Old Town

Rovinj is the most beautiful town on Croatia's Istrian coast, a former Venetian fishing port whose Old Town crowds onto a small peninsula, a tangle of steep cobbled lanes climbing to the hilltop church of St. Euphemia, whose tall Venetian-style bell tower dominates the skyline. Pastel houses rise straight from the Adriatic, laundry strung between shuttered windows, and the harbour bobs with fishing boats and cafés. It's impossibly photogenic, especially the waterfront at sunset.

Wander up through the lanes to the church for the view over the red rooftops and out to the islands, browse the artists' studios on Grisia street, and linger over seafood and Istrian wine by the water. Compact and walkable, Rovinj is a place to slow down and soak up Adriatic charm.

Don't miss

• The hilltop Church of St. Euphemia and its bell tower
• Steep cobbled lanes of pastel Venetian houses
• The harbour and waterfront at sunset
• Artists' studios on Grisia street
• Adriatic seafood and Istrian wine

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Old Town

Cheapest way inDubrovnik: Discover the Old Town Walking Tour4.9★ · 4,793 travelers~2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$21 per personSee dates →Most bookedDubrovnik Old Town History - Small Group Walking Tour4.9★ · 1,810 travelers~2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$23 per personSee dates →Private & flexibleDubrovnik Old Town Private Walking Tour5★ · 59 travelers~2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$105 per personSee dates →

Good for

How travelers rate it

Know before you go

• Climb to St. Euphemia for the rooftop-and-islands view; the bell tower can also be climbed.
• Wear good shoes, the lanes are steep and cobbled.
• Sunset on the waterfront is the signature Rovinj moment.
• Shoulder season (late spring/early autumn) avoids the worst summer crowds.

A bit of history

Rovinj was for centuries part of the Venetian Republic, which shaped its architecture, dialect, and the dominant church of St. Euphemia (rebuilt in the 18th century with its Venetian-style campanile). Once an island, the town was joined to the mainland in the 18th century.