Description

Medulin was once a small fishing village and is today one of the liveliest seaside resorts in Istria, just south-east of Pula. Its long waterfront, beaches and pine-shaded campsites fill with families in summer, while the evenings bring terraces with live music and nightlife that goes on until morning.

Medulin is best known for Bijeca, a sandy beach about one kilometre long, a rare sight on the rocky Croatian coast. The shallow water makes it a favourite with families with young children.

The Romans loved this bay too. On the Vižula peninsula, a 26-hectare archaeological park protects remains from the Neolithic to Late Antiquity, above all a Roman seaside villa that was one of the largest and most luxurious on the eastern Adriatic, with mosaics and fine marble.

Just a few metres from the shore, about 1.5 metres under the sea, lies the Underwater Museum: the remains of the only known ancient saltworks in Istria. Put on a mask and snorkel and look for the old canals and millstones. The Romans called salt “white gold” and even paid their soldiers with it, which is where the word salary comes from.

At the end of the waterfront promenade stands Malin, the 140-year-old windmill that has become the symbol of Medulin. Restored to its original look, it grinds grain again, and on summer evenings the smell of freshly baked bread draws visitors inside.

From the harbour, boats head out to the islets of the Medulin archipelago, and the wild nature of Kamenjak is just a short ride away. Before you leave, try the local seafood: crab salad, black risotto or a fish brodetto.