Photos: Mateusz Kamiński from Gdańsk, Poland, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 Bernd Thaller from Graz, Austria, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 David Orlovic, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo credits
Photos: Mateusz Kamiński from Gdańsk, Poland, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 Bernd Thaller from Graz, Austria, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 David Orlovic, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Balbi's Arch and a town that speaks two languages
Your local guide
Marino Benussi
View profile
Highlights
- Two carved faces, one looking each way
- A town still officially bilingual today
- A gate built on the site of an older tower
- Language and history carved side by side
- Rovinj's layered identity, explained briefly
About this tour
This short session covers Balbi's Arch and the bilingual signage found just beyond it, two small details that say a lot about Rovinj's layered history. You see the two carved faces on the gate and then a street sign showing how the town still officially speaks two languages. It stays within a few steps of the old entrance.
I move at an easy pace between the arch and the sign, explain both histories in full, and take questions as they come up.
This suits anyone curious about identity and language in a small coastal town. It also suits viewers with Italian or Croatian family connections to the region.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Rovinj before heading out.
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Balbi's Arch 15 min
You see the carved gate built in 1679 on the site of a demolished tower, and I point out the two faces carved into it, one looking out and one looking in.
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Bilingual Street Signs 15 min
The camera moves just past the arch to a street sign given in both Croatian and Italian, and I explain why the town has kept this bilingual practice going for generations.
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Your questions 7 min
Time to ask anything about Rovinj: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 3 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Istrian olive oil and Golden Cape, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Zagreb time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 10 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Rovinj, showing you Balbi's Arch and Bilingual Street Signs live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet and the link comes with your booking. I climb slowly so the tower stays framed clearly against the sky.
Times shown in Zagreb time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Fri 13 Nov · 10 seats left From 18,00 €
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