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The island of Pag is one of the biggest Adriatic islands: it is the fifth largest island with 284.50 square kilometres. Its 270 kilometres of the indented coastline make it the island with the longest coastline on the Adriatic, rich with coves, bays, beaches and capes.
The biggest bay, the bay of Pag, is rounded by 27 km of the gravel beaches. Pag is unique due to its vegetation where trees are the rarest form. Therefore, Pag is the largest kingdom of rocky ground on the Adriatic, where thin grass, low aromatic herb cover, sage and immortelle grow. They make the foundation of the nourishment of the island’s sheep on the rocky ground, intersected by long dry stonewalls, giving a special flavour to the well known cheese of Pag.
The gastronomy of the island offers first class sheep cheese and lamb, as well as various seafood specialities.
Pag is the town of the sea salt. The importance of the salt was the main reason that Pag was constructed in the 15th century, according to a plan and as a fortified town. The original salt manufacture by draining of the sea, which is brought in the small clay pools (saline), is still present on the island. These salt pools are not only an authentic relict of the past but also an interesting photographic motif.
The town of Pag is also the town of needlework- the famous lace. Every lace is a unique item. The slow and demanding process of making them has been nourished through centuries and still lives in the streets of the old town.
The most interesting cultural and historical place on the island – the town of Pag – is not the oldest place on the island as well. One kilometer to the south, there are the remains of a settlement (a fortified convent and a church) which preceded today’s Pag – the Old town of Pag which the king Bela IV granted the status of the Royal Borough, on 30th March 1244.
In 1443, the construction of the new town started according to the strict designs of Juraj Dalmatinac, Renaissance sculptor and architect. It ended two centuries later. There is the parish Church of the Assumption on the main town’s square. This church is a valuable cultural and art monument because of its exterior and interior architectural solutions, as well as the exhibits. The town abounds in beautifully carved doorposts on the entrances of the noblemen’s houses and yards, small baroque balconies, stone coats of arms from the period 15th - 18th century and a magnificent portal on the Duke’s palace. This well-preserved mediaeval town, whose center is the cultural monument, even today performs the function of the administrative, cultural and mercantile center. The Benedictine convent of St. Margarita, besides numerous valuable sacral relics and pictures, cherishes also the tradition of making “baškotini”, the aromatic crunchy biscuits that are offered at the entrance of the convent.
The bay of Pag is rounded by 20 km of the gravel and sandy beaches. Beside 4 hotels, the town offers trendily equipped capacities in private accommodation. During the summer season, the winter (in February) and summer (at the end of July) carnivals, there is a rich cultural and entertainment program. “Pag’s Slave girl”(a kind of a “miracle play”), folklore, the carnival wheel dance (so called “kolo”) accompanied by the brass band, old folk costumes, old songs and dances with “mišnjice”, (a kind of an instrument) are the distinguished parts of the centuries-long tradition.
In a dry-land continuation of a shallow bay hides yet another natural wealth – mud which has been tested and proved to be curative.
The nearby village with motor camp and marina in the bay Šimuni is a fishing village with a good perspective in tourism. The motor camp Šimuni is the biggest and the best-equipped camp on the island, located throughout the length of the gravel beaches. Marina Šimuni is situated to the north of the village Šimuni in a sheltered little cove.
The characteristic relief of the island of Pag is shaped by the low shore area which spreads from the bay of Košljun further to the northwest, up to the cove and port Proboj, and to the southeast up to the cove and port of Povljana. The inhabitants of Povljana were the last on the island that engaged in tourism. The vast area of the village is covered with rich vineyards. There are no larger tourist facilities in Povljana, so the offer bases on the private accommodation. Two sites that should be visited by all means are the early Croatian church of St. Nikola from the 11th century and the ornithological reserve Velo blato on the way to the village Vlašici.
On the sunny side of the island, to the north of the cove Šimuni and towards the islands Maun and Škrda, a village with a homonymous port - Mandre, has been developing as a place of individual tourism. It is a seaside resort of the inhabitants of the nearby Kolan – the only village on the island that is not situated directly on the seaside. There is an ethnographic collection in the center of this village.
