View from the sea

South of the town the second biggest island of Rovinj's archipelago, St. Catherine island, is located, with a surface area of around 130.000 m2. You can reach the island with a liner from the town harbour or from the parking lot Delfina (see map). The ride takes only 5 minutes and the liner operates every half an hour in high season.

Beach on St. Catherine island

St. Catherine island, or briefly Catherine, was bought in the 19th century by the Austrian Archduke Carl Steven, who stayed there only briefly so that in 1905 the island became the property of the Polish earl Ignaz Milewsky. Milewsky was, like Huetterott, a nature lover, and he started to build a summer residence on the island and to plant beautiful gardens and parks and was thus in some way competing with Huetterott in terms of arranging the island itself. Unfortunately, during the eventful turmoils in this area, Catherine wasn't spared either, so that there aren't many remains from the Milewsky time on the island. The summer residence was not only renovated several times but expanded as well, the last time being in the year 2000.

	Exercising in nature

At that time, a completely new hotel with different offers was built, of which those worth mentioning are favourable conditions for families with children, as for example a mini-club, children playgrounds, swimming pools for children. Of course there are programmes for all age groups, animation, a few restaurants, an Istrian «konoba» (tavern), sports grounds (tennis, mini-golf, beach volleyball, bowls and tables for table-tennis).

The island has a lush vegetation, around 450 different kinds of plants, so that it is very attractive for nature lovers. One of the sights of the island is that Catherine offers a beautiful view on the old part of the town of Rovinj. Ask for the key.

Water pleasures

The beaches on the island are mostly rocky and gravely, and on the south- western side braver guests will find the so called Golden Rock, which is 20 meters high, and from where native young men (proving their braveness) jump into the sea. Of course, everybody can jump on his/her own responsibility.

Catherine is nearby the town harbour. Swimmers are advised not to swim too far away from the coast, since during the summer time the sea traffic is very congested by various crafts in the local waters of Rovinj. For this reason it is strictly forbidden to swim from the island to the mainland and vice versa.

Text: Slobodan Hercigonja