Rovinj Road Trips | From €15/day | Cro Car Hire
The Only Rovinj Road Trips Worth Your Petrol
Let’s not mess about. You’re in Rovinj — one of the prettiest towns on the Adriatic — and you want to explore Istria properly. Driving yourself is the only way that makes sense. The bus network is patchy once you leave the coast, taxis will bleed your wallet dry, and tours lock you into someone else’s schedule. Rovinj road trips are what turn a nice holiday into the one you’ll still be talking about in November. Grab a car, point it at the open road, and Istria delivers. Every time.
We’ve driven every route on this list more times than we can count. These are the drives that matter — the ones locals take when we want to remind ourselves why we live here.
Why Bother With Your Own Wheels?
Istria looks compact on a map. It isn’t. What Google Maps calls a 45-minute drive can easily stretch to two hours once you factor in the switchbacks, the photo stops, and the sudden urge to pull over at a roadside konoba because the smell of grilled lamb just ambushed you. Public transport won’t wait for that. A hire car will.
Parking in Rovinj itself? There’s plenty if you know where to look. Avoid the old town streets — they’re narrow enough to make you sweat and mostly residents-only. Park at the main lot near the bus station (Ul. Stjepana Radića) or the Valdibora market car park. Both are a five-minute walk to the harbour. €1.50 an hour. Your accommodation might have private parking — ask before you book.
One more thing: no hidden fees. The price you see when you book is what you pay. Full insurance, unlimited kilometres, air conditioning — all included. None of that surprise surcharge nonsense at the counter.
Coastal Cruise: Rovinj to Poreč
Distance: 35 km. Time: 35 minutes on the D75. Reality: give it a morning.
Head north out of Rovinj on the D75, hugging the coastline. The road undulates through pine forests that occasionally part to reveal glimpses of turquoise water. Pull over at the viewpoint just past the Zlatni Rt turnoff — there’s a gravel patch where locals park to watch the sunset.
About 15 minutes in, you’ll pass the Lim Fjord — technically a ria, but let’s not split hairs. The road climbs the southern side and the view down into that narrow channel of deep blue water is properly dramatic. There’s a restaurant called Viking right on the water’s edge. Touristy, yes, but the seafood is fresh and the terrace can’t be beaten.
Poreč is worth a couple of hours. The Euphrasian Basilica — 6th-century mosaics, UNESCO-listed — is the obvious draw, but the cobbled lanes of the old town are the real pleasure. Park at the large lot on Ul. Mate Vlašića: €1.20 an hour, five minutes to the centre.
Hilltop Hop: Motovun and Grožnjan
Distance: 120 km round trip. Time: a full day. This is the Istria people picture when they close their eyes.
Take the A9 motorway north from Rovinj (toll, about €3) and exit at Buje. From there, it’s country roads through rolling hills that look like Tuscany had a baby with a forest.
Grožnjan first. The road up is steep and narrow — first gear stuff. The reward is a medieval stone village turned artists’ colony. Every other doorway is a gallery or studio. Park at the small lot at the village entrance — it fills by 11am in summer. Overflow parking 300 metres down the hill if you’re late. Free, but it’s a calf-burning walk back up.
Motovun is 20 minutes south. A walled hilltop town sitting alone atop a near-perfect cone of green. The view from the car park below the walls stretches across the Mirna valley to the sea on a clear day. Park at the base lot: €2 for the day. Don’t drive into the old town unless you’ve got a Fiat 500 and nerves of steel. This is truffle country — Konoba Mondo does fuži with black truffle shavings for about €18. Worth every lipa.
Southbound: Rovinj to Pula
Distance: 40 km. Time: 35 minutes on the D75/D66. Give it half a day minimum.
The road south is wilder — fewer villages, more forest, the occasional deer that’ll make you grateful for those brakes. Make a detour at Bale: a tiny medieval town on a limestone hilltop with arguably the best-preserved old centre in Istria outside Rovinj. Park in the free lot at the bottom and walk up through the arched stone gateway.
Pula’s Arena is the sixth-largest surviving Roman amphitheatre in the world. €10 entry, walk through the underground chambers where they kept the lions. Park at Ul. Flaciusova (€1/hour), ten minutes to the Arena. Street parking in the centre is a bad idea — the wardens are merciless.