In the mid 1980s, the first tourist village called Gajac was constructed to the north of the port Mandre.
Košljun, Smokvica, Vlašici, Dinjiška and Miškovici are lovely and peaceful island villages that have directed their future at tourism because of their geographical position on the coast and the kindness of nature.
The island of Pag offers unusual shapes, wild exoticism, gentle oasis, hiking trails and shallow bays. Visiting all these places might last even several days. Going round the north side of the island is recommended strictly during the summer, when everyone with even a little bit of investigator mentality would experience an unforgettable adventure away from the throng, in a particular world of the rocks and the sea.
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NATIONAL COSTUME:
Pag folk costumes are still being kept in many families. Inherited or made after the old ones, they are extremely valuable and tell us much about how local people appreciate their heritage. The origins of the folk costumes date from the medieval Venice, and have been kept preserved as such until today. Male costume is very simple; it consists of a white shirt, white trousers and a short black jacket. The only decoration is a silk scarf of a vivid colour and a small red hat. Contrary to the male costume, the female costume draws attention with the vivid colours, beautiful shape and well-made design: numerous fine folds on the dress, the lace on the front of the shirts, jewellery. It is especially attractive because of its headdress, so called “pokrivaca”. It is starched linen in the shape of a triangle, trimmed with the original Pag lace and worn uplifted. It is formed by the help of two golden pins.
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PAG’S SLAVE GIRL:
“Pag’s Slave girl” is a folk drama, the only one of that kind in Croatia. It has been preserved as a part of the tradition. Hanibal Lucia bases it on the folk and pastoral plays that have existed in Pag for centuries, and “The Slave Girl”. It is performed on various occasions, often during summer. “Pag’s Slave Girl” deals with the purchase of an imprisoned girl, the granddaughter of the monarch, Vice-Roy Derenčin, who was defeated by the Turks on the field of Krbava at the end of the 15th century.
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HARMONY SINGING GROUPS:
The town of Pag is the place where “mantinjada” was born. This is a kind of a love song of a special Mediterranean mood, sung in Pag for centuries. The collection of “mantinjada” was printed in the 15th century by Ivan Mršić. Unfortunatelly, there were no organised Dalmatian harmony-singing groups, so called “klapa” until the 20th century. The people sang in this way in taverns, on the squares and on the quay. It was enough that a group of people who knew how to sing meet in one place. Only in the 20th century that organised groups have begun to appear with precisely defined number of singers and the arrangement according to the tone of one’s voice. These groups performed the usual Dalmatian songs, sang from Zadar to Split. They still exist as such.
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LACE:
The town of Pag, founded in 1443, had been planned symmetrically according to the principles of Mediterranean urbanism with the main square and a net of parallel streets.
A part of this harmony is transferred in the needle work of the women of Pag. The unique beauty of the lace tells a story about the island of its origin, and the centuries’ long wish of its people to preserve this beauty. The lace of Pag, sewed by needle, traces its origins from the needlework of the eastern Mediterranean. Its quality equally matches the quality of the needlework of the neighbouring countries.
The first real lace emerged in Renaissance. That is the time when polychrome mediaeval colouring in art was replaced with the new kind of beauty, characterised by a simple, white pattern. Original lace sewn with a needle has always been strictly geometrically shaped. One of the basic shapes, seen on the folk costume, is RETIČELA. The name actually refers to the rectangular area in the linen , filled with fine lines resembling spider’s net, that serve as a base for sewing desired motives using stitch called OBAMETA.
Pag’s women call this kind of needlework- “paški teg” – meaning “women’s needlework”. It is found on the front side of shirts and on the shorter sides of POKRIVACA – women’s head scarf. “Paški teg” has been made without written drafts. Women would just have to glance at the work of their mothers and grandmothers to be able to make one of their own. This was a long, precise and hard work which demanded patience, sharp sight and always steady and clean hands.
