Whether you are interested in peaceful family holiday, or you are more of an adventurous traveller, there are many reasons why you should consider Croatian Island of Pag as your next vacation resort, so let’s start counting them.
- Eventful surroundings
If you are visiting Croatia for the first time, you will surely wish to visit more than one summer destination. Besides being one of the most beautiful Croatian islands, Pag is well connected to to Zadar, Island of Rab, Silba and Lošinj. The national parks Krka, Kornati, Brijuni and Plitvice are very popular destinations for the excursions, as well as the kanu-riding excursions to the river Zrmanja. The good idea is to make Pag your vacation basis and enjoy recreational field trips (for different preferences and budgets).
- Intact nature
Regardless of the tourist attractiveness of the destination and the number of visits that keeps growing, a great deal of the Pag’s natural heritage has been protected and properly presented thanks to the interest among the locals and – often – international funding. Probably the most famous example – botanic reservation Lun olive grows work as a natural oasis, as well as the event venue for classical music concerts and meetings that combine enjoying the nature with the local cuisine based on traditional recipes and indigenous ingredients.
- Gastronomy
The local cuisine is based on indigenous seasonal ingredients, local herbs and spices that have been used for centuries, lamb meat, sheep milk and cheese, fish and seafood. Prepared by locals with a lot of patience and love, gastro offer in Novalja witnesses many efforts the local people put into preserving their tradition. It is the case with traditional recipes, as well as the ambition to preserve the methods of planting and growing olives and grapes, protecting the wild local flora, practicing and learning the preparation of the famous and delicious Pag cheese.
- Entertainment
The city of Novalja on Pag has an international reputation as the favourite summer destination because of several electronic music festivals that take place there during the summer. Besides the festival venues in the beach clubs on Zrće beach, each year there are numerous single acts, boat parties and poolside binges. If you are adventurous, interested in parties and dancing for several days and nights, check out why Zrće beach has gained incredible international recognition as one of the most attractive summer destinations for partying travellers.
- History and culture
The history of inhabited settlements on the Island of Pag reaches back to the ancient Roman times, if not even further. Each village has a long and eventful history represented by preserved archaeological and architectural heritage. Probably among the best-known sites is Cissa. According to some historiographical sources, after the serious earthquake in the 4th century, the city sank underwater. There is a whole drowned city on the seabed. Divers often find remains of the buildings, but the greatest part of the city is non-approachable because of the sludge, sand and seaweed.
In places such as Novalja, there are preserved historical layers from different periods from the ancient times, throughout the middle ages, early new age until today. The historical core of the City of Pag is a representative example of the planned 15th-century renaissance urban settlement. h
- People
People on Pag have lived with nature for centuries. Besides tourism, they base their earnings on the dialogue with nature. While exploring the small places such as Stara Novalja, you will often encounter old fishermen, people with the flocks of sheep or the old ladies working on the famous Pag lace embroideries. All of them have plenty of memories to share and plenty of ways to make the tourists feel like home. Friendly attitude and kind locals are among the best memories you will take with you from the Island of Pag.
- Curiosities
Because of the lack of the vegetation in some parts of the island – the stony landscape with attenuated and lonely aromatic herbs – reminds of the Moon’s surface. That is the reason why people often refer to Pag as Moon Island. Besides that, most of our visitors are well informed about the natural peculiarity called Pag Triangle. It is located near Novalja and has been a subject of many ufology talks and writings since its discovery in 1999.
- Climate
Even though the most of us associate Pag with the powerful north-eastern wind (bura), during the most of the days in the spring, summer and fall, people on Pag enjoy the mild Mediterranean climate and kind weather with many sunny days and fresh air from the mountains. The position of the island in regards to the Velebit massif causes the wind bursts during the winter.
- Geography
Island of Pag has the longest shore of all the Adriatic islands (302,47 kilometres). The wind and the sea salt directly affect its geomorphology and vegetation. The eastern side of the island (the one hit by the wind) lacks the vegetation and is known as the Moon Island. During the Roman antiquity, the island was much more abundant in greenery and Romans used to call it “the golden island”. By today, the woods have been attenuated. Pasturages and the white stone occupy the most of the island’s surface.
- Beautiful beaches
Some of the beaches are sandy, some of them are pebbles and stones. Besides the famous “Croatian Ibiza” – Zrće beach in Novalja, there are many others such as Planjka, Jadra, Vranjak, Koromačina, or Beritnica near Metajna (on this picture). Some of them – in smaller places are arranged as the private resorts for intimate getaways, while some of them are more crowded, or also used as the outdoor terrains for volleyball, tennis and other sports.
