After going to a little pastry shop for breakfast, we headed to the western edge of the Istrian peninsula to take in the magical little town of Rovinj. It was about an hour drive to get there through the Učka Tunnel (pronounced OOCH-ka), a 3-mile long tunnel that burrows underground near Mt. Učka.
Rovinj has a very Italian feel, delightful and romantic amidst cobblestone streets and crumbling buildings. The town was part of the Venetian empire between the 13th and 18th centuries. The Venetian influence can be seen in the architecture.
Upon arrival, we headed to the old town (stari grad) and began hiking up the narrow passages to St. Euphemia, a Baroque style church from the 1700s. Its 190-foot tall bell tower (campanile) rises high above the surrounding rooftops. I inquired within and was surprised to hear we could climb the well worn rickety stairs up to the bells for a nominal fee. The views were worth it. After descending the tower we roamed through the streets, stopping long enough to purchase a couple of souvenirs, and made our way to the harbor. It was full of small fishing boats and larger excursion vessels.
We grabbed some calzones at a local eatery and ate them on benches along the seawall just off the main town square, enjoying some sunshine on a cool day. It was time to say "Ciao" before moving on to our next destination.
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