At the beginning of the 20th century, under the influence of the lace making school in Pag, the lace ceased to exist as a part of the linen and became independent. Since then, up till now, women have sewn mostly doilies of different sizes and shapes, beddings, altar covers and decorative handkerchiefs. It is also known that many new creations are being born thanks to the lace makers that, we might say, genetically carry some elements in their memory.
Ethereal in its visual concept and firm in its rendering, this lace seems like transmitting to the world some part of the rocky ground of its origin. It speaks of the continuity of life on this island, of the identity of the Croatian man who has been living with it throughout the centuries.
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PAG’S CARNIVAL:
Winter carnival begins on the first Saturday after the Epiphany and lasts until the first day of the Lent – Ash Wednesday. Every Saturday during this period, people organize masked parties in hotels and restaurants that culminate in the last three days with one big crazy party on the town’s main square. Traditionally, a dummy called Marko is burnt on the Ash Wednesday. He is the one to blame for every bad thing and evil that happened in the year before. The carnival ends with the act of cremation.
Since the 60’s the summer carnival is also organised in Pag. This manifestation is mostly intended for the tourists and usually lasts one day, rarely more. The summer carnival commonly takes place on 27. June.
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CULTURAL MONUMENTS:
- CHURCH OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE HOLY MARY (Petar Krešimir IV Square)
This church was founded on 18. May 1443. Originally it was meant to be a Cathedral, that is, the centre of the diocese. However, for some political and historic reasons it has never become a cathedral. Services are regularly held, every day.
- DUKE’S PALACE (Petar Krešimir IV Square)
The Duke’s Palace was built in the 15th century. It served as the headquarters of the island and town’s government until 1905. The dukes appointed by Venice had their seat there and the noblemen and town councils held their sessions there. A Duke’s mandate lasted 33 months. Marko Lauro Ruia, a lawyer and a historian, worked as the Prefect in the Duke’s Palace.
- SKRIVANAT TOWER (Golija)
This tower is commonly known as the Town’s Tower. This is the only one remaining of the original nine towers. It was built in the 15th century, and was used as a fortress on the northwest end of the town. Levelling the ground around the Tower shortened its height by 2 - 3 meters. The sea once lapped at its most protruding part, while the cannons protruded from slots on the front.
- SALT STOREHOUSES (Prosika)
The building of the salt storehouses begun in 1629, on the place where there used to be St. Peter’s Abbey (fifth storehouse looking from the left). Jerolim Mondela, a merchant from Šibenik, built the first three salt storehouses. The other six were built during the reign of Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. These salt storehouses are unique monuments of the architecture of Pag and without equal on a global scale.
- THE OLD TOWN
Stari grad is about one kilometre away from the old town’s centre, however, it has been a part of the town from the twenty seventies. Once Stari grad was a big and wealthy town, surrounded by mighty walls. Košljun, a settlement on the west side of the island, was its harbour. Exploiting of the salt was the main occupation. There also existed a harbour for the middle-sized boats.
There are many remains of houses and walls in Stari grad as well as the remains of paths and fortresses. However, the best preserved are the parts of the Franciscan monastery and the Romanic church of St. Marija. The church is mentioned for the first time in 1192.
The explorers have discovered the remains of the antique monuments and the parts of the foundations in Stari grad that point to the possibility that this town had existed already in the Hellenistic times. The contemporary church of St. Marija in all likelihood was constructed on the foundations of the Old Croatian basilica from the 8th century.
Pag has often been attacked because of the salt-pans. For this very reason, fierce fighting was going on between the two powerful ecclesiastical, economical and military centres, Zadar and Rab. Besides, Pag was constantly struggling for the autonomy, and because of that, several combats took place in Stari grad. The most disastrous one happened on 30. May, 1393, when the mercenaries attacked the town, plundered it and burnt it down.
After the resettlement in 1467, the Franciscans built a monastery next to the existing church in 1589.
The characteristics of Stari grad are the monastery well and the statue of the other of God of Stari grad.
