Explore Novalja
Beaches
There are few places on the Adriatic coast that can boast of beautiful natural beaches in their immediate surroundings like Novalja. Whether you head north or south, east or west from Novalja, you will come across one of these uniquely beautiful beaches that will provide you with complete enjoyment. The beaches are very spacious, sandy and pebbled, with clean sea and excellent access and entry points, making them particularly suitable for families with children. They are located 1 to 3 km away from Novalja, forming a kind of ring around it. All beaches can be reached by car and have well-maintained parking lots.
Olive Gardens of Lun
An oasis of peace and one of the most picturesque and beautiful corners of the island of Pag. Nature has left traces of its generosity in this area, and by following them, we are truly amazed. Around 80,000 wild olive trees spread across 400 hectares have been cultivated for centuries, primarily with the Oblica variety. Among them, approximately 1,500 wild olive trees stand out, reaching heights of 5 to 8 meters. This area of wild olives is the only one of its kind in the Adriatic and holds significant botanical value, leading to its designation as a botanical reserve in 1963. The oldest olive tree in the Olive Gardens of Lun is over 2,000 years old, placing it among the three oldest olive trees in the world, alongside trees from Greece and Israel. In the refreshing silence beneath the canopy of these long-lived trees, replenish your strength and rediscover the much-desired tranquility lost in the urban bustle.
Salt
Salt is the white gold of the town of Pag, with a millennium-long organized production history. The salt pans of Pag are among the oldest salt pans with the most intensive production on the Croatian coast. The traditional method of salt production through natural evaporation was abandoned 25 years ago when a salt factory was built, which today covers an area of 2 million square meters and, together with warehouses and factory premises, is the largest production facility in Croatia in terms of space.
Pag cheese
Pag cheese is the most famous and esteemed hard sheep cheese in Croatia. It is characterized by a pleasant, spicy taste and ranges in color from light yellow to dark yellow (depending on its age). It is made from the milk of Pag sheep that graze on rocky pastures abundant with various types of aromatic and medicinal herbs. Its unique value is also derived from the salt that remains in traces on the grass after the bura – a strong northern wind that blows on the island of Pag. Today, Pag cheese is one of the recognizable Croatian brands, both domestically and internationally. Around 220 tons of Pag cheese are produced annually on the island of Pag.
Pag sheep
The Pag sheep is an indigenous Croatian breed belonging to the group of Mediterranean sheep, originating from the entire area of the island of Pag, where it is predominantly raised to this day. Today, alongside tourism, sheep farming is the most significant economic sector. It is generally considered that, given the available pasture land on the island of Pag, a population of around 30,000 breeding sheep is optimal at the moment. The sheep are kept outdoors day and night throughout the year, grazing on sparse rocky pastures supplemented with hay, corn, and feed mixtures.
Pag lamb
Pag lamb is the second most important product of Pag sheep. It is the most commonly found lamb meat on the market and is obtained from breeders of Pag sheep who also produce Pag cheese. The lambs are exclusively fed with sheep's milk, which gives the meat a distinctive flavor. Pag lamb meat is pale pink in color, with thin and tender muscle fibers, delicious and juicy. Pag lamb is prepared in various ways, with the most famous being spit-roasting.