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Pag – a town on the island of surprises. Natural
resources and a rich offer are the reason why hundreds of thousands of tourists
from all over the world have been coming to Pag every summer. Pag hosted
tourists from Central and Western Europe as early as the beginning of the 20th
century.
Tourism began to develop intensively in 1968 after Pag Bridge had been built,
connecting the island with mainland and the Zagreb-Split motorway. The town of
Pag offers numerous surprises and beauty, which every guest will remember with
joy for a long time.
The town of Pag is abundant in sandy, gravelly and rocky beaches. The Pag Bay
ring consists of as many as 27 km of beaches, the most famous and beautiful
among them being Janjece vode, Tri glave, Bošana, Dubrava, Sveti Marko, Sveti
Duh, Zrce, Caska, Rucica, Slana, Malin, Veliki Zaton, Bijele stijene, Veli bok,
Mali bok, Kotica and Bašaca. Most of the beaches within the bay are accessible
by car, except for the ones situated in Paška Vrata, which you can only reach
by boat. The biggest sandy beach in the immediate vicinity of the old town core
is Prosika, with parking, numerous services and a sports & recreation
center nearby.
The town of Pag is abundant in sandy, gravelly and rocky beaches. The Pag Bay
ring consists of as many as 27 km of beaches, the most famous and beautiful
among them being Janjece vode, Tri glave, Bošana, Dubrava, Sveti Marko, Sveti
Duh, Zrce, Caska, Rucica, Slana, Malin, Veliki Zaton, Bijele stijene, Veli bok,
Mali bok, Kotica and Bašaca. Most of the beaches within the bay are accessible
by car, except for the ones situated in Paška Vrata, which you can only reach
by boat. The biggest sandy beach in the immediate vicinity of the old town core
is Prosika, with parking, numerous services and a sports & recreation
center nearby. 115 km of biking trails were developed next to the rocky hills,
on what used to be ancient shepherds’ trails. The rocks rising vertically out
of the sea, including mountain-climbing signposts, are a real challenge for
mountain climbers. The submarine world around Pag is exceptionally attractive
for diving, and the Pag Bay itself is suitable for sailing and windsurfing.
The town of Pag was built from 1443 to 1474 in its current place. Until that
time, Pag residents had lived in the Old Town, an archeological site today. In
1244, King Bela IV granted Pag the Free Kingdom Town status, and in the 16th
century, Pag got its own town statute. The town of Pag was created by
traditional medieval architecture, with a central square and four streets
dividing the town into four parts. In the early 20th century, the town of Pag
expanded outside its walls, and new parts of the town emerged when tourism
began to flourish in 1960’s: Prosika, Vodice, Blato, Murvica, Bašaca, Sv.
Jelena and Bošana.
The town of Pag is abundant in cultural and historic monuments. The most
significant buildings are the Congregation Church of Mary’s Assumption, Duke’s
Castle and Skrivanat Tower – the only one remaining of nine towers that used to
encircle the town along with defensive walls. In addition to the said
buildings, you can see the Church of St. George, St. Francis, the Convent of
St. Margaret and salt depots. The Old Town archeological site with the Church
of St. Mary and remains of an acropolis is only a kilometer from the town core.
In summertime, a number of cultural events are held in the town of Pag, the
most famous one being Paško Ljeto (Pag Summer), featuring many renowned
musicians from Croatia and abroad. Art exhibitions are held in the gallery
space within the Church of St. George and Town Hall. Theater plays and concerts
are put on in Skrivanat Tower and the atrium in Duke’s Castle.
The town of Pag has a rich folklore heritage. The Pag folk costume is of
beautiful colors and shapes, and the ladies’ head cover hemmed with Pag lace is
particularly attractive. Pag lace is the most beautiful autochthonous souvenir
– it is made by sewing and used as an independent ornament or part of clothing.
The central part of summer is marked by the Summer Pag Carnival, when the town
brass band plays the traditional Pag wheel-dance on Petar Krešimir IV Square, a
masquerade is held, folk chants are sung, and a folk play Robinja (Slave) is
performed. The biggest religious holiday in Pag is Assumption of Virgin Mary on
August 15th, celebrated by an official procession.
Traditionally, the people of Pag have engaged in sheep-breeding, fishing, and
one of the most significant industries is production of salt. Quality salt
obtained naturally from the clear sea has been a trademark of the town of Pag
for centuries. A quality, highly esteemed sheep cheese is produced in the town
of Pag. Along with the Pag cheese, you can try the delicious Pag lamb, white
wine, travarica (herb brandy) and homemade prosecco. You can buy fresh fish,
crabs and seashells at the fish market, and try fish delicacies in restaurants.
In the Benedictine convent of St. Margaret they make baškotin, a hard roll -
the secret of its production is kept inside the convent. The extremely healing
sage honey, made on family estates, is also renowned.
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