Inland Run: Rovinj to Pazin
Distance: 35 km. Time: 30 minutes. Everyone gravitates to the coast, but inland Istria is where the real character lives. Take the D303 east and within ten minutes you’re in a different world — red earth, vineyards, olive groves, stone farmhouses that have stood for centuries. You’ll pass through Kanfanar: blink and you’ll miss it, but the konoba on the main road does a solid manestra for about €7.
Pazin Castle sits above a 130-metre gorge. Two museums inside, combined ticket €6. The gorge is the star — there’s a viewing platform behind the castle and a zip line across it (€30, book ahead). Park in the free lot on Ul. Vladimira Nazora. Jules Verne set parts of a novel here. The locals will tell you this approximately seventeen times. Let them.
Wild South: Cape Kamenjak
Distance: 55 km one way. Time: 50 minutes to the entrance, then dirt roads. Cape Kamenjak is the southernmost point of Istria — a protected nature park with 30 kilometres of rugged coastline, dinosaur footprints, and some of the clearest water in the northern Adriatic. Entry fee about €11 per car. A regular car handles the unpaved tracks fine in dry weather. Safari Bar, built from driftwood and recycled junk, serves cold drinks and grilled squid 3 km into the park. Arrive before 9am or after 3pm in July and August — the car park fills fast.
Wine Route: Vineyards Between Rovinj and Buje
Distance: 50-80 km depending on stops. Malvazija (white, crisp, mineral) and Teran (red, earthy) are the local stars. Kabola Winery near Momjan produces some of the best Malvazija in Istria — tastings from €10. Kozlović Winery near Buje has a sleek tasting room and a sparkling Malvazija that’ll change your mind about sparkling whites. The roads between them are narrow, winding, and spectacular — stone walls, cypress trees, kažuni dotting the landscape. Designate a driver.
Practical Stuff You Actually Need
Roads and Tolls
The A9 motorway (the “Istrian Y”) runs north-south and east-west. Rovinj to Pula is about €2, Rovinj to the Slovenian border about €5. Keep cash handy. The D-roads (D75, D303, D21) are two-lane and well-maintained.
Fuel and Speed
INA and Tifon are the main brands. Diesel slightly cheaper than petrol, around €1.50-1.60 per litre. Fill up before Cape Kamenjak — the station in Premantura isn’t always open. Speed: 130 on motorways, 90 on open roads, 50 in built-up areas. Cameras are common on the A9 and around Pula. Fines are steep and they chase you across borders.
Parking Cheat Sheet
Rovinj: Valdibora or bus station, €1.50/hr. Poreč: Ul. Mate Vlašića, €1.20/hr. Pula: Ul. Flaciusova, €1/hr. Motovun: base lot, €2/day. Grožnjan: village entrance, free. Pazin: behind castle, free. Cape Kamenjak: entry fee covers it.
FAQ: Rovinj Road Trips
Do I need an international driving permit?
EU/EEA licences — no. UK, US, Canadian, Australian licences are fine too. If your licence isn’t in the Latin alphabet, bring an IDP. Always carry your passport or a copy.
Best car for Istrian roads?
A compact does the job — VW Polo or similar. Small enough for village streets, big enough for luggage. Air conditioning is non-negotiable in summer. Manual saves money; automatic is available.
Safe to drive?
Yes. Well-maintained roads, clear signage. Overtaking on winding roads is the main hazard — some locals have more confidence than physics warrants. Let them pass. You’re on holiday.
Cross-border into Slovenia or Italy?
Yes, most rentals allow it within the EU. Small cross-border fee (around €30-50), declare in advance. Slovenia is 20 minutes from Buje, Trieste about an hour from Rovinj. Both excellent day trips.
Rovinj old town parking?
Don’t. The old town is pedestrianised and surrounding streets are residents-only or impossibly narrow. Use the edge-of-town car parks — cheap, safe, short walk.
Summer traffic?
The A9 and coastal roads get busy late June through August, especially weekends. It’s never gridlock bad, but noticeable. Inland routes to Pazin, Motovun, and Grožnjan stay relatively quiet even in peak season.
Pick a Road, Any Road
There’s no wrong answer. Coastal or inland, Roman ruins or truffle tastings, vineyard crawls or dinosaur footprints — Istria packs more variety into a small peninsula than places ten times its size. The only mistake is staying put.
Book a car, fill the tank, point it at the horizon. With no hidden fees, flexible pickup in Rovinj and Pula, and full insurance as standard, there’s nothing stopping you.
