Luxury Meets Nature in Rovinj

About five years I went on a “guided” day trip to Rovinj. It was pouring, cold, and the guide basically left us to do our own thing without even making recommendations of what to see. Since I thought I was going on a guided tour, I didn’t do any research and ended up aimlessly wandering around. After checking out a few of the local artists and climbing the winding streets up to the church, I planted myself in a cafe to warm up and dry off. Rovinj was beautiful even in the rain, but the highlight of my day trip was the entertainment provided by a bunch of drunken German seniors singing karaoke on the boat portion of the tour.

So I was excited when Hotel Lone invited us to their Celebration of Lo{n}ve and to discover Rovinj. While I’m never an advocate of large group bus tours with 50 of your closest friends, our second trip to Rovinj convinced me that the only way to visit is to stay for at least a few days and explore the food, wine and nature that this gorgeous slice of Croatia has to offer.

Visit Rovinj’s Old Town

The Old Town of Rovinj used to be an island that was separated from the mainland by a channel and one of the most important towns of Istria under the Venetian Republic. Now connected to the mainland, the massive Venetian Baroque St. Euphemia church dominates the peninsula with the buildings of old town tumbling down the sides from it.

St. Euphemia

Perhaps because we’ve lived in a tiny town straddling the Veneto for so long now, but we noticed the Venetian lions everywhere throughout the old town – on the town clock, the city gate and the town hall, to name a few. Even the bell tower of  was designed to be a replica of the one in St. Mark’s Square in Venice.

Aside from admiring the distinctly Venetian architecture, in summer artists set up shop throughout the tiny streets and you can find some really unique pieces to bring home as a souvenir. Many of these artists are members of the Croatian association of painters and have gained a reputation in Croatia, so you never know what treasure you might find!

Evidenced by the number of boats in the two harbors, Rovinj is one of Croatia’s last true fishing ports. As we walked along the harbor, some fisherman were bringing in their catch – fresh squid – which they proudly proclaimed were the biggest ones you could find in these waters. I couldn’t wait to visit a proper tavern to try the fresh fish and seafood that the fisherman sell directly to the restaurants each day.

Dinner at Kantinon: scallops, Istrian ox stew, grilled Istrian sausages, sampler of Istrian desserts

Kantinon is a charming little tavern located on the harbor with a view of the Old Town. The menu features dishes prepared with only fresh, locally sourced ingredients and made with the traditional Istrian recipes. We tried a sampling of both fish and meat dishes paired with Istrian wines. Everything we tried was delicious and the atmosphere was fantastic. We were surprised to see that some of the recent TripAdvisor reviews noted bad service, as that wasn’t at all what we experienced.

Kantinon is located at Obala Alzo Rismondo 18.

Bike, Hike or Rock Climb the Golden Cape Forest Park

The century-old Golden Cape Forest Park has a network of trails of varying difficulty on which you can bike – or hike – for just a few kilometers or really burn off the calories on a 30 kilometer ride. We walked since we had Emma with us and took our time exploring the many beaches and coves along the coastal route. Though too cold for us to swim in February, Emma definitely didn’t mind.

The Venetian Quarry offers rock climbing on the cliffs with 80 varying routes of difficulty and we saw a few climbers. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect for an activity like rock climbing with spring-like temperatures and the morning sun’s rays warming the rock face.

Though it wasn’t an issue to let Emma off leash since we nearly had the nature reserve to ourselves, there is a dog park where dogs are allowed off leash and a dog beach. There are many beaches and coves along the coast, so I’d bet that even in summer you’d be able to find a bit of privacy.

Also in summer, there are several cafeteria-style restaurants and snack bars to purchase food and drink or big grassy areas perfect for having a picnic. Golden Cape Forest Park is definitely a terrific area to explore any time of the year.

Truffle Hunting

Truffles are the diamonds of the culinary world. A delicious delicacy that some say are an aphrodisiac – in the Middle Ages monks were not allowed to eat truffles because it was feared they would forget their calling – and ounce-for-ounce, the most expensive food in the world.

Though France is actually the largest producer of truffles, Istrian truffles are famous in their own right. Truffles were first found in the Motovun forest around 80 years ago and the Guinness World Records listed an Istrian truffle as the largest ever found in the world. A local truffle hunter named Giancarlo Zigante and his dog, Diana, dug up a white truffle weighing 1.31 kilograms on November 2, 1999.

