Camping near Rovinj: Explore Istria and return to the sea every evening
Imagine waking up by the sea without having to decide how your day will unfold. Perhaps you’ll stay in your swimwear until evening, find your favourite spot by the coast and let the day pass without a plan. Or maybe, after breakfast, you’ll get in the car and, just twenty minutes later, find yourself walking along the cobbled streets of Rovinj. Tomorrow, you could head to Pula and its Arena, take a boat to Brijuni National Park another day, and when you feel like exploring inland Istria, set off towards its small hilltop towns.
You don’t have to choose between a seaside holiday and exploring Istria – here, you can have both. The campsite is located on the west coast of Istria, near Bale, just 19 kilometres from Rovinj. Close enough to visit one of Istria’s most beautiful towns whenever you feel like it, yet far away enough to return after a day among its lively streets to a completely different pace – the sea, greenery, dinner by the coast and that pleasant quiet that settles in as the day slowly turns into evening.
That’s why with Mon Perin you get more than just camping near Rovinj. It can be your little base by the sea, where each morning you decide which part of Istria is calling you that day, knowing that in the evening you have somewhere wonderful to return to.
It’s hard to be this close to Rovinj and not want to keep coming back. The old town is made for exploring without too much of a plan: park on the edge of the centre and make your way towards the historic old town, through narrow cobbled streets and past façades that seem to lean into one another, all the way to St Euphemia’s Church and the view stretching out towards the sea. Along the way, you’ll almost certainly stop a few times, turn into a street you hadn’t planned to explore or sit down for a coffee simply because you liked the look of the place.
In summer, Rovinj is full of life from morning until late in the evening, so it’s worth setting off early. The town is still waking up, making it easier to take photos without the crowds and stroll along the waterfront as the town gradually fills with life. You can stay for a few hours or spend almost entire day there, and it’s precisely the proximity of Mon Perin that means your trip doesn’t require much planning.
When you’ve had enough of the town’s streets, people and summer buzz, it’s only around twenty minutes’ drive back. And perhaps that journey back is one of the nicest parts of the day: just half an hour ago you were in the middle of Rovinj, and now you’re back in your swimwear, wondering whether to go for a swim before dinner.
If you’ve come to Istria to explore, it’s difficult to stop at Rovinj alone. One of the advantages of camping in Istria at Mon Perin is that you can plan a series of half-day and full-day trips without having to pack your bags every few days and move to a different place to stay. One morning you can head south, the next inland, and another day leave your car in Fažana and continue by boat.
Pula is 25 kilometres away, around a 30-minute drive from Mon Perin. The Roman Arena is unmissable, even if you’ve already seen it in dozens of photographs. One of the best-preserved Roman amphitheatres in the world looks completely different when you’re standing in front of it. After exploring the Arena, leave yourself some time to wander through Pula’s old town and stop for lunch before heading back towards Bale. There’s no need to try to see everything in one day – one of the advantages of staying in the vicinity is knowing that you can always come back.
For a completely different kind of day, head to Brijuni National Park. It’s around a 20-minute drive to Fažana, from where you can continue by boat to the archipelago. It’s worth setting aside at least half a day for Brijuni and setting off early so you have plenty of time to explore without rushing. The boat trip to the islands already changes the pace of the day, and after several hours of discovering Brijuni, you’ll have a relatively short journey back to your accommodation at Mon Perin.
Then there is another side of Istria – one without beaches, towels and the scent of sun cream. An Istria of hilltop stone towns, galleries, artists’ studios and views across the green inland landscape. Grožnjan, known as the Town of Artists, is around 45 kilometres from Mon Perin, or approximately a 50-minute drive. Its cobbled streets, small galleries and artists’ studios are a good reason to swap the sea for the Istrian hinterland for a day and discover a completely different side of the peninsula.
There is something special about spending a whole day walking, sightseeing and exploring, only to return not to accommodation in the middle of a city, but to the sea. Come back to Mon Perin, drop off your things, slip on your flip-flops and you don’t have to go anywhere else for the rest of the day. The campsite stretches along 9.5 kilometres of coastline, so after the hot stone streets of Rovinj or Pula, you’ll find exactly what you need at that moment – the sea.
Perhaps you’ll have a quick swim before dinner, or maybe “let’s just go down to the beach for a little while” will turn into another few hours of fun by the coast. During the main summer season, you can also stop by Fresh Market & Farm, a small farm offering fresh vegetables. For dinner, there are restaurants such as Mol Picia and San Pola. After a day spent driving and sightseeing, simply not having to get back in the car becomes part of the holiday itself.
If you’re exploring Istria outside the main summer season, when the days are no longer made solely for the beach, returning to the campsite can look rather different. The Saltwater Oasis Wellness & Spa, with its seawater-filled pools, remains open even when the campsite is closed. As opening periods and opening hours may vary, we recommend checking the latest information on the Mon Perin website before your arrival. After several hours of walking around Rovinj, Pula or Istria’s towns, ending the day in the warmth of the spa is another way to enjoy Istria – this time without rushing and at a slower pace.
Not every day of your holiday has to look the same. After a few days exploring the Istrian coast and inland, there will probably come a day when you simply don’t feel like going anywhere.
You’ll stay at Mon Perin, head down to the sea, find your favourite spot by the shore and finally open that book you’ve been carrying around with you for several days. At Mon Perin, you don’t have to choose between exploring Istria and enjoying a seaside holiday. There is room for both.
If you’re looking for camping near Rovinj where you can explore Istria while enjoying a relaxing seaside holiday, explore the accommodation at Mon Perin and find your place for your next holiday in Istria.
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