Pag: History, Pag lace and the beach

Pag brings together sacred buildings, Pag lace and the central town beach, Prosika. If you are looking for a hotel in Pag, you can first plan your trip around your preferred focus: cultural sites, crafts, seasonal events or beach activities. These include historic sites in the town as well as workshops related to salt.

Churches, towers and historic sites

The Church of the Assumption of Mary stands in the central town square and is Pag’s most valuable monument of sacred architecture. Its foundation stone was laid on 18 May 1443. The exact date gives your visit a tangible connection to the church’s construction history. Of the nine towers that defended the town of Pag, Kula Skrivanat is the only one still standing. Today, a promenade runs alongside the tower. This brings historic defensive architecture and a modern public walkway together in one place.

Stari grad Pag is an archaeological site and a sanctuary. The Romanesque Church of St Mary has been preserved there. Together with the Church of the Assumption of Mary, it offers a glimpse of two different sacred sites in Pag. If you are interested in architecture and the city’s older heritage, Stari grad offers its own historic point of reference.

Pag lace and cultural heritage

Pag lace is an important part of the town’s cultural heritage: in 2009, it was entered in UNESCO’s Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage. At the Paške čipke Gallery, visitors can see how Pag lace is made. The gallery has been in Pag since 1998. If you would like to see more than the finished product, you can also learn about the making process here.

The Ethno Gallery of KUD Družina offers another perspective. It displays Pag shirts featuring Pag lace, along with historic furniture and photographs that bear witness to life in Pag in the past. This brings crafts, clothing and everyday history together as distinct themes. Pag lace can thus be seen both as a crafted textile and as part of a cultural collection.

Salt programme and seasonal culture

The seasonal programme Jutra u poljima soli includes workshops where you can sample different salts and fleur de sel. The programme also includes collecting salt under the guidance of an experienced employee of the Pag saltworks. Outdoor educational workshops also explore the history and production of salt. Check the workshop dates before your trip if you would like to include one of these activities.

Events also add to the cultural programme: various cultural and entertainment events take place at Kula Skrivanat during the summer months. The folk play Robinija is traditionally performed during carnival season and as part of Pag Summer and Ethno Evenings. Event dates vary, so check the schedule before your trip if you would like to plan your visit around one.

Town beach and cultural landscape

Prosika town beach is Pag’s central beach. Activities offered there include swimming, sunbathing, beach volleyball, tennis, pedal boating, water scooters and water slides. Activities may vary by season. You can plan the beach as a separate focus alongside the historic sites and cultural programme.

A natural spa with mud-rich sediments is located in the Lokunja district in the heart of Pag. The cultural landscape also includes centuries-old dry-stone walls and boundary walls. These are regarded as defining reminders of Pag’s past and as monuments to the arduous work of Pag’s labourers.

Getting to Pag

The town of Pag can be reached via the Pag Bridge. Buses reach the town from two directions: via the Pag Bridge or by the Prizna–Žigljen ferry. A catamaran connects Rijeka to Novalja via Rab; the journey takes two and a half hours. Zemunik Airport near Zadar is 42 kilometres from Pag. When planning your journey, note that the catamaran service goes to Novalja.

Discover more destinations: Kosljun, Metajna, Bošana, Mandre, Gorica, Šimuni, Smokvica, Kolan

For the full travel overview: Općina Pag.