I’ve been consuming truffles every chance I get since I moved to Italy six years ago, so naturally I’ve been curious about truffle hunting. I couldn’t wait to join the Karlic family, who have been truffle hunting in the Motovun forest for over 40 years with three generations, for a truffle hunt. I learned so much!

Truffles grow in harmony with a host tree, though don’t plant an oak and except to start finding truffles in your back yard. Truffles only grow in certain conditions. While black truffles grow all year round, the black winter truffle is much less common than the black summer truffle. White truffles, which are my favorite truffles, only grow from September through the end of the year.

Truffles are priced by a classification system and white truffles can range from €500 – €5000 per kilogram. Black truffles average around €300 per kilogram. The biggest truffles are called jokers, which is what the Guinness World Record wielding truffle was, and are extremely rare.

A truffle feast

We learned all this, and then some, over a truffle feast in the Karlic family’s home. You need sustenance for a truffle hunt after all! We had to restrain ourselves from devouring the entire plate of cheese with wafer thin truffles in it, salami with truffles and crostini with a truffle cream cheese topped with shaved truffles. A honey with white truffle and truffle olive oil accompanied it all. We also had a heaping plate of truffle scrambled eggs. I was in truffle heaven.

We found one small black truffle

Full of truffles, we headed out with one of the Karlic family’s 21 dogs that have spent years training and honing their skill of sniffing out truffles in the leaves and dirt. We spent about an hour looking for truffles in the Karlic family’s oak grove, which they planted eight years ago, and at the edge of the forest. A few different times we take of sprinting after the dog to snatch any truffles from her before she swallows them in one gulp. As I said, the winter truffle is much more rare and we found just one small one. We also found a red truffle, which is inedible though not poisonous. Of course, a real truffle hunt is much more intense with 6 – 7 hours of chasing the dogs through the forest as they dig and try to gobble the truffles up.

The Karlic farm is located in Paladini, not far from Buzet, the self proclaimed “City of Truffles”. You can go truffle hunting any time of the year, but if you visit in September you can hunt for the famous white truffle and have a bit of the largest omelet in the world. The second Saturday of each September an omelet is made with the same number of eggs as that year (2015’s omelet will be made with 2015 eggs) and 10 kilos of truffles in Buzet’s town square. The pan alone weighs 1 ton!

Truffle hunting with Karlic Tartufi starts around $28 per person. Contact Karlic Tartufi via their website or Hotel Lone can arrange a truffle hunt for guests.

Wine Tasting

Croatian vinters have long made a name for themselves amongst the European countries, but most Americans would have been hard-pressed to point Croatia out on a map, yet alone know that Croatia produces high-quality, award-winning wines. That was until Hollywood put Croatia on the it list and tourists began discovering its gastronomic delights.

Croatia has been producing wine since 2200 BC when Illyrian tribes made wine in the region now known as Dalmatia. These days wine is grown in 12 sub-regions with Croatia boasting 64 indigenous grape varieties. Istria, which sits on the border of Slovenia and just below Italy, is often called “the other Tuscany”. While I don’t always see it when cities are dubbed “the Venice of the north,” with castle topped rolling hills and terraced vineyards I can totally see why Istria is “the other Tuscany.”

We Recommend

Wine Wednesday: Scenes from Istria’s Wine Roads

About 60% of Croatian wines are white and Istria is particularly known for its seafood-friendly whites. But they also produce some delicious reds. One of my new favorite red wines is a jammy red that was paired with my pork belly at Kantinon in Rovinj. I couldn’t go home without stopping by the winery to buy a case.

No matter your wine style, with 60-some appellations you’ll be sure to find a white, red, rose or sweet wine that suits your fancy. Some terrific wineries in the region to arrange a tasting at are:

• Vina Matošević is in the quaint village of Krunčići, just about 15 kilometers from Rovinj. The wine maker focuses on Malvasia Istriana, Merlot and Teran. The Grimalda is a Merlot and Teran blend with big, bold flavors. It’s the jammy wine I just couldn’t go home without.
• Kozlović Vina in Momjan is known for delicious Malvasia Istriana, Teran and rosé.
• Kabola Vina is just a few minutes drive from Kozlović Vina and produces a wine that spends part of its vinification process in terracotta pots buried in their vineyard, in a similar manner to how the Roman produced wine.

