Novigrad: a fishing town by the sea, 12 km from our villas

Novigrad (Cittanova in Italian) is the kind of seaside town you might expect to find only in a painting: fishing boats in a stone harbour, old walls rising from the water, and a church tower with its patron saint on top. It is small enough to see in an afternoon and close enough to come back for dinner.

What to see

Mandrač, the fishing harbour

The heart of Novigrad is Mandrač, the small inner harbour where trawlers and fishing boats tie up between trips. The catch goes straight to the town’s restaurants, and you can watch nets being mended on the quay.

The town walls

Novigrad’s Venetian walls still line much of the old town. A promenade runs along the foot of the walls by the sea, and in summer the rocks there turn into a town beach.

The loggia

The Belvedere loggia is part of the old fortifications and is said to be the only loggia in Istria that faces the sea. It is a lovely, shady spot to sit.

The bell tower of St Pelagius

The tall bell tower is topped with a statue of St Pelagius, Novigrad’s patron saint. Locals say the direction the statue faced once told fishermen whether it was safe to go out to sea.

The Lapidarium

The Lapidarium museum is a striking modern building that displays carved stones from the town’s early medieval past, including fine examples of interlace ornament. A small but rewarding visit.

Rigo palace

On the main street, Rigo palace is a Baroque residence built in 1770, with its original layout preserved.

Eating in Novigrad

Novigrad is a fish town. Restaurants along the harbour and in the old town serve grilled fish, scampi, mussels and squid fresh from the boats. Read our seafood guide for what to order and how fish is priced by weight.

Sunset

The pier (diga) that protects the harbour is where the town gathers at sunset. Walk out with an ice cream as the sky turns orange over the sea.

Combine it with

• Istralandia water park, a few minutes inland. See our aquaparks guide.
• Wine villages in the hills behind Novigrad, around Brtonigla and Buje. See Istrian wine.
• The Mirna river mouth, just north of the town, where the river from the truffle valley meets the sea.

Getting there

From Villa Duga Novigrad is about 13 km, and from Villa Bina and Villa Cvita Domenica about 12 km, roughly 15 to 20 minutes by car. Park outside the old town; the centre is easy to walk.