Markets, Croatia

Prokurative or as they are officially called, Republic Square resemble the Venice St. Marks Square. They are located west of the Riva and they were named after the arches found on the neo-Renaissance buildings surrounding the square on three sides. http://visitsplit.com/en/514/prokurative

Rijeka is reflected in Korzo, at Korzo you can read Rijeka. Anyone who, at least once, had a coffee at one of the terraces of numerous and picturesque café bars lined along this unusual promenade, would agree. http://www.visitrijeka.eu/What_To_See/Korzo

Fresh food and groceries which are prepared daily are becoming a more important part of everyday life, and in the Varaždin market this trend is confirmed. In the flurry of trading you can buy fruit and vegetables, as well as other culinary delights that arrive fresh every morning from family farms in Varaždin and its surroundings. http://www.tourism-varazdin.hr/en/must-see/

Dolac market nurtures it’s 80+ years old tradition as Zagreb’s main flea or open-air farmers’ market. You will feel the vibe of the town and experience local flavours. Traders from all over Croatia colour the Dolac market with locally grown produce. But be careful there are imported goods as well… At the Dolac market, you will find fresh and local produce. There is a fish market, butcheries, healthy food stands, fresh pasta vendors, bakeries, cheesemongers, flowers, souvenirs, fruit and vegetables. Locals love to buy fresh food at the open-air markets. Basically, every neighbourhood has its own farmers’ market, but the Dolac market is the biggest and the most famous one. The market operates mainly in the morning. Although the official working hours are up until 3 PM, the safest time to visit is until 1 PM. https://www.visitzagreb.hr/zagreb/dolac-market/

Porta septemtrionalis is their Roman name. Emperor Diocletian walked through them as he entered the Palace on the 1st of June 305. They were built in the shape of a rectangle, with double doors, as part of the defensive military tactics (propugnaculum). The facade was decorated with niches containing figure sculptures of the four tetrarchs (Diocletian, Maximian, Galerius and Constantius Chlorus). These doors, starting from Peristyle, and then through Cardo street, led directly towards Salona as the capital city of the Roman Province Dalmatia, and could only be used by the emperor and the members of his family. Today they are, together with the nearby monument to the Bishop Gregorius of Nin (Grgur Ninski), the work of a great Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović, one of the favourite Split tourist spots. Under the influence of Venice, in the 16th century, the gates change their name to Porta Aurea or Golden Gates, and this name stayed with them to this day. https://visitsplit.com/en/521/the-golden-gate

Split Get The Museum of Game Of Thrones "Excuse yourself in the impressive interior: 'This is a series of prints, it's ice-cold, you feel smudged and smells the same' In Bosanska Street, one of the town's vineyards. Just next to the street where some of the serial scene scenes were recorded. Not far from Diocletian's basements, where Khaleesi put the dragons in captivity. One of the dragons at the entrance is the visitors of this interesting Split's tourist acquisition. His head had pierced the wall, fluttered the enormous ears, and with his sharp canine, he slid his slit, spread his eyes. And he's in real-life, so scary that little children and those weaker nerves could even upset... https://game-of-thrones-exhibition-museum-split.business.site/website/game-of-thrones-exhibition-museum-split/

On the steep cliffs of the gorge between Kozjak and Mosor stands the Klis fortress, with one eye facing the sea and another facing Zagora. It was built on an extraordinary strategic location that allows military and commercial control over the whole Klis valley and the area of Salona and Split. Because of its importance, Klis was often referred to as the key to Dalmatia and the heart of the medieval Croatian kingdom. The findings from the Krčina cave are the first traces of the settlement of the area around Klis fortress. It is ceramic pottery in which different forms are imprinted before the baking from which the name Impresso culture is derived, and it lasts from 6000 to 4500 BC on the Adriatic coast. Today we do not know much about the population of those times, but there is a possibility that there were first traces of agriculture in the Adriatic coast. The first population of this area we can accurately identify are the Dalmatians, one of the Illyrian tribes. They inhabited the area from the river Krka to the Neretva, among others the area along the river Jadro (today’s Solinčica beneath Klis). They raised their forts on natural elevations for easier protection from possible attackers. At the foot of Klis fortress, the remains of such settlement were found, and its role was control of the passage between Kozjak and Mosor. Together with the other nearby forts, the hill below Klis controlled access to Illyrian Salona and the mouth of the river Jadro. This role will take on all of the later buildings at this location. https://www.tvrdavaklis.com/povijest-tvrdave/?lang=en

