01How Much Does a Trip to Novigrad Cost in 2027?
Novigrad (Cittanova) is a small fishing and tourist town on Istria's west coast, about 16 km from Umag and 17 km from Poreč. It costs less than Rovinj and is not cheap. Accommodation drives most of the budget, and the gap between July–August and the rest of the year is large.
Daily budget by travel style
| Style | Per person per day (peak season) | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | €50–80 | Shared apartment or camping, market food, pizza or konoba lunch, free beaches |
| Mid-range | €130–220 | Hotel or good apartment (shared by two), two restaurant meals, parking, one paid activity |
| Comfort | €250+ | 4-star or boutique hotel, seafood dinners, wellness, rental car |
One source puts mindful budgets at €40–70 per day. That is realistic in shoulder season and tight in August.
02Accommodation Costs in Novigrad
Hotels
Booking data puts the average 3-star hotel in Novigrad at roughly €165–170 per night and 4-star at around €270–280, based on peak-weighted figures. Entry-level rates are much lower. Travel-site data shows high-season hotel averages near €330 per night and low-season averages near €130.
Commonly booked hotels:
- Rotonda Inn Novigrad
- beachfront, rated 9.0/10 on Booking, with entry rates around €80–90 outside peak.
- Laguna Maradiso Hotel by Aminess
- among the cheaper options, from about €75–105 depending on date, often with half-board deals.
- Hotel Cittar
- and Hotel Villa Cittar: Old Town boutique-style hotels, typically €110–150 for two.
- Blu Mare Hotel
- rated 9.3/10, from about €120–130.
- Aminess Vival Maestral
- 4-star, from about €125–160, with a wellness center.
- Palazzo Rainis Hotel & Spa
- adults-only small luxury hotel, from about €210 upward.
Apartments and camping
Private apartments near the Old Town run about €55–70 per night for budget units and €90–200 for central or larger ones in peak season. Camp pitches (for example at Mareda) run roughly €25–40 per night.
Tourist tax
The Istria County tourist tax is flat across most coastal towns: about €1.60 per person per night from 1 April to 30 September and €1.10 the rest of the year. Children under 12 are exempt and ages 12–18 pay half. Hotels list it as a separate line; many apartment hosts include it in the quoted price. Always check which applies.
03Food and Drink Prices
Novigrad is known for seafood and Istrian cooking. Prices are lower than in Rovinj but have risen sharply since the euro switch.
- Large pizza: €9–12
- Konoba main course with pasta or grilled meat: €15–30
- Mid-range seafood restaurant: €30–50 per person
- Tasting-menu fine dining: from about €70 per person
- Coffee: roughly €1.80–2.50
- Local beer in a harbour café: roughly €4–5
A realistic mid-range food day is €45–75 per person: coffee and pastry, a pizza or konoba lunch, and a restaurant dinner with wine.
Insider tip: Lunch menus and pasta dishes in konobas cost noticeably less than fish by weight. Grilled fish is priced per kilogram, so ask the weight and price before ordering. A whole fish for two can easily double the bill.
04Parking and Getting Around
Paid parking applies near the Old Town. Typical peak-season rates:
- Mandrač (Old Town edge, near the marina)
- about €2.50/hour, daily cap about €25
- Central lots such as Veliki Trg
- about €2.00/hour, cap about €18
- Outer lots such as Škola
- about €1.50/hour, cap about €12
Paying €25 a day to park by the Old Town gate is poor value. The outer lot is about 800 m away and the town is compact, so walking costs nothing. Off-season, outer lots are often free. Some hotels charge for parking, such as about €3–7 per day at Aminess Vival Maestral, so ask when booking.
Between towns, Poreč is 17 km and Umag 16 km away. Taxis and rental cars cost more than the local buses. A rental car is useful only if day trips to Rovinj, Motovun or Pula are planned.
05Activities and Sightseeing Costs
Most of Novigrad's appeal is free. The medieval walls, harbour, Old Town lanes and pebble-and-concrete beaches cost nothing. The Lapidarium Museum on Veliki Trg is about €5. Beach extras are the main cost: sun loungers and umbrellas at hotel or managed beaches commonly run about €10–25 per set per day. Bike rental is a cheap way to cover the coastal paths toward Umag and Poreč.
06Peak vs Shoulder Season
High season is June to August; low season is roughly December to February. Prices rise in July and August, and restaurant prices stay firm even in quieter months. May, June and September give the best balance of warm sea, open venues and lower rates. Expect hotel rates 30–40% lower than in August, and parking caps often not enforced in outer lots.
07Money-Saving Tips for Novigrad
- Book apartments or half-board deals. Half-board at Laguna Maradiso-type hotels often beats paying for dinners separately.
- Use outer parking. Saves up to €13 per day compared with the Old Town lot.
- Eat the main meal at lunch. Konoba lunches are cheaper than dinner service.
- Shop at the local market and supermarkets for picnic items and beach snacks.
- Stay a few minutes outside the walls. Apartments 5–10 minutes' walk from the Old Town are cheaper and often include parking.
- Visit in late May or September.
Most travelers overestimate how much they need to spend on a Novigrad sightseeing budget. The town has little to buy entry to, so accommodation and dinner decide the total, and the Old Town hotel premium is rarely worth it over a beachfront or outer-edge option.
08Sample Weekend Budget for Two (3 nights, shoulder season)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Mid-range hotel, 3 nights | €330–450 |
| Tourist tax (2 people × 3 nights × €1.60) | ~€9.60 |
| Meals (2 people, mid-range) | €180–270 |
| Parking (outer lot, 3 days) | €0–36 |
| Museum, coffee, extras | €30–50 |
| Total | ~€550–815 |
09Practical Notes
Croatia uses the euro. Cards are accepted in most restaurants and hotels, but small konobas, market stalls and some parking machines may prefer cash. Keep some coins for parking.
