In the old village centre of Rovinjsko Selo, stone wells and baladure are part of the architectural landscape. Antonja, an annual January event, and named trails with specific lengths are also part of the picture. The village’s history, wine and olive oil culture, and routes thus offer different starting points for planning a trip.
Antonja in January
Antonja is a long-running exhibition held annually in January in Rovinjsko Selo, dedicated to wine and olive oil. It is a competition that awards prizes for both products, and is also an entertainment festival. Antonja is considered the oldest wine exhibition in Istria. The first exhibition took place on 17 January 1992. If you are travelling specifically for the event, check the exact date for the year in question.
Village Centre and Architectural History
Rovinjsko Selo was founded in 1526 by Dalmatian settlers from the area around Zadar. The old village centre has been preserved in LakuverÄŤa. Its buildings include residential and agricultural complexes with stone wells. The old centre also features residential and commercial complexes with courtyards, wells and baladure. These local terraces have stairs. Some older houses still contain bread ovens that are about a hundred years old.
The parish church is dedicated to Saint Anthony the Abbot and dates from 1593 to 1595. It is a single-nave building with a flat rear end and a baptistery. Alongside these architectural landmarks, a local version of the Balun is also part of the village’s cultural history; Balun is a typical Istrian dance.
Church and Fortifications in the Surrounding Area
About one kilometre from Rovinjsko Selo stands the 15th-century Church of Our Lady of the Snows. Traces of two layers of frescoes have been preserved there. West of the settlement lies Turnina Hill. It is home to a prehistoric hillfort and the ruins of a Late Antique fortification. These landmarks therefore span a prehistoric structure, Late Antique fortification remains and a medieval church.
Trails and Distances
Basìlica is an educational trail for cycling and hiking and forms part of the Limes Cycling Route. Its start and end points are at Valalta and Rovinjsko Selo. The route is 18.7 kilometres long and is considered technically easy. Loop 402, “The Wondrous Terrain of the Lim Channel”, runs from Rovinjsko Selo to the Lim Channel and back. At 7.2 kilometres, it is the shorter of the two routes mentioned and is rated easy.
On Route 402, trail conditions or later diversions may affect the route; check local conditions before setting out. The Lim Channel is a protected landscape and a special marine reserve. This route thus combines a measured loop with a destination whose protected landscape character is part of what defines the area.
Discover more destinations: Rovinj.
Return to the main travel overview: Općina Rovinj.