Porta Orientalis is their Roman name. These gates were used to enter the palace from the east towards the west, through the main street, decumanus, all the way to the Iron Gate and to Pjaca, the central city square. The Silver Gate was more modest in its decorations than the Golden one, and it was closed from the Middle Ages till 1952, only to be thoroughly reconstructed during the destruction of the Baroque church Dušica. On each side of the gate, the remains of the octagonal towers are visible, hence making it easy to imagine the beauty of the construction and the strength of the control over the entrances from the north, east and west. Entering through those gates the passersby, even today, have the opportunity to walk the original ancient pavement on decumanus, walked also, so many years ago, by the Diocletian's subjects. Silver Gate has recently enriched its history with the greatest event for all the Split Catholics when in the year 2000 Pope John Paul II passed through them admiring the beauty of St Domniuses Cathedral where he later prayed. https://visitsplit.com/en/522/the-silver-gate

As the oldest museum institution in Croatia, the Split Archaeological Museum was founded in 1820 by the decree of the Dalmatian government in Zadar. The incentive for the establishment of the Museum was provided by the visit of Emperor Francis I to Dalmatia in 1818, which also included visits to Split and Solin. The original museum building was erected in 1821 next to the eastern walls of Diocletian's Palace but soon became too small to house the growing number of monuments. A new era in the development of archaeology in Croatia is associated with the work and activity of Father Frano Bulic, director of the Split Museum since 1884. Father Frano Bulic (Vranjic, 1846 - Zagreb, 1934), a catholic priest, archaeologist, historian, and conservator, had for more than 50 years been working as a field researcher, conservator and writer. He is known as the founder of the Croatian archaeological society "Bihac" that was established in Split in 1894. https://www.mdc.hr/split-arheoloski/eng/index.html

The Riva started to look the way it does today two centuries ago, when the French, in time of Napoleon ruled these parts through Marshal Marmont. Today this promenade is the cities living room, the most popular and most important public place in Split. In the meantime, it has been widened and reconstructed several times, but it was always blessed with the most spectacular setting, the south facade of the Diocletian Palace, with the entrance into the Substructures, and later on with the buildings that were built west of the Palace, also the Franciscan monastery with the church of St. Francis, and the Bajamonti Dešković Palace and last but not least the Port Authorities building on the east end. Riva today is pedestrian heaven, thrusting with Cafés and restaurants, an ideal place for having your morning or afternoon coffee, or for an evening out with friends over drinks. Riva is the stage of the city life of Split, a venue for numerous cultural and entertainment events, boisterous Split carnival, as well as the stage for meeting Split sportsmen after countless successes, such as Goran Ivanišević, Hajduk football club players and Jugoplastika basketball players, Olimpic medal winners... Riva is also a political forum, with decades of political opportunities being depicted through mass rallies. Naturally, Riva is always at its best in time of Sudamja, a celebration dedicated to St. Domnius, the patron saint of Split. https://visitsplit.com/en/512/the-riva

Gallery featuring contemporary sculpture, paintings & other works of the namesake artist. Vasko Lipovac was a Croatian painter, sculptor, printmaker, designer, illustrator and scenographer and one of the most prominent artists of the region. He is best known for his minimalist figuration and use of intense, unmodulated and often dissonant palette. With the exception of his juvenile period of geometric abstraction, he remained loyal to figuration throughout his whole career. Exceptionally prolific, he worked in various techniques and was equally skilful in using high-polished metal, polychromous wood, enamel, terracotta or polyester to create his sculptures, reliefs and mobiles. http://www.vaskolipovac.com/

