The Istrian peninsula is crammed with picturesque
walled old towns on the sea but few are as fetching as Novigrad.
The core of the old town lies on a limestone peninsula that
was once an island. Medieval walls topped with restored crenellated
towers run along the port and the historic core is replete with 15th
to 18th-century houses and palaces. Novigrad is similar to Rovinj but less visited.
A sightseeing highlight of Novigrad is the baroque Rigo Palace with a beautifully sculpted
facade. The tip of the island is devoted to a park shaded with parasol
pines and there's a lungomare--seaside promenade--that runs
along the coast to the Novigrad marina, one of the
most sheltered in the Adriatic. There are "beaches" in Novigrad
but don't expect sand; they're concrete!
There is a delightful beach club to stretch out and relax on a lounge chair. Try Beach Club Macumba, a humble, unpretentious hangout.
If you're driving down from
Slovenia, it would be hard to avoid Novigrad (see
Novigrad on a map). It's an easy drive and good day trip from the Istrian towns Umag,Porec or Rovinj and
there are a number of daily buses as well.