Novigrad, also known as Cittanova, is a coastal town with a modern tourist offering underpinned by an old-school charm of a fishing port that it once was.

Novigrad is a unique town in which you can explore a rich history manifested in the town walls, swim in the cleanest sea of this part of the Mediterranean, park your boat in one of the most modern marines in the country, cycle along the many kilometers of bicycle paths, visit various festivals and manifestations, enjoy outstanding traditional specialties, wines and olive oils, and engage in a dynamic nightlife.

As if that wasn’t enough, Novigrad is also an excellent base from which to explore the rest of the Istrian peninsula because you can reach any destination in the region in 1.5 hours by car. Not far from the coast are Umag and Poreč, as well as Savudrija, Rovinj and Pula. Located nearby in the mainland are the towns of Višnjan and Pazin with its cave. A slightly longer car ride will lead you to the protected Nature Park on the mountain complex Učka, which is probably entirely dissimilar to Novigrad.

Both historical and modern as well as ideally placed on this small and diverse peninsula, Novigrad truly offers numerous options for arranging an itinerary. It is up to you to decide what you want to experience, and then go for it.

What to do while in Novigrad

In Novigrad and its immediate surrounding you will have the chance to experience authentic experiences that you will remember long after your visit. For example, you might:

  • have a drink in Vitriol with a view towards the marine

  • walk through history in museum Lapidarium

  • pass through the middle-aged city walls

  • have fun in aquapark Istralandia

  • visit the Church of st. Pelagij and Maksim and its Belltower

  • relax on Pineta beach

  • try outstanding local wines in vinery Moreno Ivančić

  • visit the maritime museum Gallerion

  • cycle along one of the many bicycle pathways

  • enjoy the many seafood specialties of restaurant Marina

The best destinations around Novigrad


Novigrad will mesmerize you with its beautiful sea and beaches, as well as outstanding bars and restaurants, but since everything is relatively close in Istria, you can enrich your vacation further by going on shorter daytrips. Definitely worth seeing are

  • ornithology center Palud near Rovnij

  • planetarium in Višnjan

  • Mramornica cave near Brtonigla

  • the bay of Lim and its shellfish farm

  • the oldest Croatian lighthouse in Savudrija

  • Baredine pit and an exhibition of historical tractors by Nova Vas

  • bicycle path Parenzana

  • Grožnjan, “the town of artists”

  • Nature park Učka

  • Red island by Rovinj