The Church and the Monastery of St Francis, located on the Western part of the Riva, were built on the old early Christian site, by the grave and a small Church of St Felix, martyr from the time of Diocletian. In the 13th century, the Little brothers of St Francis inhabit the Church. From the Churche's artwork, the most valuable is the Gothic Crucifix painting by Blaž Juraj of Trogir from the beginning of the 15th century, and the sarcophagus depicting the Crossing over the Red sea, part of the sacral artwork from the Roman times. Next to the Church is a Franciscan monastery with a 13th-century cloister and an opulent library with over 3000 books, among which even some from 16th century. In the Church and the Monastery are tombs of prominent citizens of Split, like the father of Croatian literature Marko Marulić and one of the greatest Croatian politicians Ante Trumbić whose sarcophagus is the work of Ivan Meštrović. https://visitsplit.com/en/1239/church-and-monastery-of-st-francis

Their original, Roman name was PORTA OCCIDENTALIS, and they are one of the four through which life flowed during all 17 centuries of the history of Split. From the very first day that they were opened, they continued to witness all the changes the city went through from the Roman times, through the middle ages till today, all the power and influences, only to welcome, even to this day, with the bells of the Renaissance clock, the city of Split with its citizens. A relief of Nika, the Roman Goddess of Victory stood on the lintel, but already in the fifth century, the Christians carved a cross in its place as their symbol. In the eleventh century, a small church of our Lady of the Belfry, was built above the door, originally dedicated to St Theodor, with beautiful early Romanesque bell tower. In the Middle Ages the area inside the gate was used as a courthouse, and until about fifty years ago an empire of small shops found its place there. These entire history dynamics is present to this day, with housing construction in the very walls of the gate, bell tower, part of the Roman guard's pathway with a wonderful view of the decumanus and the People's Square (Narodni trg), and also city clock which is of special interest as it has 24 digits instead of the usual 12. By the very door, one of the most beautiful Palaces of the late Split noblemen found its place, belonging to the family Cypriani Benedetti, decorated by two unique six-arch windows. https://visitsplit.com/en/523/the-iron-gate

Enter the fascinating world of illusions that will trick your reliance on your senses, but also amaze you at the same time; the world that will confuse you completely, but also educate you… Visit us and you will be thrilled because nothing is what it seems, especially not in HERE! Are you ready for even a bigger, better, and more fascinating adventure? Visit the Museum of Illusions in Split; we offer you an intriguing visual, sensory and educational experience with a handful of new, unexplored illusions. The Museum of Illusions in Split provides you with a space suitable both for social and entertaining tours through the world of illusions, prone to delight all generations. It’s a perfect place to gain new experiences and have fun with friends and family. Not only is it a place for children who love paying it a visit, but it is also a place for parents, grandparents and couples. https://split.muzejiluzija.com/en/

Art Studio Naranča was founded in 1983 as a design studio of small arts and crafts objects. When the gallery moved in the bigger space at the beginning of the nineties in Majstora Jurja street at the heart of Split’s Diocletian palace we have expanded our activities by organizing exhibitions of Croatian and international contemporary artists. International graphic art biennial “Splitgraphic” was established ten years ago in Studio Naranča gallery. Fifth “Splitgraphic” International Graphic Biennial was successfully organized in 2011. with participation and exhibitions of renowned Croatian and international artists. In gallery Studio Naranča you can find the works of Pavo Majić, a graphic artist, his prints, paintings, designed items, Maja Mijač Majić’s unique jewellery, as well the books by Marina Majić and Pavo Majić. https://studionaranca.com/studio-naranca/

