From the Adriatic to the Tyrrhenian Seas in 5 weeks - Part 1 (Croatia)
Nov 14th, 2021, 05:50 AM
#21
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,461
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
progol maybe that guy is the brother! The other guy in the photo is the shorter guy I was referring to. The brothers also own Puntalina. (One of the places with tables right down on the rocks.)
When I was first going to Rovinj Rio was just a bar, It is only in the past few years it became a restaurant. I have never eaten there but one of these days.
When I was first going to Rovinj Rio was just a bar, It is only in the past few years it became a restaurant. I have never eaten there but one of these days.
Nov 14th, 2021, 06:44 AM
#22
Original Poster
rialtogirl, that’s interesting! As I understood from our host, one brother does Giannino and the other does Rio! I didn’t realize they also owned Puntalina - we tried for a reservation one night and they were booked up solid! It’s a great location, very romantic. It would’ve been nice but we really enjoyed the places where we did go.
Nov 14th, 2021, 08:14 AM
#23
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,461
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
rialtogirl, that’s interesting! As I understood from our host, one brother does Giannino and the other does Rio! I didn’t realize they also owned Puntalina - we tried for a reservation one night and they were booked up solid! It’s a great location, very romantic. It would’ve been nice but we really enjoyed the places where we did go.
Nov 15th, 2021, 06:46 AM
#24
Original Poster
Yes, gorgeous view and setting! Though sitting at Rio wasn't half-bad, either!
Nov 15th, 2021, 08:46 AM
#26
Original Poster
Pula
Approaching this city, an industrial port town, it’s hard to imagine what lies within. It was once an important outpost of the Roman empire; then ruled by many powers, including the Venetians; and later becoming the naval center for the Austro-Hungarian empire. And today, it’s still an active port. Not an especially attractive town, but, with its many Roman ruins scattered throughout the town as well as an appealing but slightly funky old town, it began to grow on us as we explored the town.
We lucked out in finding a parking spot right by the amphitheater – what a miracle! But then, M spent 15 minutes getting change for the parking. We had gotten parking for 2 hours and had to return later for an additional hour.
The standout in Pula, of course, is its Roman amphitheater, which is said to be the 6th largest and one of the best-preserved in the world. Built between 27BC and completed in the 1st C AD, it’s an amazing structure with a fully intact circular wall. There’s a wonderful museum in the lower level of the amphitheater, with displays of ancient amphorae, a grape press and 2 olive-oil mills. This is also where the gladiators and animals stayed before they fought!
Leaving the amphitheater, we continued our walk, first stopping at a small replica of the town of Pula, placed just a short distance outside of the amphitheater, before continuing along the main street of the old town, Kandlerova Ulica. The stretch consists of buildings from ancient to modern, including a 60s-style apartment building with Roman ruins sitting out in front. What a contrast! We passed several other historic structures, including the Cathedral and bell tower, dating to the 5th C, with an 18th C Venetian façade. And then we arrived at the Forum, with the 1st C Temple of Augustus in pristine condition – and it’s sitting right next to a medieval building that is now the city hall!
We had picked up some cheese borek at a bakery along the street – very tasty and very filling! No need for a sit-down lunch today! Eventually we arrived at the Arch of Sergius, a triumphal arch, which stands at the entrance of the original Roman town.
M wanted to walk up to Fort Kastel at the very top of the hill, but we had to add more time for the parking. After returning to the car, we eventually made our way up to the castle, passing more Roman ruins (the Twin gate); and some lovely and interesting houses from the Austro-Hungarian era, eventually finding our way up to Fort Kastel, the hilltop fortress, where we got a good overview of the town.
(Pix to come soon!)
Approaching this city, an industrial port town, it’s hard to imagine what lies within. It was once an important outpost of the Roman empire; then ruled by many powers, including the Venetians; and later becoming the naval center for the Austro-Hungarian empire. And today, it’s still an active port. Not an especially attractive town, but, with its many Roman ruins scattered throughout the town as well as an appealing but slightly funky old town, it began to grow on us as we explored the town.
We lucked out in finding a parking spot right by the amphitheater – what a miracle! But then, M spent 15 minutes getting change for the parking. We had gotten parking for 2 hours and had to return later for an additional hour.
