We drove out of Rovinj en route to Senj on a very drizzly morning, the fog settled lower the further we got down the road. The Operator cannot ever remember driving in such poor visibility, it was quite freaky and very slow going.
The road wasn’t busy though and within an hour the sun was burning off the fog and blue sky was peaking out. Senji was a three hour drive away and is the halfway point to our destination of Zadar.
Senj was established over three thousand years ago and has a population today of 7,000. High on the hill, ominously over looking the town is the beige block of Nihaj Castle.
Built in 1558 to protect the town from invasion it was manned by the fierce Ustok soldiers, Ottoman Bosnian Refugees who were resettled in the area to protect the town from Hapsburg invaders.
Renowned for their bravery in battle they fended off many attacks on the town and Senj can boast to being one of the few that was never invaded. The photos below are of the rooftop of the fort from the ramparts, interior of the castle with its beautiful wooden beams…and a medieval toilet…hanging out now over the car park below….
The view from the ramparts of the castle is stunning and gives you a good overview of the town. Rosie particularly loves the close up of the roofs of the town; the orange tiles with the beige walls look so ancient.
Driving down into town the main road borders the harbour and sweeps around in a curve. The sun has disappeared behind the clouds but the heat of it is still full force and its time for a wander in preparation for happy hour Rosie thinks, The Operator agrees.
Its Sunday in Senj, the road is quiet and so many families are out walking around the bay in the intermittent sunshine. Stopping for ice cream, skimming stones in the harbor and kids playing frog jumps over the bollards that edge the road and the harbour. The older Senj residents sit on the benches watching the people, boats and sea. Some folk are fishing off the piers and so many are out walking their dogs of all shapes and sizes enjoying the extra warm autumn day.
Rosie and The Operator join them, slowly wandering along, taking in the amazing view and new sights. The harbour is a sparkling blue with only the slightest ripple on it. Look down over the edge and the water is crystal clear and you can easily see the bottom. Small crabs run up and down the steps to the waterline and dart into hidey holes in the concrete. Mussels and growth cling to the ropes below the water line of the moored boats, tendrils waving in the light current and so easy to see in all their glory because of the clear water.
The buildings that line the harbour are grand in a plain way, they are big square utilitarian blocks with little adornment that have seen better days and hard winters. The pale pastels they are painted in are flaky and worn with age. Yet fit so well into the landscape of the tidy, working harbour. Nehaj Castle sits on its hilltop surveying all.
Rosie and The Operator head out for a late lunch, early dinner….it has been a long time since the first coffee and pastry of the day. Inside the small old town are the customary narrow alleyways that stop cars from entering. We find the StariGrad, a grill that was recommended by the receptionist of the hotel we are staying in. We sit on the terrace and Rosie orders one of the Croatian house specialties Cevapi, skinless beef and pork sausages served with a red pepper relish and raw onions, they were divine. The tastiest sausages ever!
The Operator opted for maximum meat and had a mixed grill which was delicious too. The Waiter was laughing at Rosie attempts at Croatian and helpfully corrected my pronunciation of the basics…of which I thought I was doing fine….shame. Everyone speaks English in this country so it is not hard trying to communicate at all.
We wandered around the interior of the small old town and laughed at the firewood delivery in a small square, next to an ancient well, the preparation for winter is under way.
Back on the harbour front our hotel has a terrace and a café bar out the front over looking the water. Rosie and the Operator take a seat in the sun and enjoy a Happy Hour or two. It was great watching all the people going to and fro. A bus stop was across the road from our terrace and tour buses stopped with great regularity to give their travelers a break. Below is the photo of The Hotel Libra, where we stayed for the night. The harbour is right across the road and our drinky terrace is underneath the big white awning in the front of the hotel.
Forty people at a time would empty off the bus and after a short wander down the harbour they would nearly all end up back on our terrace for an ice cream or a coffee…then ten minutes later they were gone again. Goran was our waiter and man was he full on busy for half hour stretches at a time when the buses stopped.
We then adjourned to our hotel balcony over looking the harbour, drinking Prosecco out of plastic disposable bathroom cups waiting for the sunset. It was truly magnificent! The light hitting the distant hills across the lake turning them shades of navy blue, the sky turning a beautiful shade of blush and reflecting on the water with not a ripple in sight….another easy going great day.
Tomorrow we head three hours along the coast road to Zadar, a beautiful Italian looking city with an ancient Roman history. Looking forward to this road trip and the end destination.