Among the European cathedrals the one in Split finds its seat in the oldest building - the Mausoleum of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. Inside the cathedral, at the end of the second millennium, the history reconciles ancient pagan, Christian Medieval and modern heritage. http://visitsplit.com/en/527/cathedral-of-saint-domnius

Diocletian Palace is one of the best preserved monuments of the Roman architecture in the world. The Emperor's Palace was built as a combination of a luxury villa - summer house and a Roman military camp (castrum), divided into four parts with two main streets. http://visitsplit.com/en/448/diocletian-palace

City Tower, a symbol of Rijeka and a good example of a typical round tower access-point, which lead into the fortified town. Today it dominates the central part of Korzo, although during its lifetime it was overtopped by more recently constructed buildings. It was built in the Middle Ages, probably on the foundations of the Late Antique littoral town gates. Some baroque phases of its construction can be seen on the lower part of the front of the Tower, which are characterised by a richly decorated portal, an imperial coat of arms carved out of stone and relief of the Austrian emperors Leopold and Charles VI. Rijeka paid them special respect due to the maritime orientation they introduced into the state policies of the Austrian court. The Tower’s superstructure, on which a city clock has been situated since the 17th century, has been remodelled several times; most significantly at the turn of the 18th century under the guidance of municipal engineer A. Gnamb, the last time was at the end of the 19th century, based on a design by F. Bazarig. http://www.visitrijeka.eu/What_To_See/Monuments/City_Tower

The museum is headquartered in the former Governor's Palace, a historicist edifice and protected cultural monument. The Governor's Palace was constructed in 1896 and designed by Alajos Hauszmann, one of the foremost Hungarian architects during the time when Rijeka was under Hungarian rule. Today, the palace houses the Maritime and History Museum of the Croatian Littoral, which was established in 1961 and comprises maritime, historical and cultural, ethnographic and archaeological departments. Some of the original items from the Governor's Palace, such as furniture and artisan craft-work, have been preserved and exhibited in salons on the first floor. The permanent exhibition of the museum provides an interactive and modern platform for showcasing the long, rich and tumultuous history and culture of living in the area of what is today Primorje-Gorski Kotar County from prehistoric times to the present day. The Lipa Pamti Memorial Centre (Lipa Remembers), which is dedicated to the victims of the Lipa massacre that took place on 30 April 1944, is also a part of the museum. In addition to its memorial heritage, the Memorial Centre interprets the entire cultural, historical and ethnographical heritage of the Liburnian Karst region (Rupa, Pasjak, Šapjane and Brce) from prehistoric times to the present day. http://www.visitrijeka.eu/What_To_See/Museums_and_Collections/The_Maritime_and_History_Museum_of_the_Croatian_Littoral_Rijeka

The Natural History Museum located within the Nikola Host Park was the first regional museum in the Rijeka area, founded in 1876 when Doctor Joseph Roman Lorenz designed its concept in accordance with Vienna’s Naturhistoriches Museum. Initially, the collection was an integral part of the City Museum, but since 1945 it has operated as an independent institution with rich holdings at its current location, within which there were a zoo and an aquarium until the 1960s. Today, the Museum is oriented towards marine research and has a specialised library in the field of biology, geology and palaeontology. Visitors can enjoy the rich collections and permanent exhibition representing the geological past of the Adriatic, oceanographic research, minerals, marine invertebrates, sharks and rays, the “Aquarium” multimedia centre and reptiles and amphibians from the Rijeka area. http://www.visitrijeka.eu/What_To_See/Museums_and_Collections/Natural_History_Museum_Rijeka

