Ön Pag i Kroatien - salt, ost och sandstränder

The island of Pag in Croatia is an elongated windswept island known for its salt production, special sheep cheese and beautiful sandy beaches. You can come here to sunbathe and swim, enjoy beautiful scenery and discover the island's history. We've checked out the historic town of Pag and the lovely Camping Šimuni, with both campsites and cottages.

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Island of Pag in Croatia

The island of Pag in Croatia is located in Zadar County, in the south-west of the country. The oblong island, which is the fifth largest in the country, is connected to the mainland by a bridge. We reached the town of Pag by car from Zadar, which took about an hour.

Bron till ön Pag i Kroatien — The bridge connecting the island of Pag to the mainland

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Barren and dramatic

Crossing the bridge to the island of Pag in Croatia is like travelling to another country, or perhaps another planet. Pag is a barren, rocky and salty island. Several people we met told us about a wind called 'bura' - a strong northerly wind that blows salt water across the island.

The salty environment means that only certain extra-tough animals and plants can survive. Incidentally, the first thing you see when you cross the bridge to the island is the medieval defence building called 'Fortica'.

Fortet Fortica på ön Pag i Kroatien — Fort "Fortica"

The town of Pag on the island of Pag

The town of Pag is the capital of the island of the same name. Originally there was another town (Stari Grad), but in the Middle Ages, fearing invasion by the Ottoman Empire, a new fortified town was built about three kilometres from the old one.

The new city was built between 1443 and 1447 and was equipped with a city wall and nine strong towers. There are only minor remains of the city walls today, and of the original nine towers, only one remains today - the Skrivanat tower.

Pag på ön Pag i Kroatien — Peter shows what the town of Pag looked like in the 15th century

Tornet Skrivanat på ön Pag i Kroatien — The Skrivanat tower and part of the curtain wall

Apart from the wall, today's city looks much the same, with sturdy stone houses and narrow alleys. There are also plenty of cafés, restaurants and small shops selling clothes, jewellery and souvenirs. Peter bought two t-shirts here that he is really happy with!

On the main square, Glavni gradski trg, St Mary's Church is a nice place to visit. The church, like most churches in Croatia, is Catholic, and many Croatians still enjoy going to church.

The town of Pag is on the waterfront, and it's nice to walk along the quay and watch all the little boats. We had lunch at a restaurant on the street Šetalište Vladimira Nazora. The food was quite ordinary, but the service was good and the view over the water is fantastic!

Citronkaka på restaurang på ön Pag i Kroatien — Lemon cake at Smokey's restaurant on the quayside

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Lace - once an important livelihood

The town of Pag is famous for its lace making - so famous, in fact, that lace making is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lace is still made in Pag, but of course not to the same extent as in the past, when it was necessary for a family's survival. All girls were taught how to make lace when they were young, and as they grew older they went to school where lace making was the most important subject.

spetstillverkning på ön Pag i Kroatien — Girls learnt to make lace at a young age

At least three men once made lace - but they did it in total secrecy because the craft was considered 'women's work'. They were caught out when their wives tried to sell the products, and other villagers became suspicious and started watching through a skylight...

Today, there is a small lace museum in the square in the centre of town, which can be visited for a small fee. You can also buy lace in several different places - but note that not everything sold around the city is genuine.

spetsmuseum på ön Pag i Kroatien — Guided tour of the Small Lace Museum in Pag

Salt - the white gold

Another important product on the island of Pag is and has been salt - the white gold. In the past, salt was much more important than it is today. It was not only a flavouring agent, but also a prerequisite for survival. If you couldn't salt your food, you couldn't store it and there was a risk of starvation. There is a large salt factory on Pag, and the fact is that salt has been extracted here since Roman times.

Saltbassänger på Pag i Kroatien — Salt pools on the island of Pag - photo of a photo

In the town of Pag today there is a small salt museum, which can be visited for a small fee. Here you can see photos of the hard work in the past and learn about the process of extracting salt.

Cheese - a real delicacy

The third product known from Pag is cheese. The cheese is simply called Paški sirthat is, "cheese from Pag". The cheese is a sheep cheese, and is immensely popular all over Croatia. When asked about the "secret", it turns out to be about the raw materials rather than the production process.

The sheep that roam the island are small and hardy, and the grass they eat is full of salt and minerals. Since there are only a certain number of sheep on the island, production is limited and the price is relatively high. But the cheese is really good - we promise!

