LIVING ARCHIPELAGO I N C R O A T I A W H E R E T O G O , W H AT T O S E E W I T H N A U T I C A L C H A R T S , N O R T H PA R T Project by Hydrographic Institute of the Republic of Croatia - Split in cooperation with Croatian Ministry of Tourism, Croatian Tourism Board and Croatian Chamber of Commerce l i v i n g a r c h i p e l a g o I am to be your guide through the incredibly beautiful and fascinating Croatian archipelago. During the last fifteen years I have sailed round the Mediterranean and depicted my experiences in the books ”The new boatlife”, ”Sail in the Mediterranean” and ”Sailing in ancient waters.” At the end of the `80s, my wife and I sailed for a few years in the archipelago of Dalmatia, and were captivated by its beauty, culture and history. I wrote several articles on this topic, and began collecting material for a book, but then the war intervened and I postponed my plans. We sailed east for Turkey, which is also a land rich in history and culture. Since peace and a belief in the future have returned to Croatia, we have returned to this land which more than anything else can bring to life what a living archipelago is. No country in the Mediterranean, has as rich an archipelago with its 66 islands, 652 islets, 389 rocks and 78 reefs. It is one of the best sailing areas in the world. In a questionnaire in the American ”Cruising World”, a group of renowned long-distance sailors thought the Croatian archipelago equal to the Caribbean Islands, as the two most beautiful sailing areas in the world. In this land of the thousand islands, powerful experiences await you in a pure, untouched environment and of islands with tradition and history, which can be traced back to the ancient world. Don´t rush! Give yourself time to savour the unique islands, the hospitable population, the magnificent traditional clothing, the songs and the dancing! Enjoy the scent from the lavender fields, the old olive trees´ knotted beauty, the vineyards strict simplicity and the local wines! Look beyond the technical information about hotels, museums and such given in the tourist brochures, and give the Archipelago a deeper dimension - get to know the genuine, Living Archipelago. Mr. Ebbe Gustafsson, Sweden. Former headmaster of People´s College. Journalist: editor of ”Skeppsrådet”, the magazine of the officials of the Swedish Cruising Club. Author of three books about sailing in the Mediterranean. Member of the board of the Swedish Cruising Club with 36 000 members. Former commodore of the Mediterranean Sailors of the Swedish Cruising Club. A D R I AT I C THE CLEANEST SEA IN THE MEDITERRANEAN I have experienced many beautiful landscapes in different countries during my sailings round the Mediterranean. However, my very strongest experience of beautiful and magnificent nature has been in Croatia. The reason is, I believe, that Croatia’s beauty is so intimately associated with the cleanness and freshness of the nature of the country. It must have been clean and undestructed like this several generations ago before the pollution began to gain ground. The Adriatic with its thousand islands and its coast with indented bays is not only charmingly beautiful; the sea has also a purity and clearness which makes it so special and which increases the enjoyment when you take a swim in this tepid water, that can reach a visibility of 50 metres. To walk on the paths of the forests in Gorski Kotar and arrive at a brook, slake your thirst in the murmuring water, inhal the ozonic, fragrant forest air and experience the silence, gives you a strong feeling of the real freshness of this virgin country. The authorities of Croatia are aware of the great values which lie in the natural beauty of the country. Consequently, they concentrate on the care and the protection of nature. Now Croatia plays a leading role among the states of Europe when it comes to the question of protecting nature. More than 7.5 % of the area of the country is protected in national parks or in other forms of conservating measures. There are also plans for doubling this particular area. It is pleasant and hopeful to