Description

A mile and a half southwest of Cape Kamenjak, the southernmost tip of Istria, a lone stone tower rises from a tiny rock in the open sea. Porer Lighthouse was built in 1833, and at 35 metres it is the tallest lighthouse in Istria. The islet is so small that you can walk around it in little more than a minute, yet it has guarded these waters for almost two centuries.

The sea around Porer has always demanded respect. Strong currents flow around the islet all day, and the nearby shoals of Kršin, Fenoliga and Veliki Balkun hide the wrecks of ships lost in storms. Beneath the sandy seabed lie ancient remains, and the area is one of the richest fishing grounds in the Adriatic.

Today the lighthouse is automated, but a keeper still lives here, and two apartments in the stone building welcome guests looking for true isolation. Porer is so loved that a model of it, built from 4,000 limestone bricks, stands in Minimundus, the miniature park in Austria.

Most visitors see Porer from the sea, and that is where it is at its most impressive: the full height of the tower, waves breaking on the rocks, and, on a clear evening, one of the most beautiful sunsets on the Adriatic.