Poseidon’s Gift to the People

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According to a local legend, Poseidon, the god of the sea, created the islands of Brijuni as a passionate nest for his mistress and himself to enjoy. After their sweet affair, he went back to the sea and gave the islands to humans as a gift.

Indeed, if you look at the shape of islands from a bird’s perspective it almost appears as an artificially made island: a gift from God Neptune.

What a beautiful gift it is: the unspoiled natural beauty that has been cultivated over thousands of years. Past traces on the islands reveal that the spot has a more diverse history than some European cities.

Brijuni Islands: A Hidden Gem

Not many people have heard of the Brijuni Islands, despite being one of Croatia’s national parks. First-time visitors often decide to go to other well-known Croatian National Parks that have waterfalls, are easily reachable and are probably cheaper. However, they are usually full of tourists to the point of not being able to walk around the park.

To avoid crowds, seek some tranquility, and give our kudos to Poseidon, we headed to Brijuni Island on a boat from Fazana. It is a pleasant 20-minute ride. The archipelago of Brijuni island consists of fourteen islands, the biggest one is Veliki Brijun Island and is where the boat takes us.

Once there, visitors are free to spend the whole day exploring this big island. Options include taking a train ride around the island or hiring a bicycle or an electric vehicle for a day. Alternatively, you can go on foot.

We took what we thought was the best option for exploring Brijuni’s archaeological sites: an electric buggy. It was also the most expensive option but definitely worthwhile for the purpose.

Veliki Brijun Island: Celebrity Island

The more recent history of Veliki Brijun island connects it to the former Yugoslav communist president Tito, who made the island his personal state summer residence after the Second World War.

This small landmass surrounded by crystal clear water has a lot to brag about. During the Tito years, this natural beauty was visited by many of the world’s elite.

Visitors included American President Richard Nixon as well as Queen Elizabeth II. Tito had meetings on the Veliki Brijun island with ministers, kings and tzars of sixty states and hosted presidents of governments of countries of the world. In addition, plenty of first-class celebrities also appeared in Tito’s residence such as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

All of this is documented and can be viewed at the islands’ permanent exhibition. It showcases photos of his encounters with prominent people on the Brijuni islands and the special gifts he received from them. Some of these gifts introduced exotic animals to Veliki Brijun, which can be seen today at the island’s safari park.

Brijuni Safari Park

When the gates of the Safari Park of Veliki Brijun Island open, you may feel as if you are stepping into a Jurassic Park movie. Thankfully, there are no dinos here, only their two hundred footprints that can be found all over the island. Today, except for their footsteps, we are left with our imagination to build the rest.

After you open the safari gate, you will be greeted with a possible offspring of a dinosaur in the form of a bird: an ostrich. As you venture further into the park, you will also see zebras, antelope, sheep, goats and donkeys. It is a mix of gifted exotic animals and animals of the region.

As we are not first-time visitors to the Brijuni Islands, we will avoid the first-timers route. That route goes to hear Koki-the cockatoo speaking gibberish, and covers a safari train tour, the communist history of celebrities visiting the islands and Tito’s Cadillac.

Instead, we headed for a long queue to get our electric vehicle, with the idea of gaining independence and efficiency to explore the island better.

We were planning to join a guided underwater tour of archaeological ruins in Verige Bay, but the tickets were sold out and needed to be booked in advance.

Archaeological Sites of Veliki Brijun Island

The smell of conifer trees enwraps the areas of tranquil greenery that serves as a backdrop for running deer, peacocks and other wildlife roaming free on the island. Even when driving our vehicle from one point to another, the calmness of the natural surroundings prevails.

Let’s ignore for a second the communist connection of this island. Instead, please take a closer look at the island’s long history preserved in the stone of its archaeological remains.

The first stop is the remains of a Roman villa in Verige Bay. The villa dates back about two thousand years and served as a summer residence. Right in the middle of the bay is what is left of the temple of Venus and the sea God Neptune.

As we buzz with our electric cart, we head to another ancient settlement from the Bronze Age called Gradina. It is in a strategically elevated location and fortified with three concentric circles.