notice that there is such a large region of unpolluted and fresh nature in the middle of Europe. That which powerfully promotes to the cleanness of the Adriatic is that there are so few industries along the coast and that the authorities have issued detailed regulations about water protection. For ten years, annual sampling of the quality of water is accomplished on many places along the coast and on the islands, according to stipulations of WHO. In some districts it has been noticed that the water is polluted by discharges from earlier industries. Therefore, one has started extensive projects of cleaning the bottom and improving the quality of the water. REFRESHMENT ON THE SOUTHERN COAST OF KRK Beaches and marinas strive to be awarded the Blue Flag, a distinction for well accomplished water conservation; many succeed in winning the coveted flag and put it on a visible place in the harbour. There rests a comfortable tranquillity over the many islands. When I go ashore on an island I often get a strong feeling that there is another rhythm of life than on the mainland. The stress of the cities has not yet reached the islands. Few cars disturb the peace, the air is free from exhausts. Everything is so genuine: the food with fresh products produced in the district and the wine from the islanders’ own vineyards. I wish to stay here, I think, take lodgings in the house of a family so I can have the opportunity of experiencing that Europe which is about to disappear. THE BLUE FLAG CAMPAIGN The Blue Flag Campaign in Croatia is handled by the Nature Friends Movement ”Lijepa naπa”, an organization with several years of experience in the field of environmental education. ”Lijepa naπa” has been a member of the FEEE since June 1997. Many beaches and marinas have shown interest in joining the Campaign. Croatia has adopted all the necessary legislation to ensure the protection of coastal and marine areas, but the issue of enforcement still needs to be more comprehensively addressed. Monitoring of bathing water quality in Croatia is done by the Public Health Institutes. The water quality data is public information and is broadcast on the national TV network, published in newspapers, and available in all tourist agencies and bureaus. The Blue Flag Campaign in Croatia has been identified as an opportunity for promoting national guidelines for the protection of coastal areas and is seen as a valuable assistance to the completion of the effective enforcement framework. In the years to come, the Campaign will focus on the intensification of environmental information and awareness raising activities at national and local community levels. The 1777 kilometres of the Croatian coastline and 4000 kilometres of island shores demonstrate that the number of 2000 Blue Flag candidate beaches and marinas present just a small percentage of the actual Croatian potential. The European Jury decided that the following marinas and beaches should be allowed to fly the Blue flag in 2000: Marinas: ACI Umag, Marina Veruda Pula, ACI Opatija, ACI Cres, ACI Vodice, ACI Jezera, ACI Split, ACI Milna, ACI Vrboska, ACI KorËula and ACI Dubrovnik. Beaches: Baπka, Brela, Rovinj, Punat, Crikvenica, Plava laguna PoreË, Hotel Galijot, FKK Ulika, Hotel Laguna Materada, FKK Koversada and Autocamp Valkanela. H OW TO G E T TO C ROAT I A Italia d LONDON Vrsar Labin Rabac TRIESTE LYON NE AR KV CRES Iù Rab Jablanac a UNIJE LO'INJ M. Lo„inj Novalja PAG SILBA OLIB Silba Ist J 'IN O .L IT - M SPL AR N D E A V -Z A I EZ CROATIA Virsko more You can reach Croatia’s nine airports - Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Pula, Rijeka, Zadar, Mali Loπinj, BraË Karlobag Pag and Osijek - in a few hours Starigrad from the destinations in Europe. UG ZADAR LJ AN TRST 135 62 233 AN VELA LUKA 100 245 d Biograd n/m 'M PA K TO IO K UG NI - D 'IBE A N R CO DA AN ZA - ZADAR VENEZIA 147 Zagreb an T Sali Murter KORNATI Tisno Vodice 'IBENIK T Primo„ten 41 186 65 174 RAB 46 135 144 123 86 118 114 42 PULA 81 72 179 58 120 152 74 54 R tP lo RIJEKA 84 120 183 108 126 159 113 69 'OLTA 103 54 201 32 142 174 83 76 91 26 148 72 