Paski sir på ön Pag i Kroatien — A younger and an older (aged) version of Paski sir

There are three cheese factories on the island and we visited the largest of them, Paška sirana. A variety of cheeses are made here, including cow's milk cheeses where the milk is imported from the mainland, but Paški sir is of course the crown jewel. Want to be sure you're buying genuine Pag cheese? Look for the stamp on the bottom of the cheese.

Paska sirana på ön Pag i Kroatien — Our guide in the cheese factory shows the label certifying that it is genuine Paški sir.

Party on the island of Pag in Croatia

Pag is also known for its wild parties. In a small town called Novalja, on the Zrce Festival Beach, young revellers from the UK in particular gather every year. Opinions on the whole thing seem to differ among the islanders.

Some are excited about the money that young people bring with them, and many private individuals are renting out accommodation through sites such as Airbnb. Others are unhappy with the noise level, the constant partying and the disorder that comes with drunkenness and disorderly behaviour. Everyone seems to agree that the partying stays in Novalja, and that the rest of the island is unaffected.

Fest på ön Pag i Kroatien — One of Pag's party boats

Camping Šimuni on the island of Pag in Croatia

There are several campsites on the island of Pag in Croatia, and we visited one of them: Camping Šimuni, located fifteen minutes from the town of Pag by car. This is probably one of the nicest campsites we have ever visited (according to our taste). Camping Šimuni is not a budget campsite, but it is a very nice campsite.

Although the campsite is large, it has managed to create a personal and cosy feel. This is probably because they let nature take over. Trees grow wild across the campsite, and stone and wood have been used to build houses that feel natural in the landscape.

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Beaches at Camping Šimuni

The campsite is best known for its beautiful beaches: Two Sailors beach, Diamond beach, Sea Pearl beach, White Seagull beach, Golden beach and Brilliant beach. Some of the beaches are mostly for sunbathing and swimming, while others focus on beach sports and surfing. In some places, motorhomes are parked right by the water.

Services at Camping Šimuni

Everything you need is available at Camping Šimuni, including shops, bars and restaurants. One of the restaurants specifically specialises in fish, and next to it is a shop that sells fresh fish in the mornings.

There are also activities for children and a beachfront wellness centre with various treatments. But there's one thing that isn't. There's no swimming pool, and you'll never ever to get, we are told. The focus here is on nature and the beach!

Massagetält på Camping Simuni — Health centre with various treatments on the beach

Pizza på pizzerian på camping Simuni — We ended our day at the campsite with a pizza.

Facts about the island of Pag in Croatia

Country: Croatia
County: County of Lika-Senj, County of Zadar
Location: Adriatic Sea
Length: 60 kilometres
Area: 305 square kilometres
Population: About 8000 (2011)
Locations: Pag and Novalja
Climate: The average annual temperature is 14 degrees Celsius. In July the average temperature is 26 degrees and in January the average temperature is 5 degrees.
Campsites: Camping Šimuni, Camp Porat, Camp Košljun, Camp Navis Novalja, Camping Straško and Mini-camping Dražica.
Hotels and apartments: Hotels and apartments for rent are available both in the cities and around the island. For example, check Booking.com.

Facts about Camping Šimuni

Opening hours: All year round. Reception is open 7am to 11pm in summer and 7am to 10pm in winter.
Campsites: Campsites are divided into A, B, C, depending on the attractiveness of the location. There are also "Deluxe pitches" which include electricity, water, outdoor furniture, parasols, barbecues and washbasins. "Punta zone" and "Free zone" are more unorganised sites by the sea or nature.
CaravansAll caravans at the campsite are equipped with a parking space, TV, stove, terrace, air conditioning, bed linen, towels and kitchen equipment.
Pets: Pets are allowed (extra charge for dogs and cats). There are dog showers and special beaches for pets.
Children: There is a dedicated kids' club and activities such as treasure hunts, workshops, board games, kite flying, discos and shows. Please note that there is no swimming pool.
Accessibility: The campsite is adapted for people with disabilities.
Service: There are several different shops in the area as well as three restaurants, eight fast food outlets and two cafes/bars. There is also a beauty centre with various treatments.
Activities: The campsite offers windsurfing, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, aqua park, diving, jet skiing, banana boat, wakeboarding, football, tennis, beach volleyball, climbing, cycling, aerobics, yoga, showers and more.
Read more: You can find more information at the campsite's website

READ MORE: Facts about Croatia - 30 things you (might) not have known

17 Comments

Add yours →

Ruth in Virginia says:

A strange pizza!
(Have to go to bed - it's midnight.)

