Energising weekend on Pag Island in Croatia

We had a great start of the weekend since on Friday we started our summer holidays. We packed our things and travelled to the island of Pag in Croatia. It was a great decision to have some relief and escape from the heatwave's high temperatures 🌡️☀️.

We had a pleasant drive, the roads weren’t busy and the ferry ride was quick. Pag is Croatia's 5th largest island and one of the most populated. It lies in the northern Adriatic Sea. It is connected to the mainland by the Paski Bridge in the south and by a ferry line in the north. Most of the island is rocky, but smaller areas are covered with maquis, which is why locals say it resembles a moonscape. Pag is a popular holiday destination, visited by thousands of tourists from all over the world every year. The island certainly boasts crystal clear waters and a coastline of more than 300 kilometres.

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Since the weather was absolutely nice and sunny, we’ve decided to make the most of our Saturday. We woke up quite early and drove to the nearby village of Simuni where we were waiting for the local fishermen to come to the port with their daily fresh catch.

The seaside part of the town is very small, with one excellent restaurant and a few bars and shops. Although it is small, it is very vibrant with locals and tourists that are buying food (from the bakery, the fruit vendor and the fishermen). When we arrived, the line in front of the fishmonger was quite long already. We got in line as well and waited for the old fishboat to arrive. After a few minutes, we spotted the boat, which was approaching quite quickly, and it didn’t take long before all the containers with fish were transferred to the small shop. And then the nervousness started 😰 Just joking, but yes, I was referring to my wife since she was carefully following all the people carrying full bags out of the shop. She was afraid that they would sell her desired fish. This is what happened last year, when we were also waiting in line, but unfortunately, they sold out the majority of fish, and we went home with what was left.

This time we were lucky, and we got some nice shrimp and small hake fish. Some for lunch and some for dinner.

After a nice coffee in a local bar and a croissant from the bakery across the street, we returned to our apartment and spent a nice day by the sea.

Swimming in the water, a little bit of sunbathing, and playing cards with our son. We love the evenings at the seashore, so in general, we stay on the beach quite late, at least till 8 p.m.

In the evening, it was time for family cooking 😋

The three of us prepared delicious shrimp in tomato sauce (Shrimp Buzara Style). The recipe is very simple, but the result is delicious. You need only an onion, some garlic, parsley, olive oil, tomato sauce, bread crumbs, and of course fresh shrimp and some white wine (we had only sparkling wine, but that is ok too 😊). Very easy preparation that gives you a great dish and is all done in max half an hour (with all preparation and cooking).

I had it all: great food, great wine, great company, and a great atmosphere. We were lucky to have an apartment with a big balcony and a direct view of the sea. The evenings and sunsets are magical.

The next day, because of a full belly 😊, I decided to start the day with a walk in the surroundings. I took my camera with me and tooke some photos too. Luckily, it was a little bit windy, which was just perfect since the temperatures were already high in the morning. My standard path is around a small peninsula in the town of Stara Novalja. The majority of the road is gravel, and going along the seashore but also turning a little bit uphill was just enough to raise my pulse 😊.

I’ve noticed something new on the top of the hill, some kind of statue. I had to check out and when I arrived on the top, I sow a new watchout point with marble benches in the shape of waves. On the ground there was a large plate showing the directions of the winds and some additional names of locations that I don’t know.