Passing under the round City Tower, the former main medieval town entrance that gave access to the coast, you enter the centre of Rijeka’s Old Town. Located in the modern-day Ivan Kobler Square, there was once a more compact municipal centre called Placa, which served the significantly smaller fortified medieval town. The most knowledgeable historical interpretations of Rijeka Town present it as vertically elongated, framed to the north and south by the City Tower and the Town Hall, and to the east and west by chains of houses. The northern part of Rijeka was dominated by the lord's castle, the eastern part featured the main commoners’ church with a cemetery, to the west there was a spacious cloistered enclosure, and here, in the south quarter, near the embankment and the beach market under the town walls, there was the vibrant heart of the Town. There, the citizens of Rijeka would meet to listen to the proclamations of the Town Crier, seal contracts and buy and sell on the open market or in stores situated in the ground floors of houses. Only traces of those houses remain now, with several old walls integrated into more modern buildings, a baroque lintel with the former owner’s coat of arms and an arched underground corn house. In the near past was the former town “Greenmarket” where fruit and vegetables were sold. http://www.visitrijeka.eu/What_To_See/Architecture/Ivan_Kobler_Square

The museum has its roots in the Fine Arts Gallery built in 1948. Six years later, in 1954, the 1954 Salon was founded - the Exhibition of Contemporary Sculpture and Painting in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). This was the first group exhibition of the modern fine arts production of the former state. In 1960 it started the Biennale of Young Artists and in 1968 it presented the International Exhibition of Original Drawings. Since 1990 it has been presenting Croatian artists at the European and Mediterranean Biennale of Young Artists. In 1962 the institution changed its name to the Rijeka Modern Gallery and in 2003 to the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. The Museum is working on a number of collections. These are collections of works by national artists Božidar Rašica, Romolo Venucci and Slavko Grčko, as well as collections of drawings, graphics, sculptures, posters, paintings, photographs and media art. The exhibition activities take place in Krešimirova Street. http://www.visitrijeka.eu/What_To_See/Museums_and_Collections/Museum_of_Modern_and_Contemporary_Art

Those who peek into Rijeka’s computer museum and poke through its past will be amazed by the speed at which our technological future has become our past. Under the name Peek&Poke, it is the first Croatian museum of computers and computer equipment. Its founders call it the Retro Computer Club. Opened in 2007, it welcomes its visitors with exhibits that date back to the 1960s. Some of the oldest exhibits include the pioneers of computer technology, such as Minivac (1961), the first big series personal computer (Apple II), the first affordable home computer (Sinclair ZX80), the first palmtop (Newton), the computer on which Andy Warhol made his art (Amiga 1000) and the great-grandfather of all modern personal computers - the original IBM PC. The museum holds a proof that Croatia was once a leader in one sector of this technology - the first European calculator, manufactured in 1971 in Buje in the Digitron factory, is exhibited here. The museum has over 2000 exhibits of international and Croatian computer, audio, video and photo technology. Located in the premises of 300 square meters in the city centre, it is one of the first 5 world museums on this subject and is also the largest exhibition of its kind in this part of Europe. http://www.visitrijeka.eu/What_To_See/Museums_and_Collections/Peek_and_Poke_Computer_Museum

The Old Gate or the Roman Arch is not, as was assumed earlier, a Roman triumphal arch, but a monumental main entrance into the heart of the military headquarters of the late Roman empire Tarsatica, an ancient town on whose ruins medieval Rijeka rose. The people of Rijeka were right to trust their instincts and call it simply The Gate; the term Roman Arch became gradually more accepted from the time of Classicism when the documentation and the research of this monument began. The profiled facade of the Arch has been preserved only in fragments, the other parts fell off a long time ago or have been taken away to be incorporated into the houses of medieval Rijeka. The Tarsatica Principia was the main camp, the supply base and the starting point of the Claustra Alpia Iuliarum, dozens of kilometres long intermittent defence walls, towers, guard stations, and larger fortifications positioned in key communication lines and elevated points, with the aim of stopping barbaric invasions towards Italy, the heart of the Roman Empire. http://www.visitrijeka.eu/What_To_See/Attractions/Principia_at_Tarsatica

