St. Andrew Island - Red Island Rovinj

St. Andrew Island - Red Island Rovinj. The St. Katharina and St. Andrew Islands (Red Island) are just off the coast from the old town of Rovinj. Both islands are free of cars so you can enjoy the peace and quiet, and explore the beauty of this beautiful island. St. Catherine is smaller of the two, and is closer to the shore. It takes only 5 minutes by boat to reach. The boat runs every half an hour during peak season.

St.Catherine has beautiful gardens and parks, with more than 450 different plants. The beaches are mostly stony. The only hotel on the island is the Hotel Katarina. The hotel is housed in a former mansion surrounded by beautiful gardens. It offers a magnificent view of the old town.

The archipelago of Saint-André is the largest island of Rovinj. A short 15 minute boat trip is beautiful and offers a magnificent view of the old town and the Golden Cape old forest. St. Andrew also known as the Red Island, it actually consists of two islands. The largest of San Andres and small island Maskin. The two are connected by a bridge. The island has historic buildings such as the mausoleum of the Huetterott family never finished, ancient church and a monastery that now houses the chic Lanterna restaurant where you can enjoy specialties at affordable prices.

The island vegetation is rich with over 180 different plants. There is only one hotel in Red Island. The Hotel Istra is a 4 star hotel with 326 rooms in the main building and 34 large suites in the adjoining building.

Visiting St. Andrew Island - Red Island and the island of St. Catherine is a great way to do a day and one of the best things to do in Rovinj. The view of the sea on the old town is unbelievable.

Zlatni rt Rovinj - Golden Cape

Zlatni rt Rovinj. The Zlatni rt (Golden Cape) Forest Park is the largest park on the north-eastern Adriatic. This is the oldest protected area of Istria, with great botanical value. It is inevitable to enjoy a walk or bike ride in the nature and easily accessible its destination. It is located in the south, just a 15 minute walk from the town center. Everyone who loves rock climbing will sure enjoy the rocks in Golden Cape. There are also nice beach places suitable for children and families. If you continue your walk by the sea to the south, right next to the Zlatni rt Rovinj Forest Park, you can enjoy the Škaraba Forest Park. This is an area of the aesthetic value of the unique landscape and represents a continuation of the forest Zlatni rt-Punta Corrente Park. The forest Park is rich in native plants. Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara) Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) and pine (Pinus pinea). The meadows are surrounded by Douglas fir trees and lonely exotic cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens var.pyramidalis). In addition to a variety of pines, such as the Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) and the Calabrian pine (Pinus brutia), there is a dense undergrowth of oaks (Quercus ilex) and other Mediterranean shrubs.

Nature Conservation Wonder

In addition to Dubrovnik Trsteno Park, "Zlatni rt Rovinj" is the largest on the Croatian side of the Adriatic.

In addition to thousands of native and domesticated plants, such as oak forest and alpine pines, the deep shadows of the old park are also created by many foreign plants such as cedar, pine and some ten species cypresses that contribute to the Mediterranean atmosphere of the park.

Golden Cape Forest Park is a popular destination for many sports and recreational wildlife lovers. Traveling on the sea and the beach begin, recently renovated, or in the shadow of the main road through the park in the middle of the woods.

Rovinj Islands

Rovinj Islands. Rovinj archipelago consists of twenty islands, St. Andrija and St. Katarina is the largest and includes tourist facilities. Natural views, including Rovinj and the coastal forests islands were described as "outstanding wonders of nature". This area of "exceptional natural beauty" stretches from St. Ivan to city Barbariga. St. Andrija Island, also known as the Red Island and St. Katarina Island with the local ferry from the quay opposite the central Marshal Tito. The two islands as well as tourist facilities have many attractions such as the castle of Hütterott (formerly a monastery), the mausoleum of Baron Hütterott on the neighboring island of Maskin, connected to the island of St. Andrija by a path or prehistoric building in St. Katarina First inhabited place in the region Rovinj.

Rovinj Old Town

The old town is where life in Rovinj began in what was once a safe island, made by medieval city wall. The city had seven gates, three of which have survived until today: The door de San Benito, La Portica and door of the Holy Cross. The first archaeological traces of life date of the Bronze Age and the ancient city began to grow in the third century. Limited space on the island in th reason why there are narrow houses, narrow streets and small squares. It is a unique place to visit.

The largest monument in the city is the church of Santa Eufemia a Venetian baroque building restored between 1725 and 1736. The tower is (designed by the Milanese architect Alessandro Monopola) is replica of the church of San Marco in Venice. Construction of the tower began in 1651 and lasted for 26 years. On the tower there is a statue of the largest copper of St. Euphemia set in 1758 after the wooden statue was destroyed by a lightning bolt. There is a nice view of the accessible tower from inside the church.

The clock of the city and a small fountain on the main square of the city. The tower of the clock of the city once stood in the southeast corner of the old city wall. Built in the twelfth century, the tower was expanded several times. The city clock with its Venetian lion, the symbol of the Serenissima back in the middle of the 19th century, stood the fortress at the gate of the city near the Palace Califfi.

Rovinj was one of the most important cities in Istria

Rovinj was already a settlement of Illyrian before being captured by the Romans. Roman called it Arupinium or Mons Rubineus and later Ruginium and Ruvinium. The old city was build on an island near the coast, and in 1763 the island was connected to the mainland by filling the canal.

It is part of the Byzantine Empire, then in the 6. st the Exarchat of Ravenna and from the year 788 it was under the Franconian empire. Then for more centuries it was under the rule of different feudal lords. Since 1209 Aquileo Patriarch ruled.

From 1283-1797 Rovinj was one of the most important cities in Istria under the Republic of Venice. The city was fortified by two rows of walls with three gates of the city. The walls which can be seen today come from that period. Near the ferry, you can find the door of the ancient city of Arc Balbi dating from 1680, and a round later Renaissance clock.

After the fall of Venice and the Napoleonic Intermezzo, Rovinj was part of the Austrian Empire until the First World War. After the WWI it then belonged to Italy (1918-1947), when it was sold in the Croatia Republic in the SFR Yugoslavia.