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On our journeys through Istria, we bypassed major tourist destinations, but now it's time for them too – especially as there are no too many crowds. The plan for this walk is to explore the promenades in the area Rovinj – an ambitious 10 km in both directions.

Southern promenade

Considering the expensive parking in the center, we decided on a not so distant periphery, ten minutes from the center there is Nice public parking (next to the city stadium) which is free of charge in winter. The weather is foggy, but what is it for us – hats are on our heads!

We're heading towards the coast, the first thing we've seen is Grand Park Hotel Rovinj – it really looks sensational – is completely buried in the terrain, underneath it is a well-maintained promenade of the Council of Europe.

We're moving forward, hotels are getting better and better: Monte Mulini, well of course spectacular lone. Maybe one day we'll stay there (if we catch a black egg). The nebula is rising a bit.

We continue towards Cape Montauro, where it is interesting the Golden Park and rocks for climbers.

We go on, followed by a naturist park with no guests, and Villas Rubin water park. We conclude that it is time to go back, so we rush back through the forest and the tourist resort – and there, according to our good Croatian custom, there is everything from millionaire super villas to unfinished freaks.

Fortunately, here we are again at Lone, this time we dared to enter – it really looks great.

We return to the center and again pass by a fascinating hotel Grand Park, it is incredibly well integrated into the environment. This part of the city is dominated by Adris – everything is their former tobacco factory, now the corporate headquarters, and then the famous Gallery Adris, etc., etc.

For lunch we chose the La Vela Inn, more or less everything is closed, so it was one of the few possible choices for us. The location is excellent, in the very center of Rovinj, the staff is kind, even apologizing that they do not have a choice of food, the dishes are so-so, it could have been better. Istrian maneštra correct, but without a trace of meat. Fish soup was OK. The main dish Fuži with truffles and Fuži in Istrian - so completely unsalted (otherwise we use very little salt) on the border of vomit. But truffles and stew are correct. Medallions with mushrooms were excellent, fish a little less, fatty from the nursery. Wine house fit, bread excellent :).

The invoice was adequate – HRK 560. All in all, a great end to the day. Run to the car and then to the hotel - in Novigrad!


North Promenade

After a great overnight stay and a plentiful breakfast in the hotel, we return to Rovinj and start exploring the northern arm of the promenade - direction Lim Channel. We park in the old place and start at the starting point, the old railway station that is now the beginning cycling and hiking trails Štrika Ferata. We will not follow it because our goal is “on the other side”. The beginning is quite unsightly, this part of the city is completely urbanistically disordered, but the situation improves when we finally kill ourselves to the coastal road! It's still pretty foggy.

But a beautiful promenade around the Hotel Amarin soon it stops, we are again on the forest trail, albeit tidy and passable. The weather is on our hands, the fog has risen, the rain does not fall, the temperature is optimal for walking.

And here we come to the really embarrassing situation that a huge part of the coast towards the Lim Channel completely blocked the Valata Naturist Campsite. Everything is surrounded by a high fence, at the entrance there is a gloomy guard who did not want to let us go to the gazebo, so we almost reached the finish line, and we did not dip our finger. For some alternative there was no more time, and an additional 7-8 km would still be too much even for us (and without that we eventually accumulated almost 22 km). Now is it all by law – we have no idea, but that it is irritating that the walker cannot reach the gazebo – certainly is!

Valata Naturist Campsite - finely fenced everything

A little disappointed, we're heading back to Rovinj. The weather has improved a lot, the photos are getting better ⁇

And finally, after an epic two days it's time for a well-deserved lunch. This time the search is complicated, not quite in the ready-made offer, but the alternative is few. But our travel leader, after a heroic quest, finds a fine restaurant/pizzeria “Neptune”. The selection is flawless, the pizzas are excellent, and everything else (salad, wine, beer, pancakes). Congratulations and friendly staff. Prices of peppermint (573 kn), but it doesn't matter, we deserve it.

And, that's it, tired but satisfied we're going home. Autopilot on, driver ready, let's go...


Trase

Damir Medved