The standout in Pula, of course, is its Roman amphitheater, which is said to be the 6th largest and one of the best-preserved in the world. Built between 27BC and completed in the 1st C AD, it’s an amazing structure with a fully intact circular wall. There’s a wonderful museum in the lower level of the amphitheater, with displays of ancient amphorae, a grape press and 2 olive-oil mills. This is also where the gladiators and animals stayed before they fought!
Leaving the amphitheater, we continued our walk, first stopping at a small replica of the town of Pula, placed just a short distance outside of the amphitheater, before continuing along the main street of the old town, Kandlerova Ulica. The stretch consists of buildings from ancient to modern, including a 60s-style apartment building with Roman ruins sitting out in front. What a contrast! We passed several other historic structures, including the Cathedral and bell tower, dating to the 5th C, with an 18th C Venetian façade. And then we arrived at the Forum, with the 1st C Temple of Augustus in pristine condition – and it’s sitting right next to a medieval building that is now the city hall!
We had picked up some cheese borek at a bakery along the street – very tasty and very filling! No need for a sit-down lunch today! Eventually we arrived at the Arch of Sergius, a triumphal arch, which stands at the entrance of the original Roman town.
M wanted to walk up to Fort Kastel at the very top of the hill, but we had to add more time for the parking. After returning to the car, we eventually made our way up to the castle, passing more Roman ruins (the Twin gate); and some lovely and interesting houses from the Austro-Hungarian era, eventually finding our way up to Fort Kastel, the hilltop fortress, where we got a good overview of the town.
(Pix to come soon!)
Nov 15th, 2021, 12:15 PM
#28
Original Poster
Cathedral and Bell Tower
Temple of Augustus
Town Hall (Gradska Palača)
Building detail
Detail on Town Hall
Arch of Sergius (Slavoluk Sergijevaca)
Arch of Sergius (Slavoluk Sergijevaca)
Twin Gates (Porta Gemina)
Nov 15th, 2021, 04:58 PM
#29
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 4,429
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Progol, your photos of Rovinj are just stunning!!! I am disappointed we didn't include the Istrian Peninsula on our trip, but it's impossible to see everything. When we visited Croatia, we also visited Slovenia, and spent a day in Montenegro, so we had to eliminate something from Croatia. So we didn't visit Pula, obviously, so I appreciate your photos and report. Seeing Rovinj and Pula vicariously through you!
Nov 15th, 2021, 08:06 PM
#30
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,143
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
KarenWoo, I understand what you mean. I would have loved to visit Istria too, but spent our entire time between Split and Kotor and enjoyed every bit of it. I figure I would go back for Istria the next time I find myself in Venice.
Progol, your photos are gorgeous. Happy I get to see a part of Croatia we have yet to visit through you and look forward to your impressions of some of our favorite bits. I agree with you that planning and actually going on a trip like this is not always a given these days. Very happy that you were able to do so.
Progol, your photos are gorgeous. Happy I get to see a part of Croatia we have yet to visit through you and look forward to your impressions of some of our favorite bits. I agree with you that planning and actually going on a trip like this is not always a given these days. Very happy that you were able to do so.
Nov 16th, 2021, 01:42 AM
#31
Original Poster
KarenWoo and tripplanner,
I completely understand - we can’t get everywhere, and the hardest part of planning is not what to see, but what to leave out. When I was initially planning, I had included Slovenia (which had not yet opened for tourism), and a possible trip to Montenegro. Once Italy reopened, that became my priority because I’d been wanting to return after our last wonderful pre-Covid trip. And there were many more travel restrictions if we went to Montenegro (non-EU). By the time I added Italy, there wasn’t enough time for Slovenia as well.
Istria had always been part of the plan - we had seen enough Rick Steves’ travel shows to know that this was a must! And I think you’ll see why when you see the photos from day we visit the hill towns.
I completely understand - we can’t get everywhere, and the hardest part of planning is not what to see, but what to leave out. When I was initially planning, I had included Slovenia (which had not yet opened for tourism), and a possible trip to Montenegro. Once Italy reopened, that became my priority because I’d been wanting to return after our last wonderful pre-Covid trip. And there were many more travel restrictions if we went to Montenegro (non-EU). By the time I added Italy, there wasn’t enough time for Slovenia as well.
