This charming, scenic fishing haven located on Istria’s west coast abounds in many attractions. Rovinj, initially an island, united with the mainland in the 18th century when the intervening channel was filled. Rovinj has transformed into one of Croatia’s premier tourist hotspots over recent years, drawing considerable annual tourist traffic. The city is dominated by a hilltop church, housing the relics of Saint Euphemia - a Christian woman, and a senator’s daughter, who was imprisoned for her refusal to offer sacrificial offerings to Ares, the god. After being subjected to various forms of torture, she was condemned to execution in the Chalcedon gladiatorial arena, where she was slain by a lion, thus becoming one of the earliest Christian martyrs and a saint in both Catholic and Orthodox faiths. The Croatian town features a maze of cobblestone streets, quaint squares, attractive houses compactly lined along the seafront, accentuated by the towering church steeple.