Exploring the Colorful Rovinj

I think I have already mentioned this in a previous post, where I talk about my trip to Pula, but one of the things I love the most about Istria region is that it has a very particular mix between Croatian and Italian culture, which makes it super interesting to visit. 
Each city in this region will have this characteristic, you will feel like you are being part of two countries at the same time and you will find this Italian influence in the architecture, in the road signs and, of course, in the food as well. So, if you are also looking to enjoy a delightful culinary experience this is definitely a region to consider for your trip.

In my particular case, I have decided to go back to Istria because I was very impressed with what I have seen in Pula, that stunning Roman architecture stole my heart and I was looking forward to discovering more of this region, especially a city which I have seen all over Instagram: Rovinj.

The pictures I saw of Rovinj reminded me a lot of Venice for some reason and when I was finally able to visit this city that impression was even stronger! Rovinj is a city full of colors, full of details and full of incredibly enchanting streets perfect to get lost. The Old Town is practically right by the sea so maybe this was what made me think of Venice, even though it doesn't have canals, the water is very present in this city. 

I have decided to do a day trip to Rovinj because I was staying in Rijeka, so I took the bus and in around two hours I was right there! The bus station in Rovinj is very close to the Old Town so I just walked by the coast and found it without any problems. I have to confess that I didn't have much information about what to see and do in the city but sometimes I enjoy doing this kind of trips because in this way I can be surprised by the destination. And this is exactly what happened to me with Rovinj, without even looking for them, I was able to find all the main spots and I also enjoyed getting lost in its streets. 

Firstly, I walked by the coast which is very nice because it's full of pretty restaurants where you can enjoy a delicious meal and also the lovely view of the Adriatic sea and the boats peacefully moving in the water. Then, I was able to find the city's open market, the perfect place to buy fresh fruits, some souvenirs, and many other things. I stopped right here to have lunch and, as I was in Istria, I decided to order a pizza, which was just perfect!

After lunch, I continued walking into the old town and I fell in love with all the beautiful balconies with flowers I was seeing in every single house. Also, I was able to find that cute little spot by the water that I used to see all the time on Instagram. I wished I would have been able to get a picture of myself sitting at that lovely table but there was a lady there, I think she was the owner of the store, and she was enjoying a coffee so I didn't want to disturb her. 

The most iconic Instagram postcard of Rovinj 

I continued my way up to find the Church of St. Euphemia, which has that tall tower you can see in all the pictures of the Old Town. The Church looked lovely and it's totally worth the visit. Also, you can get a very nice sea view from there because this part is a little bit higher than the rest of the city. 

Then I was able to find a few beaches, where there were people swimming and enjoying the sea. I didn't have a swim because I didn't have my towel that day, so I skipped the beach but I don't regret it because it allowed me to have more time to explore the city. I walked a little bit more on the seaside and I found more beautiful cafés and restaurants right by the water, which looked like the perfect place to have some drinks and enjoy the sunset view. 

Around 7 pm I had to go back to Rijeka but I was extremely happy that I was able to visit this incredibly beautiful city! You can see in this post that I went a bit mad and I took a lot of pictures because there were so many lovely details that I just couldn't stop! 
I hope you have enjoyed reading about my day trip to Rovinj and I hope you have found some inspiration for your future trips! I'm sure this would be a lovely place to visit during the Spring months, don't you think? 

A Visit to the Stunning Pula Arena

When I was in Croatia last year, I didn't have the chance to visit the region of Istria so that was another very interesting place for me to explore during this trip. I decided to go to the biggest city in the region which is Pula to see its amazing architecture and, especially, to visit the stunning Arena. 
But before we get to that, let's talk a little bit more about Istria, this Croatian region is located in the northern part of the country but to the west, next to the border with Slovenia and Italy, and it's a very interesting mix of Croatian and Italian culture. All the signs on the roads and in the city are written in both languages so you really feel like you are visiting two places at the same time.
There are many beautiful cities to visit in Istria, like Rovinj, Poreč, Umag and many more but I couldn't visit them all because of the time. I also have a theory that as I love Croatia that much, I always decide not to visit some places so that I can have an excuse to go back in the future ;)
Anyway, I went to Pula by a road that was right beside the coast and I can't explain to you how stunning the views were! I tried to take some pictures but I think they don't do any justice to the landscape, it really is something unreal. I also had the chance to pass by the city of Opatija, which is full of beautiful and antique hotels and resorts by the sea and it's really worth another visit so I hope I can go again anytime soon to explore it a little bit more.
I arrived in Pula very late that day so I just took some pictures of the Arena at night and then I went to eat at a very nice pizzeria near the Arena. The next day, I woke up very early and went to explore the city centre, which as in many other Croatian cities, is a very old part of town. You can easily see all the Roman Empire influence in the architecture. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't very nice that day, it was raining but that didn't stop me from enjoying my time in Pula and taking some nice pictures to share with you.
After that, it was time to visit the Arena! It is open from 9 am so I was one of the first people to enter that day for sure. I had it all for myself as you are going to see in the pictures! It really is so stunning and breathtaking and when you visit it, you really feel like you are travelling in a time machine or that you are inside of a movie set but everything is real! 
It also is incredibly well preserved and while being there, I felt amazed by how people were able to do this kind of constructions in the past because this was built in the year 27 b.C. and finished in the year 81 a.C. So, it really is an amazing place to visit! I think I'm going to finish the post here so you can go directly to appreciate it in the pictures ;) Hope you like it!! 

A little stop on the road to Pula to take pictures :) 

So impressive at night 

Streets in the Old Town