OPATIJA MALI LO'INJ 46 158 147 146 87 121 133 66 86 128 184 116 127 160 112 45 107 146 95 88 120 88 114 257 28 245 79 KOPER 131 60 229 KOMIÞA 78 219 32 207 46 HVAR 92 91 142 114 148 8 5 54 44 31 91 95 79 223 19 211 46 SVETAC 63 127 55 326 53 29 199 187 148 178 55 221 200 137 150 215 189 150 57 214 198 159 191 68 234 213 143 164 184 200 161 33 170 202 107 104 119 54 176 91 Splitska vrata Supetar Milna Stari Grad Sumartin Jelsa HVAR Hvar PLO¨E 28 197 142 410 112 91 228 241 36 165 161 122 153 35 196 175 90 123 208 162 124 49 23 176 164 124 157 35 200 179 110 126 208 165 126 34 NA BI'EVO CO IS AN - V AD GR A RI LUK A ST - V. Vela Luka Kor ula PELJE'AC KOR¨ULA Trstenik Ston Lastovo 53 203 SU'AC 34 207 23 LASTOVO zH 49 289 97 82 102 BRINDISI 243 382 155 375 218 192 318 334 295 321 206 342 343 208 288 45 333 286 185 145 371 168 169 81 123 BARI ANCONA BRINDISI DUBROVNIK HVAR DURR”S KOPER KOMIÞA KOR¨ULA MAKARSKA OPATIJA MALI LO'INJ PAG 80 110 310 109 72 156 169 125 121 133 303 213 272 216 OTRANTO 98 PORE¨ PRIMO'TEN PORTOCORSINI 80 107 75 PULA RAB RIJEKA SPLIT Distances are given in nautical miles. RIMINI TRST 'IBENIK VELA LUKA ZADAR VENEZIA 86 121 149 129 109 131 49 111 90 PESCARA BARI 194 329 111 322 162 145 263 278 239 267 151 289 289 152 237 101 277 232 146 113 313 120 125 120 108 62 ANCONA Slano Sobra MLJET Pr ola 160 305 72 293 127 105 258 244 206 239 116 282 261 175 207 152 246 208 82 nT Trpanj DURR”S 260 402 172 390 226 202 352 347 305 336 215 379 358 248 304 83 349 307 181 148 386 190 181 DUBROVNIK Makarska a BRA¨ Komi; a VIS 52 130 112 74 172 68 373 41 T Omi„ n LI Vis JABUKA 283 421 190 414 249 228 356 374 335 359 237 382 382 246 335 MAKARSKA 100 244 47 232 66 KOR¨ULA 27 A ON P -S C AN PESCARA 126 198 117 202 109 116 128 177 142 148 103 152 169 OTRANTO Roga 27 148 129 89 126 PORTOCORSINI 130 62 223 95 163 195 30 114 122 72 169 PAG SPLIT a RIMINI 117 86 195 111 149 174 45 192 54 180 12 a T RogoznicaTrogir SPLIT 72 218 40 206 38 PORE¨ International train connections are good; it is easy and comfortable to come to Croatia from the countries in Europe. The railway network extends over 2400 km and goes to all bigger cities with the exception of Dubrovnik. Travel by rail can easily be combined with travelling by ship or by coach. Novigrad Preko DUGI OTOK PRIMO'TEN There are also regular connections with the Italian ports of Venezia, Ancona and Bari. MOLAT Bo; ava 'IBENIK ZAGREB ATHINAI RAB ER Rt Kamenjak RN a Medulin n Malinska KRK N.Vinodolski Krk Punat SENJ Cres Ba„ka Sv. Juraj K VA PULA BRIJUNI VENEZIA ROMA a R Rovinj BUDAPEST LJUBLJANA BUCURESTI MILANO Crikvenica If you go by car, it is easy to come to the Adriatic and to Croatia’s 28 000 km of public roads. And there are no difficulties to take your car by ferry to the islands. If you want to make a voyage along the Adriatic coast and do not wish to part with your car, you can put it aboard the swift coastal liners, docking at many cities and islands on their passage to Dubrovnik. WIEN GENØVE ti Pore PARIS WARSZAWA PRAHA M; NCHEN Bakar Kraljevica n I S T R A Croatia’s thousand islands are the closest archipelago to the countries in central Europe. The Adriatic cuts so deeply into the European continent and comes so closely that the sailors from these countries often look upon the archipelago as their home waters. FRANKFURT po Opatija AMSTERDAM Zagreb RIJEKA Novigrad BERLIN d T Umag ar Rt Savudrija PALAGRUÞA GALIJULA RI BA DU N OV BR IK DUBROVNIK n a Cavtat H Y D RO G R A P H I C I N S T I T U T E O F T H E R E P U B L I C O F C ROAT I A H OW TO G E T I N F O R M AT I O N A B O U T S A I L I N G I N T H E A D R I AT I C 1 HISTORY OF THE HYDROGRAPHIC INSTITUTE OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA Rt Savudrija Umag RIJEKA R MOLAT 11 SAFETY OF NAVIGATION Novigrad Bo; ava Preko ZADAR Nowadays when man has discovered as much as possible, having flied up in the space and walked on the Moon´s surface, the only place where one can find solitude and adventure is the sea. You cannot put to sea without feeling awe of a huge mass which breathes and lives in its own rhythm, and cannot be brought under