How many times have you visited a military facility as a tourist? Not very often is our guess. Well, Rijeka offers a rare opportunity to do exactly that. And it will lead you underground in the process. The first military tunnel opened exclusively for tourist visits is waiting for you in the very centre of the city. The decision to build the tunnel arose from the fact that the city sprung up at the crossroads of several historical states, which is why it also became an area of particular military significance. The frequent shifting of borders led to the construction of fortifications. Most of them were built in the years leading up to World War II, during the construction of the so-called Alpine Wall (Vallo Alpino), which was supposed to protect the border between the Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The construction of subterranean strongholds, military warehouses, passages and bunkers began in 1931 in order to make the city less susceptible to cannon fire. The entrance to the tunnel is located next to the Cathedral of St. Vitus and it stretches below the Old Town to the Dolac Primary School. The 330-m long tunnel, which was dug into bedrock from 1939 to 1942 by the Italian military in order to protect civilians from aerial bombings, descends to a depth of 10 m in several places. It is 4 m wide and 2.5 m high on average. The main tunnel bore branches off in two directions, one leading towards the old city hall building and the other to the Cathedral of St. Vitus. http://www.visitrijeka.eu/What_To_See/Attractions/The_Rijeka_Tunnel

The Shrine of Our Lady of Trsat is the largest pilgrimage centre of Western Croatia. Its foundation is reported to be, according to tradition, related to the miraculous transport of the Nazareth Barn, and its stay on Trsat (1291 – 1294). Shortly after the relocation of the Mother of God’s house to Loreto, Prince Nikola I of Krk built the first small church on the place where the barn stood on Trsat. Marija`s Trsat became a pilgrimage point of convergence, the reputation of which was strengthened by the astounding painting of the Lady of Trsat, which was a gift given to the inconsolable Croats in 1367 by Pope Urban V for the loss of the Holy Barn. In the XV century, the Sanctuary was taken over by Franciscans, who have remained its guardians to the present day. On 8 June 2003, Pope John Paul II attended a long pilgrimage procession. http://www.visitrijeka.eu/What_To_See/Attractions/Shrine_of_Our_Lady_of_Trsat

Mlaka Park, also known as Giardino Pubblico, is one of the oldest and most beautiful parks in Rijeka. It was designed in 1874 by Filibert Bazarig, PhD as indicated be based on the proposals of Rijeka’s mayor at the time, Giovanni Ciotta as a kind of frontier between the city centre and the western suburbs as well as the announcement of the historical centre for those arriving from that direction into the centre. Originally a spacious park irrigated by natural resources, it was once a favourite popular meeting point, although today it occupies a smaller area due to the construction of buildings that have been constructed around it in its surroundings over time. In spite of its reduced size, this park located close to the train station is still a pleasant place for relaxation and walking. http://www.visitrijeka.eu/What_To_See/Parks_and_Promenades/Mlaka_park

Apart from Mlaka Park, Nikola Host’s Park is one of the oldest in Rijeka. It was created in the 19th century as a botanical garden close to Villa Androch when it was owned by Archduke Joseph, a great lover and connoisseur of the art of gardening. Located on the rocky terrain and stretching over several levels, the park, with its sculptures, fountains and exotic plants brought by the archduke from around the world, has assumed the appearance of an English garden. This appearance has partly faded away over time. The park was named after the Austrian botanist who participated in its creation. Today Villa Androch houses the State Archives. http://www.visitrijeka.eu/What_To_See/Parks_and_Promenades/Nikola_Host_park

St. Vitus’ Cathedral is the only Baroque rotunda of monumental proportions built on Croatian soil. The construction of this church, designed by the Jesuit architect G. Briano, began in 1638. It was made on the model of the famous Venetian church of Santa Maria della Salute. http://www.visitrijeka.eu/What_To_See/Monuments/St._Vitus_Cathedral

The Trsat Castle represents a strategically embossed lookout on a hill 138 meters above sea level dominating Rijeka. It was mentioned as a parochial centre for the first time in 1288. At this same site there was a Liburnian observation post from prehistoric times, used for monitoring the roads leading from the hinterland to the coast. http://www.visitrijeka.eu/What_To_See/Attractions/Trsat_Castle

