The Stolen Saint — Uncover Euphemia's Secret Journey

Your quest begins in Trg Maršala Tita, Rovinj's main square, named after Marshal Josip Broz Tito after 1945. This historic crossroads was the administrative and commercial center of the medieval city, where main traffic arteries met. It was here that the first news of the arrival of the relics of Saint Euphemia, a 4th-century Christian martyr, was welcomed by the inhabitants in the year 800, marking the beginning of a veneration that would shape the identity of Rovinj, Istria, for centuries to come.

Next, pass through Balbijev luk (Balbi's Arch), a 16th-century defensive fortification. This arched entrance, built from local limestone, was part of the Venetian rampart system erected during Venetian rule (1283-1797) to control access to the old town. Restored in the 20th century, Balbi's Gate remains an essential pedestrian passage, testifying to Rovinj's strategic importance as an Adriatic port and its connection to Venice's maritime power.

Walk up Ulica Grisia, a medieval cobblestone street typical of 15th and 16th-century Venetian urban planning, with an average width of 2-3 meters and a slope of about 15% over 150 meters. This alley connects Trg Maršala Tita to the Church of Saint Euphemia. Since the 1970s, Ulica Grisia has become an open-air art gallery, housing artists' studios that perpetuate a creative tradition rooted in Rovinj's Venetian heritage.

Reach Crkva sv. Eufemije, the Church of Saint Euphemia, Rovinj's main parish church, listed as Croatian cultural heritage. Built between 1736 and 1753 in Venetian Baroque style, it dominates the city. Its 61-meter-high bell tower is a landmark visible from the Adriatic Sea. Inside lies the reliquary containing the remains of Saint Euphemia, transferred from Constantinople in 800, making this church the spiritual and historical heart of the city.

Your exploration will then lead you to Kuća o batani, the Batana House, an ethnographic museum documenting Rovinj's maritime life and traditional fishing. This restored 16th-century building, typical of Venetian architecture, preserves tools, nets, and traditional boats (batane) of the Adriatic heritage. It testifies to Rovinj's historical economy, based on fishing and maritime trade, and reminds us that Saint Euphemia's arrival by sea forever marked this coastal city of Istria, shaping its identity over centuries and waves.