Rupert Parker drives around northeastern Croatia for his guide to Istria.

Croatia’s many islands are legendary, but there is one particular island that gave up its island status to join the Istria mainland in 1763. The wonderful town of Rovinj had clearly decided it was rich and powerful enough to withstand Europe’s various wars and diseases, which through its island independence, managed to do so for centuries. .However Rovinj needed to expand and through some ingenious 18th century engineering it was connected to the mainland. More than enough reason then for me to begin exploring Rovinj Croatia’s little jewel..