General Information
Istria, the most northern province in Croatia, is a delightful corner of the world. Known as Histria or Illyrium in Roman times, the province was centered on the city of Pula. In the late medieval and renaissance period, it fell within the control of the Venetian empire. In modern times Istria was Austrian up until the end of World War I, then Italian between the wars. The Italian influence is strong in cuisine and architecture, although the vast majority of visitors today are German or Austrian. Istria is heavily forested, the coast is rocky and the Adriatic is crystal clear. Istria is also a remarkably pristine province. Our experience is that Istrians are kind, welcoming and many speak English. Although we have not visited large cities like Zagreb, we never have felt any concern about safety or crime. In fact, the U.S. State Department lists Croatia on its website in its safest category, above Italy, France, Spain or Germany. Istria has no rail service but makes up for that with excellent and well maintained highways.
Croatia is a member of the European Union and the Schengen Treaty so passport control is typically not necessary between other member countries. Currency is the euro and you can buy euros conveniently with your credit or debit card at cash machines. Be sure to use machines connected to banks. Some independent cash machines charge exorbitant rates. There are plenty of cash machines available in Rovinj. We, personally, do not carry large amounts of euros since credit cards are widely accepted in stores, restaurants and by taxis.
Rovinj, with a permanent population of about 15,000, consists of the old town located on a small peninsula, which until the 1700s was actually an island, and the new town which extends around the harbor to the south. The old town is dominated by a large cathedral at its summit and is crisscrossed by a warren of narrow cobblestone streets. The old town is small enough that you can easily walk the circumference in about 20 minutes but has so many hidden gems you could spend days exploring its interior. It has good grocery stores and pharmacies, and most items you might want are available. Painting supplies, however, are not.
To the south of town is a large and beautiful park created during the Austrian period. Bicycles and e-bikes can be rented from numerous vendors and trails through the park and further south along the coast are generally flat and well worth the ride.
There are dozens of good restaurants in Rovinj, many on the waterfront serving excellent seafood. We can provide recommendations, as can the staff at the hotel. Reservations are recommended. Like most of Europe, tipping is optional but becoming more and more the norm. We typically add 10%.
Getting to Rovinj
Participants in our previous workshops have arrived by many different routes and I don’t recall that anyone had any difficulty. The pick-up location for the van ride to Rovinj we provide will be in front of the train station in Trieste at 1:30 pm. Trieste is about two hours by train from Venice/Mestre and there are trains every hour between the cities so access is easy. The ride from Trieste to Rovinj by van takes a little over an hour. Although it involves crossing three frontiers, Italy, Slovenia and Croatia, all three countries are members of the European Union and the Schengen Treaty so there is typically no border control. No cars are allowed in the old city of Rovinj where we are staying, so we will be met outside the town by an electric cart to carry our bags while we walk 5 to 10 minutes to the hotel Angelo d’Oro.
Other options include taking a ferry from Venice direct to Rovinj. Although we have not taken the ferry, others on the trip have and enjoyed the trip. The ferry arrives very close to the hotel Angelo d’Oro and if you give us notice, we can arrange for an electric cart to meet you at the boat.
Some participants in the past have flown to the capitol, Zagreb, and taken a private car to Rovinj, about a two hour drive, while others flew to the small regional airport in Pula, about a 45 minute ride by private car from Rovinj. We can assist in arranging a private car and driver if you choose one of these routes. Other participants rented cars and dropped them off in Rovinj. One hardy couple left Rovinj on rented e-bikes for Italy. However you plan to arrive, if you let us know your itinerary, we can assist with having the Angelo d’Oro staff meet you with an electric cart to carry your bags and show you the way.
Weather and dress
The weather on our previous trips has been delightful although on the last day of the trip three years ago, the heavens opened up and we had a spectacular 24-hour downpour. Temperatures are often cool enough for a sweater in the evening, particularly since we often eat in outdoor seaside restaurants. It can be quite warm in the day and our daughters and grandkids, who often join us, swim in the Adriatic most days.
Dress is casual although some like to dress up a bit in the evening. It’s entirely a matter of preference. The hotel has laundry service and there are laundromats nearby.
Meals
The Angelo d’Oro puts on a superb breakfast with eggs, cereals, meats and fish, as well as fruit, yogurt, latte, cappuccino, etc. In warm weather, breakfast is served in the garden, otherwise it is in the downstairs dining room. Breakfast is available from 8 am to 10 am.
Participants are on their own for lunch. There are dozens of restaurants in the old town from casual to full service. There is a wonderful bakery close to the hotel for those who prefer a snack. In the past, we have arranged a picnic on one day of each trip to St. Catarina Island, a short ferry ride from town, and a great location from which to paint the panorama of the town. If we do the picnic this year, Winslow Art Center will provide the food.
Aperitivo in the garden is provided with wine and prosecco on evenings when there are group dinners. We typically gather between 6:00 and 6:15 and head for the restaurant at 7:15. The hotel can provide maps to the various restaurants but for those who would like to be guided as a group, please be in the lobby no later than 7:15.
We provide dinner at restaurants within walking distance of the hotel on four nights. On evenings when participants are on their own, we can provide recommendations. Reservations are recommended.
Departure
If there are a large number of participants traveling by the vans we provide from Rovinj to Trieste, the logistics of moving bags from the hotel to the vans by electric cart and making an on-time departure at 9:30 can be challenging. We can discuss departure in more detail as the day approaches but we may ask that everyone and their bags be in the lobby by 8:45 to allow for multiple electric cart trips to the pick-up site. For those who may have a tab for drinks or use of the in-room mini-bar, you will want to settle with the hotel staff even earlier.
For those departing by ferry, rented car or even staying on in Rovinj, if we can assist in any way don’t hesitate to ask.
Tipping
Winslow Art Center will cover the tips for the dinners we provide, to the van drivers and for any extracurricular activity, such as a guide to provide an orientation tour of the town. For the hard working staff at the Hotel Angelo d’Oro, we have in the past asked that participants contribute whatever they feel is appropriate. We gather those contributions together and provide them, with a card signed by all of us, to the management for distribution. We understand that in the past, the management has used these funds to take all of the staff out to dinner at a good restaurant, which was apparently very popular. We suggest a contribution of 30 to 40 euros per participant but you can contribute any amount you choose. Winslow Art Center makes a sizable contribution as well since the staff truly works hard to ensure we have an enjoyable stay.
Paint Supplies
The instructor will provide a supply list posted on the message board and this will be a topic of the pre-trip zoom meeting. Generally, participants will bring their own supplies and easels. We will supply solvents and bulky items like paper towels and stools.