Ravinj Croatia

I spent a few nights in Rovinj in 2015. The historic center is medieval (I remember dark stone) and atmospheric. Much of current-day Rovinj is more modern. It was a popular town even 10 years ago; others have described it as "touristy", which I can't disagree with. I have no idea what parking would be like.

Not having a car, I took advantage of bus service to see other Istrian towns, including colorful Porec and tiny Vrsar. Not a fan of ancient ruins, I didn't go to Pula, but that is a popular option. I also took advantage of a then-once-a-week bus tour of inland Istria that I enjoyed.

In a vacuum, I enjoyed it. My main thing is that it’s often painted as sort of a quaint fishing village, but in reality it is very resort-like. In summer, it’s swarming with mostly Italian and Austrian tourists. If you’re not interested in the beach/swimming there’s not much to justify going.

Some context on where this might fall in an itinerary is helpful. I would submit that in most folks’ itinerary, Istria is a clumsy fit overall. Most people end up on or near the Dalmatian Coast, and staying in that area is just as good.

Agree it really helps to place the stop in context--I have been to Croatia four times but not to Istria, but I would include it as part of a trip to the region. I would not go out of my way to include it if I were flying in to Dubrovnik though, for example.
Time of year and your transport are also important.

I was there two months ago (October) and it was quite crowded, both the old town and the new town. There really aren’t any sites per se but it has a nice atmosphere and good restaurants. I’m sure in the summer it’s extremely crowded with a lot of people there for the sea. My son went for a swim and he said the water was still warm.
We did have a car and it would’ve been difficult to find a parking place if we didn’t have one that came with the apartment we rented.

We self-drove Croatia/Slovenia for about a month in September, 2023 and included a few nights in Rovinj. We rented a tiny apartment less than 15 minute walk to the market for easy parking and access. Rovinj is small and charming but packed with tourists. There's really not much to see or do there. We enjoyed spending a little time at the beach. We mostly drove to other smaller towns in Istria. We went to Pula, which was just OK--worthwhile for the colosseum if you haven't been to Rome.

We were there in July and loved it. Laid-back, scenic, with a resort feel that reminded us of the Amalfi Coast. Lots to eat and drink, and in Croatia the sunsets are so magical. Touristy for sure, but nothing compared to Dubrovnik crowds. We preferred Istria to the Dalmatian Coast.