Friday (Venice to Rovinj)…

We awoke with a slight sense of trepidation. Knowing the possibility of morning rain, a midday Acqua Alta, and the reality that our car was a half hour walk away, we peered out the window at a scattered cloudy sky. Our host Ettore offered us a free lift to our car in his sturdy-but-tiny boat. No time like the present to get ahead of the rain.


We stowed our luggage and sat low in the tiny outboard craft. Exiting our local canal beneath a low brick bridge, we headed out into the choppy water of the Giudecca Canal. As we zipped along the Zattere fondamente, Ettore shared tales of the ups and downs of life in Venice. We dodged vapporettos and taxis, turning into a narrow canal near the train station and car park. We said our goodbyes–both with our new friend Ettore and with a city that we sincerely feel connected with–hopped on the people mover to the Tronchetto car park…and the rain came.


As we paid our parking and reached our tiny grey car, we looked out across the island and could barely make out the iconic towers through the downpour. We felt relief that we were moving on to new adventures.


We crossed the long causeway bridge to the mainland, keeping pace with a departing train and we both watched Venice fade in the rear view window. We will return…Venice is too special.


Through industrial Mestre and onto the wet autostrade. We headed straight for the Slovenian border just beyond Trieste. Entering Slovenia’s narrow strip of Adriatic coastline, we attempted to stop in Piran, a picturesque town that hugs the coast. Unfortunately, The storm that hastened our departure from Venice was beating down heavily on Piran…so we moved on…to Croatia.


Through dual border crossings, we left the EU and entered Croatia with barely a glance. As we exited the highway and joined slower local roads, the beauty of Croatia revealed itself in all it’s sopping-wet glory. Deep red soil bursting with grape vines. Rows of olive trees. And off in the distance, the occasional glance of the Adriatic.


We dipped down into the Istrian peninsula, rich with layers of human history dating to the Iron Age.


We arrived in tiny Rovinj and checked into our hotel…the Arupnium…a new boutique hotel that blends modern design into the surrounding trees. The hotel greeted us with a complimentary beverage and we were immediately unwinding from the drive.


The seaside town of Rovinj is postcard ready. The historic old town sits on a tiny bump of land with narrow cobblestone lanes that wind up to a steepled-church. The main harbor is jam-packed with boats, moored together in the patchwork mesh. The old town is surrounded by rocky cliffs, popular in warmer weather with swimmers. Stair steps are carved into the cliffs, and gleaming metal handrails provide swimmers a safe way to pull out of the water.


We grabbed a cliff-side table at Puntalina Restaurant, ordered a glass of local wine, and watched the setting sun play dramatically with storm clouds in the horizon. Seagulls soared up and down the cliffs. One dropped a present on our table…we ordered fresh glasses of wine. We went inside for dinner…Puntalina had enclosed seats perched cliff-top. Dramatic sounds of surf and occasional rain accompanied dinner. We tried bountiful dishes with scampi and crab, olive crusted fish, and more wonderful red wine. Tiramisu and cappuccinos capped off a special meal to welcome us to Croaitia.


We took the long coastal walk back to the hotel, enjoying the smells of the sea and a dramatic full moon.