Hiking and Biking Trails in Rovinj, Croatia

Rovinj, Croatia has a compact, densely built and completely charming Old Town…but it doesn’t have much green space. That said, nature isn’t far from the city center. In fact, there are several intertwining hiking and biking trails in Rovinj.

Active travelers can lace up their hiking shoes or rent a bike in Rovinj to explore the regions gorgeous coastline and vine-covered countryside. 

 

Hiking and Biking Trails in Rovinj, Croatia

During our visit, one of our favorite things to do in Rovinj was discover the landscapes beyond the Old Town. To the south, the Golden Cape Forest Park offers a natural reprieve from the relatively busy city. To the north, the rural countryside features vineyards, olive groves an ancient churches.

Both areas are well-connected with paths. We set off on foot and on Rovinj bike rentals to explore more than just the Old Town. 

 

Golden Cape Forest Park, Rovinj, Croatia

The Golden Cape Forest Park (Zlatni Rt) is located south of Old Town Rovinj. The forested park features both indigenous and foreign trees, a coastline of secluded coves and hiking and biking trails.

The park is considered to be one of the most significant parks along Croatia’s coastline – and is a must-visit while in Rovinj.

 

How To Get To Golden Cape

To get to the park, we followed the coastline south of Rovinj around the harbor, past the marina and Hotel Park Maistra and found our way onto Trail 203.

The trail, also called Vistrum, is suitable for bikers, walkers and joggers and follows the coastline around the park. The entire looping trail is more than 26km, but we only navigated the portion around Golden Cape Park. 

 

What To See in Golden Cape Park

After we entered the park, we discovered that there are many hiking and biking trails through the forested area.

Punta Corrente Park is a fun challenge course in the park that is not far from the trail. 

We mostly stayed on Trail 203 around the coastline, but veered away once to climb a large hill in search of panoramic views. There is an old quarry at the top of the hill; its sheer cliff is popular with rock climbers. 

Fun Fact: Much of the rock from the quarry was used to build the city of Venice.

On the descent, the path reconnected with the stunningly beautiful shoreline. We were captivated by the scenery around each corner; the teal water, off-shore islands and picturesque sailboats creating the perfect photo ops. 

I couldn’t help but take ‘just one more’ photo and I was glad we were on foot, rather than renting bicycles to explore the park. Had we been on bikes, I would have been stopping every few minutes to take another picture. 

We made it as far as the Golden Cove (Zlatna Uvala) and then decided to turn inland. Our route took us to a street in a neighborhood that was lined with holiday rental homes. We eventually made our way to the Hotel Eden. From the hotel, we popped back out on the coastline and headed back into town.

Top Tip: Wear a swim suit and go for a swim at Golden Cape Park! The water is incredibly inviting and we regretted not being prepared with swimming attire. In the summertime, there are cafes, too. 

 

Rovinj, Croatia Rural Countryside

North of the Rovinj Old Town, the residential area quickly gives way to the spacious countryside. Wanting to explore as much as we could, we rented bikes and set off on a two-wheeled adventure!

 

Rovinj Biking Trail 201

Using a Rovinj cycling map, we determined that we could easily complete the 10km loop on Trail 201. (The full route is 39km long, but consists of two loops; we only rode the small loop directly north of the Old Town.)

We struggled in the beginning, unsure of where exactly we were on the map and unable to find any trail markers on the street, but we eventually found our way to the official trailhead. From there, we rode through gentle hills on both gravel and pavement.

Our ride took us through vineyards and olive groves, past countryside konobas (restaurants) and farms. Trail 201 Info and Map.

 

Basilica Track, Rovinj

The 201 Biking Path is part of the larger Basilica Track. On our route, we pedaled past two old churches: the ruins of St. Bartholomew’s Chapel and St. Christopher’s Church. Pilgrimages used to take place to all of the field churches to pray for crops. Basilica Track Info and Map.

 

Rovinj Viewpoint

On our approach back into town, we briefly connected on Trail 202 to complete our smaller loop. We could see all of Rovinj and the St. Euphemia Bell Tower, prettily perched out into the sea. We think it is the most beautiful viewpoint of the city from afar.

The density of the old town sits in contrast with the open nature and would be a perfect spot to catch one of the legendary Rovinj Sunsets!

 

Top Tips for the Hiking and Biking in Rovinj, Croatia

We have a few tips that will make biking and hiking in Rovinj more fun! 

 

Rovinj Bike Map

Visitors can pick up an Istria Bike Map from the Tourist Information Office that outlines the hiking and biking trails in Rovinj. It is free – and we highly recommend it! 

 

Renting a Bike in Rovinj, Croatia

Bike rentals are offered from various agencies for about 20-30 kuna an hour. The best deal (but perhaps not the best bikes) in town are the Rovinj bike rentals from the parking attendant at the north parking lot. 

We recommend using a mountain bike, but ebikes are available for rent, too.

 

Rovinj Trails Tips

The trails in Rovinj are interconnected, making it easy to spend as little or as much time as you would like on the route. Our hike to the south and bike to the north each took about 3 hours, including several stops for pictures and lunch.

Bike trails, like Trail 201 to the north of Rovinj, is poorly marked when departing from Rovinj’s Old Town. We expected to see signage, so when we didn’t, we had to make frequent stops to verify our placement on the map. Looking at the map in more detail prior to leaving would have been beneficial.

Trail 201 is one of the bike routes that is shared with cars. The narrow roads aren’t heavily trafficked, but be aware and pull off to the side for larger vehicles. That being said, when leaving the old town, follow the water. There are paths along the shore, away from the traffic and suitable for bicycles.

The popular 213 Rovinj Triangle is a popular road bike route – but we did not pedal along this trail.

We also created our a Roving Wine Tasting route that includes three stops. The short jaunt can easily be done on foot or by bike. 

 

Rovinj, Croatia Trip Planning

Hiking and biking adventures are just a couple of the fun things to do in Rovinj. Travelers can also set off on day trips to see the Best of Istria – including places like Pula, Porec and the hilltop towns. 

For top tips to visiting the country, use our Guide to Planning Croatian Vacations – it includes all the need-to-know details! 

Visiting other Top Croatia Destinations? We love traveling in Croatia! Find our top tips for Hvar, Korcula, Dubrovnik, Split, Zagreb – and many more – on our Croatia Travel Guides Page!

Pro Tip: Stay on top of your travel details with our printable Travel Planner! With the 26 ready-to-download pages, you won’t miss a beat as you plan your perfect trip!

 

We want to know: Have you been on the hiking and biking trails in Rovinj, Croatia? Where did you go? Have any tips? Tell us about it in the comments!

Start planning your trip to Croatia! Search for the lowest airfares, the best accommodations and fun things to do…then start packing!  Want more travel planning tips? Head over to our Travel Planning page for more information and tips on traveling – and for country-specific information, take a look at our Travel Guides page!

 

 

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