Brijuni National Park
Brijuni Islands (Brionian Islands) are a group of fourteen small islands in northern Adriatic, separated from the west coast of the Istrian peninsula by the Fažana Strait. The largest island is Veliki Brijun Island and it kilometers off the coast. Popular for their impressive beauty, the islands are a famous holiday resort and a Croatian National Park. There is also a Safari Park on the island od Veliki Brijuni, home to a variety of exotic animals, many of them donated as gifts from Croatian diplomatic partners like the Asian elephant and zebu from India. The island has another interesting particularity, as it is home to four sites with over 200 dinosaur footprints from the last period of the Mesozoic Era, absolutely worth visiting.
On the islands, there are also other sites worth seeing, such as the ruins in Verige Bay are possible remains of the imperial Roman summer residences of 1st century A.D, well-preserved remains of St. Mary’s basilica from the 5th century and of a small church of St. Peter from the 6th century, two ancient Roman villa remains, from the 2nd Century BC and remains of a Byzantine palace. Visit also the Hill’s Fort, fortified Bronze Age settlement with preserved walls, entrance and necropolis, situated on a small hill near the Verige Bay.
If you are planning a holiday in some of the nearby destinations like Pula, Rovinj or Poreč, be sure to add a day trip to Brijuni islands on your must-visit list because they are absolutely spectacular. The only way to reach the islands is to take a boat from Fažana. It is a regular boat service to Veli Brijun island, available throughout the year and the boat ride lasts about 20 minutes. There are no cars on Brijuni islands and it is not allowed to bring bicycles, but you can rent them on the island, as well as electric cars.
