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[title]'Untouched nature of beautiful islands,' promises the website of Brijuni National Park. 'Beautiful' is an understatement, and 'untouched' far from the truth: it’s the human touch present in the landscape for millennia that makes Brijuni so captivating.
Arriving at the Veli ('Great') Brijun port after a 15-minute ferry ride from the town of Fažana across the bay, your first encounter with the long history of the islands will be a look at Neptun hotel and a delicate boathouse protruding into the sea. Columned balconies, Secession-era ornaments, and elegantly clad waiters all call to mind the grandeur of the resort’s Habsburg-era origins. Much of the charm is owed to the authenticity of what you see, rather than the kind of nostalgia aesthetic that can overwhelm. It almost makes you grateful that none of the successive governments’ promises for a major revamp to the resort materialised. The hotel staff, in fact, boast that some guests request rooms without air-conditioning to immerse themselves fully in the holiday spirit of the early 1900s, when the Austro-Hungarian and Venetian visitors started coming to Brijuni to enjoy the sea, the cafes, and to play tennis, polo and golf.
These days most visitors from mainland Istria to Veli Brijun don’t stay overnight, and many opt for a tour on the little sightseeing train before rushing on. With plenty to explore in the national park over a couple of days, you’ll be better off renting a bike or a golf cart. Follow the coastline or take spontaneous turns as you notice the herds of deer or mouflon on meadows lined with cypress and olive trees. Don't miss the famous pine avenue, not far behind Hotel Neptun, where the enormous trees cast shadows over the tennis courts (equipment is available to rent).
Saluga is the advertised beach, but for the palette of blues that the Adriatic is known for, head for one of the pebbly bays close to Villa Dubravka. Berta, a tiny, irresistible cove a little out of way, on Cape Javorika, guarantees a solitary experience. Another remarkable swimming spot is in Verige Bay, hugged by a Roman villa. Built in 1st century AD, the complex was replete with worldly and spiritual luxuries including thermal baths and temples, one devoted to Neptune and another, fittingly, to Venus, the goddess of beauty. The stone quay on the northern side of the bay, once busy with commerce, is the place to spread a towel and alternate between sunbathing and cooling off in the sea.
One of Brijuni’s greatest delights is that you can enjoy an archelogical site like Verige without crowds or many restrictions. Other points of interest include a Byzantine castrum and the nearby 5th-century St. Mary’s Basilica, as well as a number of villas built during the Yugoslav era, where Josip Broz Tito hosted visiting heads of states and movie stars, among others (Brijuni were his summer residence while he was Yugoslavia’s president from 1953 to 1980). Unlike the villas, the charismatic leader’s most curious legacy on Brijuni is open to the public: the quaint safari park in the north of the island, populated with animals the Yugoslav dictator received as gifts. At the far end of the safari park, you can enjoy the ice cream served by the always-smiling gentleman at Cafe Sonny and Lanka (named after the elephant couple gifted to Tito by Indira Gandhi) and the arias playing from the speakers.
Dedicate an evening to Ulysses Theatre on the smaller Mali Brijun. The plays have been put on by acclaimed actors and directors such as Rade Šerbedžija, Lenka Udovički, and the late Tomaž Pandur, and have ocassionally featured prominent guests from beyond the region, such as Vanessa Redgrave and Ralph Fiennes. The Austro-Hungarian fort that is home to the open-air theatre feels otherworldly at sunset, an impression amplified by the stage designs. Combined, they might just evoke in you that famous catharsis of ancient Greek tragedies, but Ulysses is just as strong with contemporary plays. Since most spectators join from the Istrian mainland, a second, smaller boat will usually be ready after the performance for the cheerful theatre crowd staying on Veli Brijun. Hop on and be amazed by the Milky Way at its most expansive as the captain navigates gently to avoid the deer crossing between the islands.