22 June 2019 - 6:09

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Haha, the pizza was a bit special! In Sweden, however, we are used to special pizzas, here anything can be on a pizza 😉.
  
  22 June 2019 - 17:43
  
Matts Torebring says:

The pictures are breathtaking and enticing. In the early 2000s we spent several years in a row in Croatia. We love the sea, the clean water, the nature and the food. The campsites were not always top class. There are great exceptions. Then we have wanted to discover country after country, which we have also done. This year it was Norrland.

Last year we were full and really tired of, especially the traffic in Germany. This year it feels fantastic where we are, calm traffic, nice people, wonderful nature and only 60 miles home right now.

22 June 2019 - 9:49

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Of course, it is important to find what you like yourself! I probably think that many campsites in Croatia are in top class today (almost so that I think they are a bit unnecessarily nice, haha) but of course it differs.
  
  22 June 2019 - 17:45
  
Hasse says:

There is always a large piece, sometimes a very large piece of Paski Sir in the camper van after travelling. It is fantastically good.

22 June 2019 - 10:36

- Britt-Marie Lundgren says:
  
  What a cosy island!
  We thought we had done Croatia, but there seem to be so many gems!
  
  22 June 2019 - 11:04
  
  - Comment by post author
    
    Helena says:
    
    Britt-Marie, a bit the same here actually. We almost thought we had done Croatia, but it feels like there is a lot left to discover! 😉
    
    22 June 2019 - 17:46
    
- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Hasse, wonderful! The cheese is really good! 🙂
  
  22 June 2019 - 17:45
  
Ditte says:

Nice with a visit here and great pictures. Extra fun also with an island that has not reached all the tourists yet. But maybe it's just a matter of time.

22 June 2019 - 12:52

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  At least it's good that Croatia has many islands to spread out the tourists! ??
  
  22 June 2019 - 17:47
  
Ama de casa says:

"Say cheese!" HAHA! Pithy text to a good picture 🙂 See that you made more clothing finds than just a couple of t-shirts for Peter. Stylish! 😀

22 June 2019 - 18:40

Marina says:

Right now I'm here in cosy Povljana on Pag. There are not many outsiders who have found here yet. Amazingly beautiful sunsets and cosy evenings etc. Welcome!

22 June 2019 - 19:13

BP says:

Fantastic pictures! Imagine that an island you have never heard of can offer so much. Great fun actually! There does not seem to have been so many tourists there yet, as your pictures do not show many people. Just as well, then you did not have to crowd;-)

22 June 2019 - 19:58

Christine - 29°. says:

So many nice pictures and wonderful things you are out on. 🙂

24 June 2019 - 9:32

Imre says:

Nin is windy, murky water, not so easily accessible beach, little shade and no food or drink outlets. Sunbeds are very expensive.

24 June 2019 - 15:53

Lena - good for the soul says:

That island seems very wooden and beautiful. Somehow it's very beautiful with that barren and Spartan thing. And the campsite looks very nice.

Hug Lena

26 June 2019 - 6:04

Anna, New York - My Bite of the Big Apple says:

Wow, what a rich and informative post! There certainly seems to be many reasons to visit Pag. Great pictures too!

30 June 2019 - 20:17

Pag Island in Croatia - salt, cheese and sandy beaches

Island of Pag in Croatia

Barren and dramatic

The town of Pag on the island of Pag

Lace - once an important livelihood

Salt - the white gold

Cheese - a real delicacy

Party on the island of Pag in Croatia

Camping Šimuni on the island of Pag in Croatia

Beaches at Camping Šimuni

Services at Camping Šimuni

Facts about the island of Pag in Croatia

Facts about Camping Šimuni

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17 Comments

Ruth in Virginia says:

Helena says:

Matts Torebring says:

Helena says:

Hasse says:

Britt-Marie Lundgren says:

Helena says:

Helena says:

Ditte says:

Helena says:

Ama de casa says:

Marina says:

BP says:

Christine - 29°. says:

Imre says:

Lena - good for the soul says:

Anna, New York - My Bite of the Big Apple says:

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