Hotel Lone’s cool interior

Spa and Wellness at Hotel Lone

Designed by Croatian architects and decorated with works from Croatian artists, Hotel Lone is definitely a unique space. The hotel is a five-star hotel with a young, funky vibe. The tables in the lobby are like black dry erase boards and the markers left about beckon your inner artist. From the hanging garden to the atrium, there are just so many inviting spaces that make you want to spend time hanging out in the hotel.

In particular you can while away hours in the spa and wellness center. The spa offers a full menu of services and both Tim and I had back and shoulder massages. There is also an indoor pool that can be used by both adults and kids, and an adults only area with steam rooms, saunas, jacuzzi and fitness center. I also took advantage of the salon and had a long overdue cut and style. Even though my appointment was basically a walk-in and I was unprepared with any photos of the style I wanted, the stylist gave me a great cut I am thrilled with.

The spa area has a Vitality Bar, where you can get fresh squeezed juices, smoothies, protein drinks and healthy snacks. There is also a relaxation area where you can lounge in cabanas that reminded us a bit of cocoons. We spent a whole afternoon relaxing in the spa and it was fabulous.

Even the guest rooms are large and spacious with balconies perfect for relaxing with a glass of wine and a book. A separate rain shower, double sinks, and a bath big enough for two are always winners in my book. As I pointed out all the closet and storage space, Tim said, “Yes, you could live here.” And I totally would if they’d let me move in.

Scallop with pesto, basil ravioli, duck consomme, pistachio crusted rack of lamb

We were invited to experience the Valentine’s Celebration of Lo{n}ve and the special package included massages in the spa, breakfast in bed on Valentine’s Day, a 5-course dinner in the hotel’s restaurant and a bottle of Prosecco to enjoy in our room. The 5-course dinner in Restaurant L was delicious. We started with a shooter, which was a sweet sparkling wine with a cranberry in it. Next came scallops with an apple and mango salad and pesto. I’m glad Tim isn’t really a fan of scallops because I ate mine and one of his too. A basil ravioli with fresh tomato sauce and duck consomme with a really yummy foie gras stuffed ravioli followed. The entree was a pistachio crusted rack of lamb that I’m drooling over while I type.

Chocolate spear melted with hot chocolate sauce

Normally I feel like I can’t move after a 5-course meal and sort of groan that dessert is yet to come. Hotel Lone’s portion sizes were just right though – eat course was large enough that you felt satisfied, yet weren’t so big that you felt you had to leave some of each course just to get through the meal. Amazing I still had room for dessert, which was a decadent affair as hot chocolate sauce was poured over a chocolate spear filled with hazelnut cream. It all melted into the cookie crumble in the bowl and was paired with a sweet dessert wine.

We also ate at Restaurant L for lunch one day and had excellent Thai food, which we’ve been craving since our trip to Thailand just over a year ago. Try the Vietnamese prawn skewers with peanut sauce and the spicy prawn soup, which was quite close to the Tom Yum Goong (soup) we learned to make in Thailand.

There are also a lot of great events going on right at Hotel Lone that guests can take advantage of. On the 3-day weekend that we spent at Hotel Lone there was a sushi lounge (on Friday and Saturday nights), various tastings such olive oil and wine tastings, romantic movies, and even events for kids and teens at the Kids Club and Teen Lounge.

We had a fantastic getaway at Hotel Lone and it’s a terrific base for exploring Istria. We spotted so much that we’d like to go back to see and do. From parks that are great for the family (or make adults feel like a kid again) such as Aquapark Istralandia, Dino Park (the first theme park in Croatia) and paintball to the variety of sports like paragliding, windsurfing, biking and rock climbing there is definitely a plethora of activities for the luxe adventure traveler.

Know Before You Go

Our trip was provided by Maistra in order to bring you this story. However, Luxe Adventure Traveler maintains full editorial control of the content published on this site. As always, all thoughts, opinions, and enthusiasm for travel are entirely our own.