Since the founding of Rovinj, till this day, fisherman, sailors and shipbuilders have been the true guards of tradition and the bearers of the maritime spirit. If you want to experience the real soul of the city you’ve got to visit The House of Batana.
Batanas are archaic flat-bottomed fishing boats, typically used in this area. Now you are probably guessing that The House of Batana is a museum dedicated to this unique wooden vessel… And you are right! But the museum isn’t just about that. It’s about celebrating fisherman’s everyday life, all the exciting stories they tell when they get back home, it’s about crafting fishing nets, about the specific connection the people here have to the sea, and much more. Almost all of the exhibited objects are authentic exemplars used by the residents, or their ancestors, and donated to the House, with the aim of preserving cultural heritage. While exploring diverse contents accompanied by short films, drawings and old photos, you will be listening to the typical Rovinj fishing songs. A nice touch is that the songs are recorded in a distinct Rovinj dialect, and translated into English and German.
And if you want to feel the magic of the charming batana on your skin, the joyful boatmen, in agreement with the museum, will gladly take you on a sunset batana tour from Mali Mol to Spacio Matika. There you can try the rich local cuisine or have a glass of homemade wine, while listening to folklore melodies. Ready to experience Rovinj from the batana perspective?