Istria had always been part of the plan - we had seen enough Rick Steves’ travel shows to know that this was a must! And I think you’ll see why when you see the photos from day we visit the hill towns.
Nov 16th, 2021, 02:25 AM
#32
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,461
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
More great photos.. if you had gone to the back of the town hall in Pula you would have seen the back of another Roman temple. They just added the new part on to the old.. kind of like Rome!
Unfortunately Pula was heavily bombed in WWII and that is why the town is not so glamorous. Thankfully the bombers did not target the amphitheatre.
Looking forward to the next installment!
Unfortunately Pula was heavily bombed in WWII and that is why the town is not so glamorous. Thankfully the bombers did not target the amphitheatre.
Looking forward to the next installment!
Nov 16th, 2021, 04:57 AM
#34
Original Poster
rialtogirl - thank you! Pula does remind me a tiny bit of Rome in the way that the Roman artifacts crop up everywhere. I wish we had been a bit better organized and able to spend a little bit more time wandering. I know we would've gotten a kick out of seeing the parts of the temple that were built into the Town Hall. We did pass a number of other smaller sets of ruins, as well as a major excavation, so it does seem like there will be more and more ancient sites opening up in time.
xyz99, thank you! The Istrian peninsula was really special and we were glad that we included it in the trip.
Just a few more pix from Pula before I move on:
An overview from the castle fortifications. The amphitheater is clearly seen in this photo.
Pula harbor in the distance
xyz99, thank you! The Istrian peninsula was really special and we were glad that we included it in the trip.
Just a few more pix from Pula before I move on:
An overview from the castle fortifications. The amphitheater is clearly seen in this photo.
Pula harbor in the distance
Nov 16th, 2021, 06:21 AM
#35
Original Poster
Istrian Hill Towns: Motovun, Oprtalj, Groznjan
There were so many wonderful days on this trip that it’s impossible to name one day as a favorite, but this one was definitely up there in the best of the best. We visited 3 towns – Motovun, Oprtalj, and Groznjan. But it’s not just the towns – it’s the countryside, and the views of the hills, gorgeous vineyards, olive groves and cypress trees dotting the landscape. As we drove up the switchback hills as we approached the towns, I occasionally wondered whether we had somehow been transported to Tuscany. Beautiful views in every direction.
I’ve been remiss in mentioning one of the highlights of this region – truffles! I didn’t know what I was missing until we came to Croatia, and Istria, in particular this region, is known for them. My taste buds absolutely fell in love!
We started in Motovun, one of the most popular of the towns, about an hour drive from Rovinj.. As we approached, we stopped beside a vineyard and the view toward the hilltop was classic! Parking on the hill was a bit confusing – there are several lots perhaps halfway up to the top where we parked because parking in the town itself very limited. There’s a booth where we paid for parking and got tickets for the shuttle bus, which took us up to the town.
And then we arrived. Wow! After passing many small shops with truffle products and olive oil, we came to the grand entrance into the town through the double defensive gates. Within these gates, there are plaques from the time this was part of the Venetian empire. In fact, almost everywhere along the coast, both in Istria and Dalmatia, the Venetian Lion of St. Mark can be found on walls and buildings.
First things first, and we had a very relaxed cappuccino and espcresso break at the Hotel Kaštel café. There are not a lot of activities, save for a few shops and galleries that are open now, but the must do is walking the town’s ramparts. The walk around is just spectacular, overlooking the stunning countryside.
Finally, we’re getting hungry, and we managed to get a perfect table at Konoba pod Voltom, where we had our favorite meal of the entire trip! Simple, but absolutely delicious. We shared the beef carpaccio with truffles, and we each ordered pasta, one with black truffles and one with white truffles. And, OMG, I can still remember the melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness! And our views over the countryside made the entire experience feel a little bit like heaven-on-earth. Sigh…..
So after an utterly delicious lunch, a wait for the shuttle back to our car, we drove up, up and up to the nearby Oprtalj, a very small medieval fort town, much less touristy, with no real sights but full of character. We absolutely loved this town, and the views from here were, once again, just gorgeous. This visit complemented Motovun perfectly
It was getting late in the day, but we pushed on to Grožnjan, now a bit of a drive to get there. And by the time we arrived in mid-afternoon, there were too many tourists but many of the shops were closed. It was, surprisingly, even more touristy than Motovun. Very beautiful, with many maze-like streets to wonder, this is a more extensive town to explore than Motovun, but it was just too late and we had already enjoyed the 2 towns we had visited, so after walking around for a little while, we called it a day and returned to Rovinj.
