rovinj old town

The picture above is the ramp, where the Old town beguns, that is a pedestrian zone in which traffic is forbidden.

So, to think how to encourage the kids to walk on the streets that were going up and down, leading into the top of the small hill where the big Church of St. Euphemia was situated, Mladen(my sister's hubby) invented the story about the sleeping princess castle on the top of the hill. So it was our destination;) I was equipped with my camera and also had the video camera with me, as nobody else wanted couldn't help with it, having all the kids to watch upon around.

rovinj me in the window

Walking on those beautiful old streets, would make you feel the Venetian atmosphere in the air. The old stone way, the houses gathered one after another, beautiful passages, vintage doors, the fresh smell of the see and flowers climbing on the old walls, clothes lines outside of windows with freshly washed laundry drying in the sun, would really give you the feeling that you were catapulted right back in to the renaissance!

rovinj stairs

rovinj windows

rovinj window

rovinj street

rovinj passage

rovinj stairs

I was all the time behind them, trying to capture all that beauty around me, changing my cameras, being overwhelmed by emotions. The streets where gathered in the busiest area of the very centre of Rovinj, Marina, set between the sparkling waters of the Adriatic and a limestone plateau. It is where most bars are located and where locals hang out.

rovinj marina

From there, passing through the Balbi's Arch, dating from 1680, and beside late-Renaissance clock tower, we continued climbing to the St. Eufemia's church.

rovinj clock


rovinj gate

The bell tower of Sv. Euphemija, presents one of the most beautiful Baroque achievements in Istria with the saint up above holding a helm and welcoming the boats arriving in the port, is an unmistakeable example of seventeenth-century Venetian style. From the church plateau there is a wonderful view of the open sea and numerous islets in the distance.

rovinj church tower

rovinj st. eufemia

rovinj st. eufemia

We made a small break there and I asked my sister to take the picture of me in hers dress( I made it for her as a BD gift, and borrowed for this visit;)

rovinj stairs

I took some pics of the panorama, sea and everything around while the rest of the family was pretty mad at me, being totally hooked by the beauty around, and therefore not participating too much in "looking after the kids".

rovinj st. caterina

After that, the road was going down, leading beside many beautiful small craft and souvenir stores, taking us to the market and harbour, later on.

rovinj street

rovinj passage

rovinj market

rovinj gifts

rovinj venetian masks

After 4 hours of walk, we headed to our car, and than on the way home, to Pjescana Uvala, we stayed for a dinner in a place called Ranch Fortuna , great agrotourism place with rural household and menu consists of freshly grilled suckling pig, lamb prepared under a metal cover and many other meat and fish specialties at reasonable prices.

rovinj ranch fortuna


For more pics, you can visit my Rovinj set on Flickr

xo, Katarina

2 comments :

dlynthomas said...

Oh Katarina! Your photos of Rovinj are so beautiful...they almost brought me to tears to see such beautiful place, and you captured the prescence of the place so wonderfully. They are magnificant! You are so very blessed to be able to witness such beauty and you expressed it so well in your photos. Thanks so very much for sharing this wonderful place with us. It is breathtaking!

Maulik Dave said...

Hi,

Thank You Very Much for sharing this helpful informative article here.

-- flower delivery | funeral flowers

Nice Work Done!!