control. AN DUGI OTOK Sali KORNATI Biograd n/m AN Murter Tisno Vodice 'IBENIK 14 Primo„ten RogoznicaTrogir 15 SPLIT a 13 'M PA Safety of navigation Marine cartography Hydrographic survey Oceanographic research Cartographic reproduction Publishing of nautical publications 9 LJ 18 Omi„ Roga 'OLTA 16 Splitska vrata Supetar Milna Vis JABUKA Komi; a VIS SVETAC BI'EVO 20 Makarska BRA¨ Stari Grad Sumartin Jelsa HVAR Hvar 22 19 Trpanj Kor ula Vela Luka 17 PLO¨E PELJE'AC KOR¨ULA Trstenik 25 Ston Lastovo 26 ti MLJET po LASTOVO 24 ar 23 Slano Sobra zH 21 SU'AC Pr ola • • • • • • In 140 years of work, this institution has developed its particular, recognizable style in production of charts and nautical publications. In recent years, efforts have been made to improve the classical offer of products by a new design, and make it suitable to the new users - non professional mariners. Jablanac UG Basic activities of the Hydrographic Institute of the Republic of Croatia: 8 RAB Rab lo NE Iù UNIJE LO'INJ Hydrographic Institute of Republic of Croatia is a special institution of the Republic of Croatia to carry out hydrographic activities in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea, including the research of the sea for navigational safety. SENJ Sv. Juraj In the Croatian part of the Adriatic, AustroHungarian Navy among the first in Europe, established the hydrographic service (1869) which has been maintained to the present day, continually improving the research methods and technology of measurements. On the basis of his survey, the atlas was produced, containing fifteen charts and plans, and two panoramas. Austro-Hungarian navy carried out the 10 M. Lo„inj Novalja PAG first systematic survey of the eastern Karlobag Pag SILBA Adriatic waters between 1822 and 1824, OLIB Starigrad Silba 12 and published twenty four charts and the Ist Virsko more pilot ”Portolano del Mare Adriatico”. ER 6 4 N.Vinodolski Ba„ka RN CRES Rt Kamenjak 3 7 Punat Cres AR PULA Hydrographic activity on the eastern Adriatic coast dates back to the beginnings of the 19th century, when the first survey was carried out from 1806 to 1809 by Charles Beautemps-Beaupré, ”the father of the modern hydrography”. Crikvenica Malinska'ilo KRK Krk Rabac Ra„a KV BRIJUNI DIRECTOR: Dr. sc. Zvonko GræetiÊ Tel: +385 (0)21 433 344 E-mail: [email protected] M. Draga Rovinj 2 Omi„alj tP Pore K VA 21000 SPLIT Zrinsko - Frankopanska 161 Tel: +385 (0)21 361 840 Fax: +385 (0)21 347 242, 347 208 Telex: 26-270 HIRH 5 Bakar Kraljevica Opatija I S T R A R Novigrad HYDROGRAPHIC INSTITUTE OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA Hydrographic activity was made institutional on 27 April 1860, and since then it has been carried out with continuity, except for the breaks during the world wars. DUBROVNIK Cavtat PALAGRUÞA GALIJULA HYDROGRAPHIC INSTITUTE OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA For a safe navigation, besides a good knowledge of specific characteristics of the navigable area and weather conditions, it is necessary to be supplied with adequate handbooks and charts for navigation. Hydrographic Institute of the Republic of Croatia publishes and keeps up to date about one hundred charts, of different purposes and scales, and publications important for the safety of mariners to whom the sea is profession, and those to whom it is a hobby. This publication endeavours to bring the traditional rigid patterns of maritime profession closer to the people to whom the sea is just a hobby, to the lovers of adventure. This institution and its members live with navigation and for it, being available to the users of their products for any question, request or suggestion. Many mariners use their charts, relying on those who have produced them, because even though it is not necessary to live, to navigate is necessary. SALES OF CHARTS AND NAUTICAL PUBLICATIONS 1. PLOVPUT - Split Obala Lazareta br. 1, 21000 - SPLIT, Tel: +385 (0)21 355-900, Fax: +385 (0)21 585-782 • Navigation area of Pula Harbour Master’s Office Pula, 52000 - PULA, Tel: +385 (0)52 23-147 • Navigation area of Rijeka Senjsko pristaniπte br. 3, 