Brijuni

The Brijuni are a group of two large and 12 smaller islands off the west coast of Istria, not far from Pula. The entire area is a national park covering just 7 km2; however the surrounding waters are also under a conservation order, bringing the park’s total area up to 36 km2. Their natural beauty has made these islands a favourite haunt of aristocrats and international heads of state for hundreds of years. Three small hotels on the island of Veli Brijun offer guests a relaxed retreat far from the touristic hustle and bustle of Pula. The Brijuni Islands are famous for their lush Mediterranean vegetation, partly landscaped parkland and partly a safari park. The Brijuni Safari Park was created in 1978 during the era of Yugoslav president and animal lover, Josip Broz Tito, who had a residence on Brijun and was often presented with exotic animals by visiting guests. The park is home to a range of herbivores including antelopes, camels, elephants, gazelles, llamas and zebras. The Brijuni are also known for dinosaurs. Over 200 footprints discovered on Veli Brijun have been traced back to the Cretaceous Period, from 145 to 65 million years ago. The traces were first discovered in 1925 but it was not until the 1990s that detailed paleontological research was carried out to gain more information on the habits of these massive creatures. The cultural history of the islands played a significant role in them being awarded national park status. The island group is particularly noted for its valuable cultural assets dating from Roman and Byzantine times, including the strongly fortified Castrum, a military defence built in Dobrika Bay that remained in use into the 14th century.