Novigrad Travel Guide
Novigrad is an easy place to reach, especially by car over the Ypsilon motorway. The best bus connections are with such towns of Croatia as Umag, Porec and Rovinj.
The town has been known under its present name since 955. Before that date it used to be called Emona, Neapolis, Civitas Nova. From the 13th c. to the 18th c. Novigrad was ruled by the Venetians and was used as the bishop's seat.
Tourist attractions. The Byzantines, Francs, Venetians and many other nations who lived in Novigrad have left invaluable heritage to the town. Although your Novigrad holidays will be not enough to tour all the major sightseeing spots, give it a try. The only museum of the town, Lapidarium, will attract history buffs by ancient tombstones, the stone coat of arms (15th c.), the altar with the animal relief, a part of a sarcophagus, stone plates, etc. The town walls, its military towers and the only preserved Gothic loggia in entire Istria (16th c.) will impress anyone by their grandeur. The three-nave Church of St. Agatha (10th – 11th c.) is also worth seeing for its three sacral Roman apses. Still, the spot which cannot be missed under any circumstances during your Novigrad travel is the Basilica of St.Pelagius (8th c.), with a late Romanesque crypt.
Festivals and cultural events. If jazz is your mode of life, the most memorable event of your Novigrad holidays should be the Heineken summer Jazz festival held in July and August. You can taste the delicious pilchards with a glass of wine and dance to live music at the traditional event Fishermen's Nights, which is held a couple of times during the tourist season, as a part of the Novigrad Cultural Summer. If your Novigrad travel falls on the end of August, you will see the whole town coming alive to exciting games, sport competitions, concerts of popular singers of Croatia when the Feast of St. Pelagius (the Town Day) is celebrated. Most of the festivities are organized on the Veliki trg (Main Square).
Beaches. Novigrad beaches offer you a cool bath and the limitless opportunities for relaxation. There are such Blue Flag beaches as Mareda, Sirena and the beach of the Hotel Maestral. The first two beaches are rocky with some pebble sections, the last one is concrete. The town has no sandy beaches.
Restaurants. Novigrad restaurants are the real magnets for hungry travelers after the eventful day. Tri Palme is a nice place for families with children, which has Croatian, Mediterranean and Yugoslavian specialties on the menu. Taverna-Ristorante Damir e Ornela is a high-class catering establishment, which serves mouthwatering fish dishes. If you are short of money, go to the Tavern Kod Marice, a nice place with a speaking parrot. Out of all the cafes and pubs of the town Vitriol is probably the best, with good quality drinks, amazing view on the sea, impeccable service and internet access.
Active vacations. Sport thrills funs will be excited about the sport offer of the town. Novigrad travel will be unforgettable for those active travelers who enjoy football, handball, volleyball, basketball, tennis, cycling, mini-golf and various water sports.