There were so many wonderful days on this trip that it’s impossible to name one day as a favorite, but this one was definitely up there in the best of the best. We visited 3 towns – Motovun, Oprtalj, and Groznjan. But it’s not just the towns – it’s the countryside, and the views of the hills, gorgeous vineyards, olive groves and cypress trees dotting the landscape. As we drove up the switchback hills as we approached the towns, I occasionally wondered whether we had somehow been transported to Tuscany. Beautiful views in every direction.
I’ve been remiss in mentioning one of the highlights of this region – truffles! I didn’t know what I was missing until we came to Croatia, and Istria, in particular this region, is known for them. My taste buds absolutely fell in love!
We started in Motovun, one of the most popular of the towns, about an hour drive from Rovinj.. As we approached, we stopped beside a vineyard and the view toward the hilltop was classic! Parking on the hill was a bit confusing – there are several lots perhaps halfway up to the top where we parked because parking in the town itself very limited. There’s a booth where we paid for parking and got tickets for the shuttle bus, which took us up to the town.
And then we arrived. Wow! After passing many small shops with truffle products and olive oil, we came to the grand entrance into the town through the double defensive gates. Within these gates, there are plaques from the time this was part of the Venetian empire. In fact, almost everywhere along the coast, both in Istria and Dalmatia, the Venetian Lion of St. Mark can be found on walls and buildings.
First things first, and we had a very relaxed cappuccino and espcresso break at the Hotel Kaštel café. There are not a lot of activities, save for a few shops and galleries that are open now, but the must do is walking the town’s ramparts. The walk around is just spectacular, overlooking the stunning countryside.
Finally, we’re getting hungry, and we managed to get a perfect table at Konoba pod Voltom, where we had our favorite meal of the entire trip! Simple, but absolutely delicious. We shared the beef carpaccio with truffles, and we each ordered pasta, one with black truffles and one with white truffles. And, OMG, I can still remember the melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness! And our views over the countryside made the entire experience feel a little bit like heaven-on-earth. Sigh…..
So after an utterly delicious lunch, a wait for the shuttle back to our car, we drove up, up and up to the nearby Oprtalj, a very small medieval fort town, much less touristy, with no real sights but full of character. We absolutely loved this town, and the views from here were, once again, just gorgeous. This visit complemented Motovun perfectly
It was getting late in the day, but we pushed on to Grožnjan, now a bit of a drive to get there. And by the time we arrived in mid-afternoon, there were too many tourists but many of the shops were closed. It was, surprisingly, even more touristy than Motovun. Very beautiful, with many maze-like streets to wonder, this is a more extensive town to explore than Motovun, but it was just too late and we had already enjoyed the 2 towns we had visited, so after walking around for a little while, we called it a day and returned to Rovinj.
Nov 16th, 2021, 07:01 AM
#36
Original Poster
Motovun
Motovun from the distance
Motovun from the distance - vineyard
Shop display
Approaching the gateway
Looking back through the gates
The Venetian Lion of St Mark
The gateway
The yellow St. Stephen's church, through the arch
Walking the ramparts
View from the ramparts
View from the ramparts
View from the ramparts
View from the ramparts
View from the ramparts
Another kind of view!
The beef carpaccio - wow
The best seats in the house!
Motovun from the distance
Motovun from the distance - vineyard
Shop display
Approaching the gateway
Looking back through the gates
The Venetian Lion of St Mark
The gateway
The yellow St. Stephen's church, through the arch
Walking the ramparts
View from the ramparts
View from the ramparts
View from the ramparts
View from the ramparts
View from the ramparts
Another kind of view!
The beef carpaccio - wow
The best seats in the house!
Last edited by progol; Nov 16th, 2021 at 07:04 AM.
Nov 16th, 2021, 09:46 AM
#39
Original Poster
Thanks, Russ! I’m glad you’re enjoying it as I’ve LOVED yours! The next set will look very familiar to you, but I may not get there for a day or 2. We are off to Plitvice NP next, and some of our photos are eerily alike!