The monastery well is located in the middle of the yard. According to a legend, during a terrible drought endangering the whole population of the island, the inhabitants prayed to the Mother of God and She filled up the monastery well with water. There was so much water, it was pouring over the rim, even after everyone had quenched their thirst, had given cattle to drink and had made the supplies. Since then, says the legend, this well can not run dry even during the worst droughts.
The citizens of Pag carry the statue of the Mother of God in a solemn procession to the town of Pag every year on the day of the Assumption (15th August). They place it in the Church of the Assumption where it stays until the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, 8. September, when they carry it back to its sanctuary also in a solemn procession.
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PAG’S CHEESE:
The two qualities that distinguish Pag cheese from all the others are its solidity and saltiness. The essential oils give it specific taste and fragrance. On the island of Pag sheep graze on the hills where the grass is salted (salt being brought in by the Bora).
Because of this kind of pasture, Pag cheese has a recognizable flavour. The new cheese can be purchased during the first winter and spring months. The old cheese is rarely found because of the big market demands. The new cheese is much softer and tastes lighter than the old one.
However, old cheese is very good grated. Pag cheese should be oiled, wrapped in a cloth and kept in a dark, airy place.
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PAG’S LAMB:
Pag lamb is best through January, February and March, during the milking drain period. Lamb’s meat is taken from the lambs that weigh 7 - 10 kilos. This is done specifically for the exquisitely soft meat. It is best roasted with potatoes or grilled.
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MUTTON:
Mutton comes from the older sheep, which usually weigh more than 15 kilos.
This meat is used for preparing a tasty soup that the local people eat during the winter months. It is believed that it gives strength and helps against sickness and weakness. Mutton can also be dry-salted. It is best to dry-salt a leg which is called “kovšica” or “kaštradina” in Pag.
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PROSCIUTTO:
The production of pork on the island of Pag has had an important role until the end of the 19th century. Today, prosciutto is produced mostly on the southern part of the island, in the villages Dinjiška and Vlašići. Seldom it can be found in the other places of the island.
Pag’s prosciutto is considered to be of high quality. It is salted with domestic salt and then dried on the strong winter called bora. Until the end of the 19th century every family used to have at least one prosciutto which has usually been kept on the attic and served in special occasions.
The prosciutto of Pag has hardly ever been consummated as an independent dish because it is very salty. Harder parts of the prosciutto like rind, bone or harder meat, have been used in preparing other dishes, so the people have prepared prosciutto fried with eggs, added to polenta or boiled with beans.
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FISH, CLAMS, CRABS:
In Pag, as in all coastal places, one can enjoy delicious seafood. Fish are best bought at the fish-market. As it opens at 6 am, it is necessary to get up early to get the best choice. One can also meet a fishing-boat and buy fresh fish on the spot.
The bay of Pag abounds in clams. They can be found from Punta St. Nikola to the island of Maškalic, or in the areas of Malin and Slana. Picking the clams is easier with someone who is experienced in these areas.
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BAŠKOTINI:
“Baškotini” are a kind of crunchy biscuits made only in Pag, in the Benedictine convent of St. Margarita, in Jose Felicinovia Street. “Baškotini” are very tasty and fragrant. The tradition of baking them is very old. They can be eaten as they are or dipped in a white coffee.
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ALPINISM ON THE ISLAND:
In certain parts of the island the rocks are highly lifted, vertical. The thousands of years of long exposure to Bora have created unusual shapes. The rock-climbing enthusiasts can enjoy climbing the steep part of St. Vid hill and the rocks above the beach Rueica, in the north-west side of the bay of Pag. There are special marks for rock-climbing in these mentioned places.
