Rovinj is mentioned for the first time somewhere between the third and the fourth century. According to archeological localities, the surrounding area of modern-day Rovinj was inhabited even in prehgistoric times. The latest excavations have uncovered that the island where Rovinj is located today was inhabited even in the period between the second and the first millenium.
After the Romans left, the area was devastated due to constant attacks by the Visigoths, the Huns and the Goths. In order to evade further devastation, the inhabitants of the area moved to the nearby islands, forming new settlements: Monus Albanus, Sveti Andrija, Sveta Katerina, and Cissa. The island of Cissa was first mentioned by Pliny the Younger. Legend has it that the island became submerged as an effect of strong earthquakes that occured somewhere in the mid-8th century. Castrum Rubini was located where the Saint Eufemije Church, previously-called Saint George Church, stands today. The name then changer to Ruigno, followed by Ruginio, and , finally, Ruvigno.
After the reign of the Byzantine Empire ended in the area, Rovinj became part of Francia. After the feudal system collapsed in the Istra region, most of Rovinj’s once-Roman municipalities lost their autonomy. Rovinj, as well as the entire Istra region, suffered innumerable attacks during its history. In the 10th and 11th century, the area managed to fend off attacks by the Republic of Venice, and, in addition, became autonomous and had its own parliament. Unfortunately, when Venice managed to conquer the area in 1283, the area lost its democratic institutions. The town of Rovinj suffered many attacks from the sea as well, which culminated in 1597, when the town was attacked by 17 ships and over 500 soldiers.
In the 12th and 13th centuries, Rovinj developed into a pier town. When the Republic of Venice fell in 1797, Rovinj’s citizens took charge of the town and preserved their own goverment of the town during both French and Austrian administrative rule. Up until the second half of the 19th century, Rovinj had the largest pier on the west coast of the Istra Peninsula. In 1918, the town was occupied by the Italian army, and in 1920, the Treaty of Rapallo made Rovinj part of the Kingdom of Italy. When Italy capitulated in 1943, the town fell under German rule. In the same year, the people’s liveration comittee in Pazin proclaimed Rovinj a part of Croatia and Yugoslavia, which was subsequently confirmed in the Paris Treaty in 1947.
In the 1960s, 70s and 80s, Rovinj was a popular meeting place for many Belgrade natives, notably writers, actors and painters. The International Youth center on Škarava saw many famous Yugoslav bands’ performances.
Dubrovnik is a town hidden behind its stone walls, a city with an open heart that greets visitors from all around the globe. The whole town revloves around the sea and sunlight, with its clear skies, greenish-turquoise and dark-blue sea next to its stone shore creating an experience that is entirely unique to the city, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site thirty years ago. Dubrovnik fascinates all who visit it, with its many churches, museums, fortresses and its unique history, and the city is one of the world’s most important tourist destinations, where people of all nationalities and trades meet, from tourists, diplomats, politicians to artists.Today, the city is very proud of its tourism, as well as the popularity it has gained thanks to its appearance in the popular TV series, Game of Thrones.
Split, one of the oldest cities in Croatia, is located between Zadar and Dubrovnik. The city has a rich history, and its many preserved landmarks reserved the city a spot as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city, along with its 2700 sunny hours a year, is very attractive for tourists. You will often hear the people of Split saying that their city is the most beautiful city in the world, which they often say about their women, as well. Many tourists agree with this assessment. Today, the city is developing thanks to tourism and merchant piers, as the city is a tourism, wine industry and food industry center.
Rovinj is a romantic town situated in the north of the Adriatic coast, and with a population of around 15 thousand. It is located on the west coast of the Istra Peninsula, a popular tourist holiday site and an active fishing location. Some of the natives speak the Istriot language, a Romance language that was the most common language in the area when Istra used to belong to Italy. Rovinj is characteristic for its mild, Mediterranean climate, and it is the capital of the Istra Region. The town has the most diverse tourist offer and lodging capacities of any place in Croatia.