Only a few kilometres west of Kanfanar, the remains of the mediaeval town of Dvigrad are located, which still dominates the Lim Fjord. During Illyrian times, two colonies existed which later, in early mediaeval times, became two towns, Parentino and Moncastello. The former quickly became extinct, whereas the latter, in the ownership of the Aquileian patriarch, developed further under the name of Duecastelli. Lateron, like the most part of the Istrian coast, Dvigrad fell under Venetian power. In the mid 17th century malaria and the plague were rifing in Istria, which didn't spare the citizens of Dvigrad either. Thus, in 1631 most of the 700 hundred inhabitants left the town, and the remaining three families left in 1714 when the church of St.Sophia was abandoned as well. The relics and the pulpit from the 14th century were transferred into the church of St. Silvester in Kanfanara, where the inhabitants of Dvigrad had moved as well. The town is very well maintained since it hadn't been destroyed in the wars that were ravaging through Istria, but rather because it was abandoned by the inhabitants of the town. The town gates still exist, as well as two circles of the town walls, some of the defence towers are maintained, as well as the most part of the 200 houses. The St. Sophia Church was an early Christian church with three naves which dominated the town and which was built on solid rock. Unfortunately, because the church wasn't being maintained, it decayed in the 19th century. https://www.inforovinj.com/eng/rovinj/znamenje/dvigrad.asp

On the west side of the Old Town core lies the Monte beach. For those who find accommodation in the Old Town, this beach will only be a few minutes walk away. This is also the ideal place for visitors who start touring the Old Town – they can find relief from the heat in the Rovinj sea. Although the beach is about 150 meters long, the locals divided it into several parts. The Big and Little Guguliera are small beaches, suitable for bathing small children, while Baluota (or Balota) and Lanterna are beaches favoured by the older population (you get into the sea by climbing down or diving from the rocks). Many cafes and restaurants are a few dozen meters away from the beach, while the XL café and Monte restaurant are situated at the foot of the St. Euphemia church (about 50 meters from the beaches). The beaches are rocky, with no natural shade, so we recommend bringing along some refreshing beverages and headcovers. When the gale gets strong, the waves will make it even more difficult to get into the sea or out of it, so it is better to go for the beaches in one of the numerous Rovinj coves when it is windy. https://www.inforovinj.com/eng/rovinj/plaze/monte.asp

Red Island (Crveni otok), one of the most renowned tourist locations in Rovinj. Actually, it consists of two artificially connected islands: St. Andrew’s Island (Otok Sv. Andrije) and Maškin Island (Otok Maškin). Red Island is a fifteen-minute sail away from the town center. Taxi boats arrive from and depart for Red Island every hour, from a small pier on the main town square, and from Delfin pier. The sail to the island is very pleasant, passing by Katarina Island, Lona and Zlatni rt bays that will surely enchant you with their beauty. Dense Mediterranean underbrush and old coniferous forest are predominant on the island, and there are cultivated flower parks with paths near the hotels and annexes. In 2002, Red Island was hit by a heavy storm, almost entirely destroying the 100-year-old pine forest, which has been providing shade and shelter from summer heats for numerous tourists. The biggest damage was caused on Maškin Island. A lot has been done towards cleaning and renovating the island since last year so that you could enjoy its beauty and intimacy again. You can find a really large number of beaches on the island. They are mainly stony beaches with typical coves covered with pebbles. The most frequented beaches are the ones situated on the south side of St. Andrews Island, near the hotel and the annexe. Numerous services are offered nearby, namely: a restaurant, a pool, miniature golf courses, a diver centre and others. A small part of the shore near the little port has been covered with gravel, making it suitable for children and seniors. https://www.inforovinj.com/eng/rovinj/plaze/crveni-otok.asp

