Poreč
The city of Poreč carries the title of the most visited resort in both Istria and Croatia with a good reason. Although rewarded numerous times for its quality and popularity, those contented human rivers, which are flowing through the town every year, are even more precious for the city of Poreč and its inhabitants. Almost every street is simply pulsing with life in the summer. Once known as Colonia Iulia Parentium with its 2000 years of vivid past, today Poreč is a favourite destination, which is inevitably visited by those eager to have a good time and appreciating the variety of offer.
Approx 25mins from Novigrad by car or we recommend you hire a bike and cycle there.
Approx 25mins from Novigrad by car or we recommend you hire a bike and cycle there.
Rovinj
There is a tale about the ancient Castrum Rubini, now Rovinj, connected with the Istrian Atlantis – a peninsula called Cissa. The legend says that on St.Euphemia`s day, September 16th 304, the peninsula was struck by a terrible underwater earthquake and the sea covered its streets, squares, houses and palaces. The peninsula was divided into new islands which lie in front of today`s town and its inhabitants (famous for producing colors) founded the picturesque Rovinj.
Yes it’s touristy and residents are developing a sharp eye for maximising their profits, but Rovinj is one of the last of the true Mediterranean fishing ports. Fishermen haul their catch into the harbour in the early morning, followed by a horde of squawking gulls, and mend their nets before lunch. Prayers for a good catch are sent forth at the massive Cathedral of St Euphemia whose 60m-high tower punctuates the peninsula. Wooded hills and low-rise luxury hotels surround a town webbed by steep, cobbled streets. Approx 50mins from Novigrad
Yes it’s touristy and residents are developing a sharp eye for maximising their profits, but Rovinj is one of the last of the true Mediterranean fishing ports. Fishermen haul their catch into the harbour in the early morning, followed by a horde of squawking gulls, and mend their nets before lunch. Prayers for a good catch are sent forth at the massive Cathedral of St Euphemia whose 60m-high tower punctuates the peninsula. Wooded hills and low-rise luxury hotels surround a town webbed by steep, cobbled streets. Approx 50mins from Novigrad
Motovun
Motovun is one of the best preserved Istrian hill medieval towns. It is located at the south side of Mirna River Valley about 30min drive from Novigrad and offers 360 degrees panoramic view of Istrian valleys all the way to Adriatic Sea.
The hill at which Motovun is built has height of about 300 meters. It is not recommended for those who dont like hills, the car park is located at the bottom of the hill town so you will need your walking shoes on!
Sightseeing in Motovun is a trip to the past when the town was part of the Venetian empire.
Read more here
Motovun is approx 30mins from Novigrad
The hill at which Motovun is built has height of about 300 meters. It is not recommended for those who dont like hills, the car park is located at the bottom of the hill town so you will need your walking shoes on!
Sightseeing in Motovun is a trip to the past when the town was part of the Venetian empire.
Read more here
Motovun is approx 30mins from Novigrad
If you're looking for alternative places to visit just that little bit further we recommend;
lake plitvice
For the well travelled, the Plitvice Lakes are located approx. 3hrs drive from Novigrad but well worth a visit!
The complex of the Plitvice Lakes became a national park on April 8th 1949. There are 16 big and small lakes of a crystal blue-green color, connected by falls and cascades. The lakes are provided with water from many small rivers and streams. Vast forests, outstandingly beautiful lakes and falls, richness of flora and fauna, fresh mountain air, contrasts of Autumn colors, forest paths and wooden bridges, and many more are a part of the unique complex, (one of the first) inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.
Here is a link to Tripadvisor's reviewed hotels in this area
The complex of the Plitvice Lakes became a national park on April 8th 1949. There are 16 big and small lakes of a crystal blue-green color, connected by falls and cascades. The lakes are provided with water from many small rivers and streams. Vast forests, outstandingly beautiful lakes and falls, richness of flora and fauna, fresh mountain air, contrasts of Autumn colors, forest paths and wooden bridges, and many more are a part of the unique complex, (one of the first) inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.
Here is a link to Tripadvisor's reviewed hotels in this area
lake bled, slovenia
For those of you who are flying from Trieste airport we cannot recommend enough Lake Bled in Slovenia, it is a 2hr drive from Novigrad and the same again to Trieste airport. It is worth going for a night or two before flying home as it is simply enchanting with its emerald-green lake, picture-postcard island church, cliff-topping medieval castle and its mountain backdrop.
We recommend staying in the same hotel we did: Penzion Mayer its reasonably priced and looks just like a storybook gingerbread house without the evil hag!
We recommend staying in the same hotel we did: Penzion Mayer its reasonably priced and looks just like a storybook gingerbread house without the evil hag!
Venice, Italy
The city of love, need we say more?
As Novigrad is across the sea from Venice you can organise yourself a great one day boat trip or stay for longer to explore this beautiful city of Renaissance architecture and art. Read more about excursions from Novigrad here
First, do a bit of sightseeing by taking a romantic sunset gondola ride down the Grand Canal that will take you through the heart of the city and let you soak up the relaxing atmosphere.
The canal is lined with beautiful buildings and churches some of which date back as far as the 13thcentury. You’ll also see the Rialto Bridge that was the only bridge to cross the canal until the 19th century and was mentioned in Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice”. You could also visit Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari which is one of the greatest churches in Venice.
Here is a list of other things you can do in Venice.
As Novigrad is across the sea from Venice you can organise yourself a great one day boat trip or stay for longer to explore this beautiful city of Renaissance architecture and art. Read more about excursions from Novigrad here
First, do a bit of sightseeing by taking a romantic sunset gondola ride down the Grand Canal that will take you through the heart of the city and let you soak up the relaxing atmosphere.
The canal is lined with beautiful buildings and churches some of which date back as far as the 13thcentury. You’ll also see the Rialto Bridge that was the only bridge to cross the canal until the 19th century and was mentioned in Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice”. You could also visit Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari which is one of the greatest churches in Venice.
Here is a list of other things you can do in Venice.