On Friday, March 30th, we flew into Pula after an almost thwarted landing due to high winds. The fact that we actually stepped out on Croatian soil that day felt like a miracle. One we can actually prove since we received stamps in our passports on this trip, not a common occurrence for us as we travel through the European Union. However, since Croatia is not in the Schengen Area, our passports were throughly checked as we went through border control.

The adventure begins…

Rovinj

We spent the weekend on the western coast of the Istrian peninsula in the historical, old town of Rovinj. This active fishing port along the Adriatic was the perfect place to unpack our bags for the Easter weekend. The playground was an immediate HIT with our boys!

Seafood was reasonably priced which allowed for a couple of dinners out to fit within our travel budget. What a treat! Our little man ordered this fish who arrived with a funny grimace on his face…can’t blame him!

The historical center of Rovinj is enchanting with its cobblestone alleys and seaside views. Many streets are pedestrianized which gave us the freedom to wander without the concern of traffic. One afternoon, we let our boys be the tour guides. They choose our route and led the way.

A farmers market is open most days selling fresh produce, fish, lavender, honey and delicious truffles amongst so many other treats from the Istria region. We shopped for dinner while our boys enjoyed tasting the various kinds of honey.

Rovinj celebrated the Easter Holiday with a three-day schedule of music, dance and free food! On Easter morning, we enjoyed watching the Rovinj Baton Twirlers performing to the music of a brass band while parading through the streets. We also got to try a couple of the local delicacies…pinca (traditional Easter bread) and fritule (mini-doughnuts). Yum!

In practicing our own Easter traditions, we visited the Basilica of St. Euphemia. We sat through the end of a baptism before heading out to the lawn and reading an account of the Easter story for our boys. We also had a chocolate egg hunt back in our apartment!

We spent an afternoon at Punta Corrente Forest Park, one of Rovinj hidden gems. Locally, its known as Zlatni Rt.

This beautiful park is a twenty-minute walk from the Old Town and is well worth finding. The pebbly beach where our boys played received afternoon sun, basking our water babies in warmth and allowing for a couple of hours of pure bliss. We LOVED it!

Rovinj exceeded our expectations and was a fabulous starting point for our Spring Break vacation!

Baredine Caves

To help engage our boys in our travel adventures, I look for unique experiences that are tied into the area we are visiting. During my research for this trip, I learned about the extensive amount of caves within the Istria region and honed in on one to visit. I chose the Baredine Caves in Nova Vas for their close proximity to Rovinj (a forty-minute drive) and the town of Poreč (only 6km/3.7 miles away). The forty-minute tour was a great fit for our first-time cave explorers.

Our tour guide had our family follow closely behind her so she could translate her talk  to English and then speak to the rest of our group in German. She pulled it off seamlessly, as most Europeans seem to do. As we were leaving, our oldest said, “That was awesome! Thanks Mom!” Those words were priceless!

Poreč

In balancing out our activities for the day (a kid-friendly activity followed by an adult preference), we headed to downtown Poreč to find the Euphrasian Basilica. This World UNESCO Heritage site dates back to the 6th century. Being there over Easter weekend felt timely with the reminders of those who have walked in faith over the centuries. We saw the remains of a hidden church alongside some amazing tile work in the sanctuary where we lit candles and paused in prayer.

There was also a bell tower which typically engages our boys interests as we climb up endless stairs in hopes of a rewarding view from the top. We were not disappointed! Though this was an adult preference, it was definitely doable with our boys.

Before leaving Poreč, we enjoyed some ice-cream and the views of the water.

We also found a grocery store to pick up a few items in preparation of stores being closed for the next two days (Easter Sunday and Monday) in light of the holiday. If you are traveling in Europe, always check to see how holidays affect the local area. In our neck of the German woods, all stores are closed on Sundays.

Hum (pronounced “Who-m”)

With the claim of being the “world’s smallest town,” Hum does a wonderful job drawing in visitors with its historical feel, beautiful buildings, stone pathways and scenic views. Legend has it, giants built Hum with leftover rock from building other towns in the nearby valley. They did a nice job!

We entered the walled town through a large brass door covered with a peasants calendar, pictures showing the changing of the seasons according to the work to be done.

While in Hum, we learned about the Glagolitic alphabet that dates back to the 9th century. It’s the first Slavic script; the authors thought to be two brothers, Ciryl and Methodius.

We found the script around Hum and on monuments outside of the town. What a fun example of what brothers can do when they work together!

We deeply enjoyed what we experienced of the Istria Region. There are always more places to see than time allows. However, we are learning the wisdom in savoring the opportunities we have without exhausting ourselves by cramming in more.

On Easter Monday, we drove inland and then south towards Plitvice Lakes National Park. But, that’s another story for another blog entry!

To be continued…