A small church of St. George used to be situated where the Church of St. Euphemia is located today. When St. Euphemia's sarcophagus was brought to Rovinj, the Church of St. George became too small for all the pilgrims. In the 10th century, the people of Rovinj started building a new, bigger church. It was a three-nave church with three projected apses and wooden statues of St. George and St. Euphemia. At the beginning of the 17th century, a new gold-plated stone statue was erected which until this day remains on the altar of the Saint. The church itself required with time more and more reparations, and the town population grew so that the people of Rovinj decided to build an even bigger church. The building process started in 1725 and lasted until 1736. Three main altars were built in 1741, and the organ was installed in 1754. The façade was designed and built in the second half of the 19th century. Many altars and paintings enrich and embellish the church from within. https://www.inforovinj.com/eng/rovinj/znamenje/crkva-sv-eufemija.asp

Located in the baroque palace of the XVII / XVIII century of the Count Caliphs, the museum was founded in 1954 on the initiative of some artists of Rovinj. Their idea was to gather the rich cultural heritage of the city in a single exhibition space. The museum serves as a town gallery and exhibits its precious collection to the public in a permanent exhibition. In its half-century of life it has gathered a rich collection that includes sections of contemporary art, old masters, archaeological, ethnological, books, documents and photographs on the activities of the partisan battalion Pino Budicin and more. The Museum houses one of the most important collections of ancient masters in Croatia, in particular the Italian masters from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century. The Renaissance is represented through works by artists from the circle of Giovanni Bellini and Bonifacio de Pitatija (Adoration of the Magi), while the most important exponents of Baroque are Marco Ricci (On the road to Emmaus), Antonio Zanchi, Jerome Romanin, Nicola Grassi, the school of Guido Reni and Bernardo Strozzi and others. https://www.inforovinj.com/eng/rovinj/znamenje/zavicajni-muzej-rovinj.asp

The forest park Punta Corrente (Golden Cape) is one of the most important natural attractions of Rovinj. At the end of the nineteenth century, Georg Hütterott bought four Rovinj islands (St. Andrew, Maskin, Sturag and San Giovanni) and began cleaning up an area of about 90 hectares on the Golden Cape to build a spa. His premature death interrupted the realization of this ambitious project, but his vision remained and contributed to the development of tourism in this area. The uniqueness of Punta Corrente has been recognized in 1961 and declared a nature park. Golden Cape is ideal for various sporting activities such as running, cycling, gymnastics. The old quarry has been transformed into a paradise for lovers of free climbing. The park is perfect for a leisurely stroll. The whole area is closed to traffic from motor vehicles. The beaches of Punta Corrente are worth a visit. As in the rest of the coast, there are rocky capes and pebble bays suitable for children. In several places along the coast there are beach bars where you can refresh. https://www.inforovinj.com/eng/rovinj/znamenje/punta-corrente.asp

Rovinj represented an exception among the cities on the west coast by the lack of a Franciscan monastery during the first period of the existence of the order. Only at the end of the fifteenth century, the Diocese of San Geronimo decided to build one on the island of St. Andrew (Red Island) near Rovinj, upon the site of the Benedictine hospice and the church from the sixth century. According to tradition, the monastery was founded by St. John of Capistrano, a famous missionary engaged in the fight against the Turks. His body is kept in the Franciscan monastery of Ilok, in eastern Croatia. In 1807, after nearly four centuries after its foundation, the monastery of Saint Andrew was closed by Napoleonic authorities. In the early eighteenth century, the St. Anthony's Franciscan reformers built a new monastery in the north, in the continental part of the city, which was not yet connected to the mainland. In 1696 the City Council invited the Franciscans to come to Rovinj to erect a new hospice. The approval of the Doge Alvise Mocenigo arrived in 1700 and two years later, in 1702 the construction of the church and hospice began. On that occasion, for the first time explosive was used in Rovinj to derive rock tanks for rainwater. https://www.inforovinj.com/eng/rovinj/znamenje/franjevacki-samostan.asp