Rovinj beaches are like everywhere on Istria peninsula, mainly pebble or rocky. Those looking for sandy beaches, will be disappointed because the sandy beaches are almost non-existent.
Rovinj is perhaps the best place to visit in all of Istria. Wooded hills that surround the town, luxury hotels and 13 green offshore islands make this town the pleasant holiday destination.
This town is still an active fishing port, with its pastel-colored houses , cobbled narrow streets, that makes Rovinj the most adored romantic town in Istria and the most photographed snapshot.
Rovinj has several beaches but according to my personal taste, I prefer beaches located in a special natural environment enriched with fascinating surroundings. Here is one of those beaches.
Red Island Rovinj Beaches
Red Island (Crveni otok) is an uninhabited island of Rovinj archipelago, located not far from Rovinj. This island consists of two islands, St. Andrew and Maskin, connected with an artificial embankment.
Red Island is really a piece of earthly paradise, a summary of everything astonishingly beautiful adorning the city and its fascinating surroundings.
Why it’s called a Red Island (Crveni otok)? English tourists called it Red because of the large number of tourists from Russia, but his name is related to the red earth, which is visible everywhere on the Istria peninsula.
These two islets remind me a lot on famous Hvar Pakleni islands, which can be reached only by boat. Only 20 minutes boat ride, you will disembark you on Sveti Andrija (St.Andrew), where stands out a beautiful four-star Hotel Istra, from which you walk across a short passage to Maskin, a twin island.
The fact of more than 180 kinds of various plants growing there witness the richness of the nature’s gift. The island is covered with lush pinewoods, it has idyllic bays and a nice cape with rocky beaches.
Maskin island is much smaller, spotted with rocky coves and paths that wind through the forest. This island used to be once only an official naturist but today attracts many gays and it has become largely heterosexual.
What to do on Red island? On the bigger Sveti Andrija island there is a water sports center with lessons in windsurfing or sailing, ideal for families with children. On Maskin offers swimming and snorkeling as main activities. There’s also a small restaurant there.
How to get to Red Island?
Island is connected by daily boat from Rovinj town center, from a little dock called the Dolphin. The boat sails every half an hour during the high season. It takes 20 minutes to reach the island. The ticket fee for adults is 40 Kuna (2016) and 20 Kuna for children under 10 years of age and it’s payable on your return trip from the island.
Beaches around Rovinj
There are many Rovinj beaches along the indented coastline, offering a variety of bays and small coves, mainly combining rocks with pebble and fine gravel.
Some of the beaches offer easy access to the sea, while there are also rocky parts reserved only for good swimmers. I would recommend two beaches which are very close to Rovinj town.
Lone Beach
Mulini Beach
To find all 18 Rovinj beaches scattered along the Rovinj Riviera coast line, visit this website as an excellent beaches resource.