Heaven on Earth — Brijuni Islands
Croatia has 1,246 islands, and although they are all beautiful and unique in their own ways, 14 of those located in the northern part of the Adriatic Sea are the most famous. Yes, I’m talking about the Brijuni Islands — heaven on Earth.
Because of their extraordinary beauty, the Brijuni were proclaimed a national park in 1983. When Croatia was part of Yugoslavia, its leader (Josip Broz Tito) used Vanga, one of the islands in the Brijuni group, as his summer residence. Croatian presidents continued this tradition; it seems to me far more comfortable to run a country surrounded by the sea than by a concrete jungle.
Veliki Brijun is the biggest and the most important island in the Brijuni. Hotels situated here have hosted some world-class names through the years as the stories of its beauty spread across the globe.
In a bar near the main harbour, I tried the best honey rakija (traditional homemade liqueur) I’ve ever had in my life. Served from a chilled, thick-bottomed glass, rakija slides down your throat without your even feeling it as the honey takes over — but when it reaches your stomach, you can really feel the strength of it.
A small zoo is located on the other side of the island. Every animal in the park is a direct descendant of animals brought as presents to Tito. An elephant called Lanka was brought to Brijuni in 1970 as a present from Indira Ghandi. Lanka originally came with a partner elephant, Sony, who recently passed away. The two of them are by far the most well-known animals in all of Croatia.
During summer time on Mali Brijun, a theater under the stars takes place. Organised by famous Hollywood actor Rade Šerbedžija, Ulysses Theater is gladly visited by many. I had a pleasant encounter with Rade while riding a bike across the Veliki Brijun. Imagine pedaling alongside the island’s steep beaches, wind in your hair, experiencing the sea smells and sounds of seagulls, when all of a sudden a world-renowned actor comes pedaling your way with his recognizable white hat on and wishes you all the best with a huge smile across his face. You just have to smile back.
Yes, this is what the Brijuni Islands can do to you — they can put you in a state of never-ending happiness!
If you’ve enjoyed this article, please consider recommending/sharing it.
This story was originally published on www.easternchronicles.com.
Our latest articles: Spiš Castle — Slovakia’s Medieval Gem, Ptuj — Slovenia’s oldest town, Chronicles on the road: Krakow, Chronicles on the road: Przemyśl, Chronicles on the road:Rzeszów,Chronicles on the road:Warsaw.
