Savor Fare A Croatian culinary adventure Written by Bridget Williams
Aerial view of Hotel Monte Mulini on Lone Bay.
Glancing down at my feet, which were frmly planted on a foor shod in an expanse of golden glitter under epoxy in the ßber modern spa at Hotel Monte Mulini, I pondered the fact that less than 30 minutes hence, these same soles trod ancient cobblestones slick and glistening from a popup rain shower. This dichotomy, which the Europeans muster and master so well, is one of many charms to be discovered in the seaport of Rovinj, Croatia. Less than a three-hour car ride from the international airport in Venice, Rovinj, part of the Istrian Peninsula, is situated on a hilly promontory punctuated by the Church of St. Euphemia’s 180foot bell tower at its apex. Originally an island before the channel separating it from the mainland was flled in 1763, there are a total of 22 islets that comprise the Rovinj Archipelago. Controlled by the Romans, the Byzantine and Frankish Empires, the Republic of Venice, the Austrian Empire and Italy, among others, over the course of recorded settlement, Croatia gained independence in 1991 but still exhibits palpable Italian cultural characteristics. As viewed across the harbor, particularly at sunset with a plethora of batanas (traditional flat bottom
wooden fshing vessels) bobbing about in the water, the dense cluster of ancient buildings, some dating to medieval times, that populate the small peninsula and are interspersed with steep, twisting and narrow alleyways, as well as a waterfront promenade bustling with bars and restaurants, congeal to create quite a picturesque scene. Headquartered in Rovinj, Maistra Hotels and Resorts, operator of 17 hotels and resorts throughout Croatia, took it upon themselves to raise the profile of Rovinj as a top-drawer destination by opening the frst and only fve-star properties in the city: Hotel Monte Mulini and Hotel Lone. "Te leadership at Maistra wants to make Rovinj the next CĂ´te d'Azur," remarked Tihana Milas, marketing director for Maistra. Located next to one another on Lone Bay and at the edge of the verdant, expansive and centuries-old Zlatni rt forest park and just one mile from the center of the Old Town in Rovinj, each property offers a completely unique experience for the luxuryminded traveler. Hotel Monte Mulini debuted frst in 1999 and still remains the top hotel in Istria, followed by Hotel Lone in 2011. slmag.net
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