Rovinj's two islands are close enough to see from the waterfront and easy enough to reach that most people do it on a whim. Sveta Katarina is a five-minute crossing, Crveni otok (Red Island, sometimes signposted as Sv. Andrija) about fifteen. Neither needs planning beyond turning up at the right pier with the right change.

Where the boat leaves from

The island boats go from Delfin pier, on the harbour right by the roundabout, under the Island Hotels Reception sign. It is not the same place as the excursion boats that tout day trips along the waterfront, and that is the usual mistake: people wander the harbour looking for the island boat and end up talking to someone selling a four-hour cruise.

How often they run, and how long it takes

In season boats leave roughly every hour, from early morning until well after midnight, in both directions. The crossing is about 15 minutes to Crveni otok and about 5 to Sveta Katarina. Some sailings call at both islands on the same run, so check which one you are getting on if you are in a hurry.

The frequency changes with the season, and the timetable is the hotel operator's rather than ours, so we are not going to print times here that might be a month out of date. Look at the current schedule on Maistra's site the morning you plan to go.

What it costs

A ticket is €12 for adults and €6 for children under 10. If you are staying at one of the island hotels the boat is free for the length of your stay, which is worth knowing before you buy anything.

The boat back is the part to plan

Going out is easy; the last boat back is the thing people get wrong. Check it when you arrive rather than when you want to leave, especially in shoulder season when the late sailings thin out. Crveni otok has a hotel and a couple of places to eat, so being stuck there is not a disaster, but it is an expensive way to end an afternoon.

If the weather turns

These are small boats on open water. A strong bura or a summer neverin can stop sailings at short notice, usually for a few hours rather than a day. If the sky goes grey and the wind gets up while you are on the island, head back earlier than you planned.

The other way out there

Independent taxi boats run from the town harbour as well, and in summer they leave often. They cost a little more, take you when you want to go rather than when the timetable says, and are the sensible choice if you have missed the scheduled boat. Agree the return arrangement before you get on.

For what is actually on the two islands - the monastery ruins, the swimming, which one suits a lazy afternoon - see our guide to Rovinj's islands. If you are mainly after the swimming, the best beaches piece covers the mainland options too.