51000 - RIJEKA, Tel: +385 (0)51 213-590 • Navigation area of Zadar Jurja Bijankinija br. 8, 23000 - ZADAR, Tel: +385 (0)23 433-134 • Navigation area of ©ibenik Obala osloboenja br. 8, 22000 - ©IBENIK, Tel: +385 (0)22 212-186 • Navigation area of Dubrovnik Gruπka obala br. 25, 20000 - DUBROVNIK, Tel: +385 (0)20 418-789 • Navigation area of Dubrovnik Branch office KorËula Vinka Paletina br. 176, 20260 - KOR»ULA, Tel: +385 (0)20 711-179 • Navigation area of Split Lighthouse station PloËe, Neretvanskih gusara br. 1, 20340 - PLO»E, Tel: +385 (0)21 679-271 2. NAVAL-ADRIA, d.o.o. Budicinova br. 7, 51000 - RIJEKA, Tel/Fax: +385 (0)51 267-635 Shop NAUTIKA, 51222 BAKAR Tel/Fax: +385 (0)51 761-730 3. University of Rijeka Faculty of Maritime Studies, Nautical Department, Studentska br. 2, 51000 - RIJEKA, Tel: +385 (0)51 338-411, 331-520, Fax: +385 (0)51 336-755 4. INVENTING, d.o.o. A. Pomoraca 7/V, 10000 - ZAGREB, Tel/Fax: +385 (0)1 6523-921 5. MARINERA Obala kralja Petra Kreπimira IV br. 11, 23210 - BIOGRAD NA MORU, Tel: +385 (0)23 384-882 6. MEHANIC NAUTIC, d.o.o. Marka MaruliÊa 12, 22243 - MURTER, Tel: +385 (0)22 434-908, 435-062, Fax: +385 (0)22 434-763 7. TRINAESTICA-13 Ulica kneza Domagoja 3, 23210 - BIOGRAD NA MORU 8. ADRIATIC CHARTER, d.o.o. Zlatna luka, 23 206 - SUKO©AN 9. BORI LIBRA, d.o.o. Trg Slobode 2, 54 470 - UMAG 10. NAVIGATORE Riva Amfora 7, »ervar-Porat, 52 440 - PORE» 11. ZARA MILA, d.o.o. Obala kneza Trpimira 4, 23 000 - ZADAR 12. BASIC KukuljeviÊa 20, 21 000 - SPLIT Charts and publications are sold by authorized sales agents only. C ROAT I A N A D R I AT I C C OA S T North part CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AREA North Adriatic includes: the County of Istria, insular and littoral parts of both the County of Primorje-Gorski Kotar and the County of Lika-Senj Area: about 6100 km2 not including the sea area, or 10.8% of the area of Republic of Croatia Population: about 510 000 or 10.5% of the population of Republic of Croatia Island population: about 44 500 Towns and municipalities: Bakar, Bale, Barban, Baπka (isl.), Brtonigla, Buje, Buzet, Cerovlje, Cres (isl.), Crikvenica, Dobrinj (isl.), GraËiπÊe, Groænjan, Kanfanar, Karlobag, Kostrena, Kraljevica, Krk (isl.), Krπan, Labin, LaniπÊe, Liænjan, Lovran, Lupoglav, Mali Loπinj (isl.), Malinska (isl.), MarËana, Medulin, MoπÊeniËka Draga, Motovun, Novalja (isl.), Novigrad, Novi Vinodolski, Omiπalj (isl.), Opatija, Oprtalj, Pag (isl.), Pazin, PiËan, PoreË, Pula, Punat (isl.), Rab (isl.), Raπa, Rijeka, Rovinj, Senj, Sv. Nedelja, Sv. LovreË, Sv. Petar, SvetivinËenat, Trnjan, Umag, Viπnjan, Viæinada, Vodnjan, Vrbnik (isl.), Vrsar, Æminj T he described region includes North Adriatic or entire three counties, covering an area of about 13 000 km2. The sea area embraces several units, each with its specific geographic, oceanographic and meteorological characteristics: the west coast of Istria, Kvarner, KvarneriÊ and Velebitski Kanal. Favourable geographic position enables direct and quick access by air or land, major traffic junctions being Rijeka and Pula. Through Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, North Adriatic is well connected with other parts of the world by air traffic. Adequate arrangement of maritime and land border crossings also facilitate arrivals and departures. A comparatively small geographic area is a genuine treasury of cultural, historical and natural sights. A number of archaelogical sites with preserved settlements have their origin in the age before Christ. Items and documents which have been preserved and exhibited in museums point at rich cultural heritage and maritime tradition of this area. Many spots are distinguished by intact nature, so that some parts of the sea or land are protected as national parks, nature parks, reserves, parks-forests, protected landscapes, or monuments of natural architecture. Most important among them are the national parks of Brijuni, Paklenica and Risnjak, and a special marine reserve, the inlet of Limski Kanal. Numerous animals and plants have been declared the protected species. In a very small area one encounters a