The layers of stone masonry combined with overgrown vegetation above our heads and a dense layer on the ground make it hard to distinguish the site from nature. However, the calmness and lack of people make it a nice place to spend half an hour. After all, we came to enjoy nature.

Transparent Waters and Templar Heritage of the Veliki Brijun Island

The crystal-clear sea was calling and we answered. I took my snorkelling equipment and tested the waters on one of the swimmable beaches on the island. At times, I couldn’t distinguish between the sea and the sky above; it was that clear.

Plus, we had the beach all to ourselves. After more than an hour of soaking in the refreshing sea water, we returned to exploring.

Our third stop was Kastrum, which is the richest site on the island, with an area greater than one hectare. The first building on the site dates from the 1st century BCE. However, the story on the site unearths periods from Roman to Late Antiquity, Eastern Goths, Byzantium, and the Carolingian period.

It is a remarkable spot, situated next to the sea, offering plenty of different stone elevations from various eras in a presentable archaeological site.

Finally, the last archaeological stop is the ruins of the ancient Basilica of St. Mary. The site had continual historical updates until the Knights Templar took over the place in the 13th century. After the dissolution of the order, the basilica faded away into the forest.

The place has atmospheric beauty and reminded me that nothing material is permanent. Things change and transform. Even the firmest establishments have an expiration date, and that is visible in ruins. It is a reminder of the fragility of the material accomplishment.

Back to Neptune’s Temple in Verige Bay on Veliki Brijun Island

“We have about one hour left until we need to return to the boat. Where would you like to go again?” my friend asked. I thought about it and exclaimed, “Poseidon and Venus temple!” He smiled, and off we went to say goodbye to our host, the sea god Neptune. We came again to Verige Bay, where it is not permitted to swim, and went towards the seashore.

I said with a smile: “Hey, let’s touch the water to say thanks to Neptune for hosting us here.” When we reached the sea line, my friend was about to bend to touch the water, I screamed “Oh, no don’t do it!” as I saw a massive purple line shimmering on the surface of water across all the bay. It was infected with jellyfish.

I have never seen this before on the Croatian coast. Growing up in Croatia during and after the war in the 90s, I used to spend three months every summer swimming daily. In the twenty years I spent on the Croatian coast, I had never encountered a jellyfish. That is until I came to Croatia a few years ago for a visit, and for the first time ever, I got stung by them three times.

The increase in sea temperature is evidently creating a fertile ground for their growth. It is also said that jellyfish multiply in polluted seas, which is concerning.

We gave up on the idea of a handshake with Poseidon and decided instead to sit in quietness on the pebbles on the seashore. Once I opened my eyes again after a few minutes of mindfulness, I saw something shimmering on the sea surface. I could not believe it. “It is a shark!”

It was just a few meters in front of us. And not just one shark, but a whole gang of small sharks. “Poseidon’s children,” my friend exclaimed ceremonially. I was stunned by the scene as I had never seen sharks on the Croatian coast.

I laughed and said, “It was good, after all, not to go on that underwater tour since it is right here, huh?” Brijuni islands are full of surprises and some hidden stories of past and present that we will never know.

If You Go 

• Plan ahead during the busy summer season. It can be quite challenging if you don’t book your accommodation months in advance. This is also true for activities and tours.

• Visit https://www.np-brijuni.hr/en for all the up-to-date information you need about the Brijuni islands. Here, you will find boat timetables, accommodation, places to eat, activities and how to get around.

• Be respectful towards the island’s environment. Some beaches are intended for swimming, but most of them are not. This will be noted on the island map which you will get at the tourist office once you reach the island.

• The islands have a pleasant climate all year. To avoid crowds, the best time to visit the big island is spring and late summer.

• It is possible to visit the island on a day trip by taking the earliest possible boat in the morning and departing the island with one of the last boats of the day.

• Check out the best places to stay in on the island here.

Author Bio: Victoria Valenta has a background is in art history, architecture and interior decor for which she has an MA degree and work experience. She won a few writing competitions and has enjoyed traveling since childhood. Today, she works as a freelancer and has independent travel experience of more than 15 years. She has visited 3 continents and over 40 countries so far. Follow her on Pinterest at