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CYCLING:
The beauty of the landscape and the variety of the tracks for the bikers will satisfy every person in want of an active vacation. The combination of cycling, swimming, diving, windsurfing and rock-climbing will not leave anyone indifferent. Only 5 or 10 km away from a village, you will find yourself surrounded by untouched nature. Many tourists visit Pag in July and August, therefore it is advisable to avoid riding a bike on the main roads during these two months. However, all the other months belong to the cyclists, who have at their disposal an infinite number of combinations between bike tracks and main roads. Regardless of the duration of your vacation, there will not be enough time to travel over all the tracks. Especially memorable are the rides through Pag in May when lavender in bloom transforms the island to a surreal purple world, and when all the stories about the extraterrestrial visitors get a new dimension. Everyone who sets out for a trip around the island has to wonder for a moment where he or she is, amazed by the variety of the scenes that this island offers.
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DIVING:
Pag’s bay is suitable and safe for diving, especially in its shallow and middle parts. Sea currencies are not strong and there are no great oscillations in the sea temperature. However, diving is not recommended at the exit of the bay of Pag because of the strong currencies and no shelter in the case of a storm. The bottom of the bay of Pag is mostly sandy, but there are some stone cuttings in its middle part called “pošte”. It is a name for the fishing spots. The underwater landscape along the shore is so intriguing that it offers a special experience to divers. There are many recesses, holes and even small caves that are interesting to the lovers of the underwater photography. During summer, several diving schools operate in Pag. Namely, diving in the bay of Pag, as much as safe, can be dangerous for the inexperienced. On the west side of the bay of Pag there are many sorts of clams. Penn-shell is one of them but it is strictly forbidden to take it out. It is a pearl-shell which can grow up to one meter. The submarine world of Caska is another interesting place for the divers because it is possible to see some parts of the submerged town. We recommend diving in the cove Slana to the experienced divers because of very attractive sea bed, full of unusual shapes, picturesque rocks, grown into high sea grass, small caves and a bigger one which should not be entered without an experienced diver. Everyone who wishes to practice diving in the bay of Pag requires a special permit that can be obtained at the Harbour master’s office. Scuba diving with a spear fishing gun is not permitted.
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WATER SKIING:
In Pag’s bay, the zone where passing of the speed-boats is allowed is narrow. They have to stay at least 300 metres away from the shore. Otherwise they represent a threat to the swimmers. The bay of Pag is a marvellous place for water skiing. One can ski round, remaining close to the beach and the town. That is why the bay of Pag is favourable for the beginners. The best time for skiing is when the sea is calm, meaning early morning until the early afternoon. Our recommendation is to start from the main beach towards the bay Zrče or Caska, if you are skiing in the morning, that is, form Bošana or Dubrava towards Bašaca, cape St. Nikola or the main beach if you decide to ski in the afternoon. Namely, in this way you will avoid the sunlight getting in your eyes.
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JET SKI:
During summer, the main beach offer includes ski-jets. Riding the ski-jets is extremely fun and completely harmless knowing that there are no extreme shallows and rocks in the bay of Pag that could endanger the ride. The best time to set forth for a ride is early afternoon when light Maestral begins to blow. Slight waves cause jumping and twisting of the ski jet and therefore a diverting ride. It is forbidden to approach the shore with a ski-jet. Drive carefully even when you are far away from the shore; be aware of the situation around you, to avoid the swimmers and boats on your way.
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SURF:
The researches conducted in the period from 1998 to 2001, showed that winds blow 350 days in a year in Pag. Therefore, the bay of Pag is a real paradise for the windsurfers. At the same time safe and challenging. In summer afternoons, usually blows light wind called Maestral, suitable for the surfers which do not incline to madcap stunts. In late afternoons, Maestral grows stronger so one can surf faster and even make a whole trip around the bay. Burin is the wind blowing from the north, stronger than Maestral, somewhat colder and therefore more pleasant during summer, and allows faster windsurfing. When Maestral or Levant (east wind) blows, it is best to begin windsurfing from the main beach or Bašaca. However, when Burin blows, then it is best to start from Vodice or the cape St. Nikola towards Pag. Windsurfers have at their disposal many beautiful beaches for making a break. We advise avoiding the channel that joins the bay of Pag with the channel of Velebit because it is hard to get out of that area (even to the more experienced surfers) in cases of sudden storm, bora or tramontana.
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