great variety of gastronomic offer. A lot of delicacies are prepared from natural food in a traditional way. Particularly distinguished in the rich offer of culinary delicacies are all kinds of sea specialties, truffles, meat specialties prepared from animals bred on ecological pastures, as well as exquisite wines made from native sorts of grapes. Tourist resorts: Baπka, Cres, Crikvenica, Krk, Labin-Rabac, Lovran, Mali Loπinj, Malinska, Medulin, MoπÊeniËka Draga, Novalja, Novigrad, Novi Vinodolski, Omiπalj, Opatija, PoreË, Pula, Punat, Rab, Rijeka, Rovinj, Umag, Vodnjan-Brijuni, Vrsar Marinas: Baπka - local harbour, Cres, »ervar Porat, IËiÊi, Ilovik - anchorage, Krk - town harbour, Mali Loπinj, Novigrad, Opatija, Plava Laguna, Pomer, PoreË, Pula, Punat, Rab, Rovinj, Silba local harbour, Supetarska Draga, Umag, Verudela, Vrsar Number of islands: 327 (islands 45, islets 189, rocks and reefs 93) Length of the coastline: 2133 km, land 655 km, islands 1478 km Inhabited islands: Cres, Ilovik, Krk, Loπinj, Mali Brijun, Olib, Pag, Premuda, Rab, Silba, Srakane Male, Srakane Vele, Susak, Sv. Andrija, Sv. Katarina, Sv. Nikola, Unije, Veli Brijun Economy: tourism and catering industry, transshipment, railway and road transport, trade, shipbuilding, manufacturing industry, shipping, viniculture and wine production, olive growing Tourism: accomodation capacities about 400 000, hotels and pensions 115 000, rooms, apartments and campsites 285 000, berths in marinas 4540 Rovinj - Pula MK 3 KEEP SEA CLEAN It is most striking, no doubt, to arrive at Rovinj from the sea. The indented coast with green islands and numerous coves is very charming with the houses of Rovinj gleaming in the background. A WIEV OF ROVINJ THE ARENA IN PULA ARRIVAL IN ROVINJ SV. IVAN NA PU»INI THE SARCOPHAGUS OF ST. EUPHEMIA SVETI ANDRIJA T BRIJUNI - ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE R Rovinj NE and parks where we see deer, cows and muflons and also, in a fenced safari park, zebras, camels, antelopes and Somali goats. The train gives us possibilities to reach the more distant parts of Veli Brijuni - to the archeological remains of a Roman summer residence in the Veriga bay. The ground-plan arrangements of the castle complex follow the coastline in more than one kilometre long line. The complex comprises a pier and several breakwaters, as well as harbour protection equipment, but above all there are hundreds of the ruined walls of this big two thousand years old castle. ”Can you imagine how it looked like at that time?” I asked my wife. ”How hundreds of people were working! How they gathered at the temples, dedicated to Venus and Neptune, and honoured the gods.” - ”Oh, I love it,” - I said when we stood in the 2000 years old amphitheatre of PULA. ”It gives me the creeps of excitement when I look at it. - One of the best preserved arenas in the world! Fantastic!” ”You are a ruin abuser, darling”, my wife commented and shook her head. - ”But wasn’t our sailing into the harbour fantastic! The enormous amphitheatre rose above the mass of the houses as a striking background for all the boats of the Pula ACI Marina. You must admit it is exciting to berth three hundred metres from such a wonder!” AR St. Euphemia, is made from white marble. Behind, the walls beside are covered with two large pictures: one showing the saint and the lions, the other the arrival of the coffin on the shores of Rovinj. The steep, narrow street of Grisia, where artists exhibit their pictures and where art galleries are situated very closely, leads to the harbour, where we visit the Town Museum which keeps a valuable collection of paintings from the period between the 16th and the 18th centuries. We proceed our walk to the Rovinj ACI Marina and take a glass of beer in one of the bars, from which we enjoy the sight of the many hundred yachts, of the classically beautiful Hotel Park surrounded by a green, fragrant forest. We are on our way from Rovinj to the BRIJUNI ISLANDS. After 15 kilometres we make a detour to the little town of BALE to study its medieval urban structure of fortifications, towers and gates. Half an hour later we arrive at the town of Faæana, the departure point of boats for the Brijuni Islands, and take a boat over. The archipelago of BRIJUNI, national park since 1983, consists of two bigger islands - Veli Brijuni and Mali Brijuni - and 12 smaller islands. Owing to its mild Mediterranean climate and extremely rich vegetation, the islands have been used as a holiday resort since ancient times. A mini train takes us round Veli Brijuni which is a charming island with meadows Brijuni island Pula KV he 1500 years old town with its stone houses, narrow streets, vaults and staircases is shining so temptingly in the afternoon sun. ROVINJ is dominated by the church of St. Euphemia. On the top of the bell-tower there is the statue of St. Euphemia which, revolving on its axis, has been showing the weather prospects to the fishermen for more than three centuries. Rovinj is really a beautiful town. We enjoy the magnificent view from the church of St. Euphemia towards the sea with its numerous islands, before we enter the beautiful baroque edifice to meet St. Euphemia. Euphemia was born in Khalkedon near Constantinople and was given a Christian upbringing. When the Roman emperor Diocletian exiled the Christians, he ordered the young girl to be thrown to the lions. They killed Euphemia but did not tear her to pieces. Her body spent three centuries in the Khalkedon church; after that, her marble sarcophagus was removed to Constantinople. But one stormy night in the 7th century her sarcophagus disappeared and was washed ashore at Rovinj. The citizens tried to move it but did not succeed, until St. Euphemia spoke to a little boy, saying: ”I am Euphemia of Khalkedon, who through her blood was dedicated to Jesus Christ. You will with a pair of heifers pull the stone coffin with my body.” Thus the little boy pulled the sarcophagus to the church at the top of the hill. The legend is still alive in this old, idyllic town of narrow streets. People believe that the saint has the power to ward off evil, and that it is to her we must turn for intercedence in the future. The altar of Marina Veruda FROM ROVINJ TO PULA and cape Kamenjak leads a direct route of about 25 miles. Interesting spots are the islets south of Rovinj and archipelago of the national park Brijuni, the area of Pula harbour and the indented coast to the cape Kamenjak, the lighthouse of Porer and the shallow protected wide expanse of Medulin Bay with excellent tourist offer and historical sights. Istrian hills and river valleys are noted for their beauty and greenery. Following the flow of the Mirna river, one can discover hidden jewels of Istria, meeting people and places which offer an atmosphere of peace and delight. Pula is several thousand years old. How did the first settlers come here! - Maybe you have heard about Jason, Medea and the Golden Fleece? Jason and the Argonauts, having stolen the Golden Fleece from Colchis, fled to the Adriatic pursued by the Colchians. The Colchians however gave up the pursuit and settled down in the bay of present-day Pula and called it Polai, ”The city of Refugees”. According to the famous ancient geographer Strabo, Pula was founded in that way; it happened about three thousand years ago. In the first century B.C., Pula acquired the status of Roman Colony. Many impressive buildings from that period are preserved in the town. We walked along the embankment until we arrived at the parts of the old town wall. We followed it and came to the Twin Gate, so called because of two beautifully arched gates, and to the Hercules Gate, on the top of which Hercules’ head is carved. We passed the Triumphal Arch of the Sergi, until we came to a large square, the Forum, which is located on the former Roman forum. At the far end of it is the Town Hall, and beside it the Temple of Augustus from the 1st century with a portico comprising six Corinthian columns. My wife and I visited the Forum later in the evening when the temple and the Town Hall were flood-lighted and the square was filled with people. In our opinion the Forum is the place we liked best in Pula.
© Copyright 2024 Paperzz