Once a favourite retreat of European aristocracy during the Austro-Hungarian era, the archipelago later became the famous summer residence of Yugoslav president Tito. Today, Brijuni National Park attracts visitors from around the world with its serene natural environment, rich archaeological sites, and stunning crystal-clear Adriatic coastline. The Brijuni Archipelago is a stunning group of islands located off the coast of Istria, with the largest island being Veli Brijun. A visit to Brijuni National Park begins with a short boat ride from Fažana to the island of Veliki Brijun, where visitors can explore the island by sightseeing train or bicycle.
Staying in luxury villas near Brijuni National Park allows travellers to combine nature and culture with the comfort of a private holiday home. For those seeking a complete escape, our villas near Brijuni National Park with pools provide the perfect setting for relaxed holidays with family and friends. From charming rustic villas that combine traditional Istrian architecture with modern design to stylish contemporary villas near the sea with elegant private pools, each home offers a unique way to enjoy your stay in this beautiful part of Croatia.
Things to do in Brijuni:
- Sightseeing – After a boat journey from Fažana, you'll arrive at Veli Brijun's main dock, where you'll board a tiny tourist train for an island sightseeing tour. There is a golf course, safari park, small archaeological museum, church, and a permanent exhibition 'Tito on Brijuni' where you can see antiques and images of Tito and his guests staying on the islands that functioned as President Tito's personal holiday.
- Swimming – The entire coastline of the islands is suitable for swimming, although the most popular swimming areas are the Saluga bay and Sveti Jerolim beach.
- Visit Ulysses Theater - If you enjoy theatres, you should know that the Ulysses Theatre hosts open-air performances of classical and modern theatre acts on the open-air stage of Minor Fort, a former Austrian fortress on Mali Brijun island. The theater place where performers who are spiritually similar come together. It warmly welcomes the participation of all individuals seeking to broaden their aesthetic and spiritual horizons.
- Visit Safari Park – A unique Safari Park extends around 9 ha on the northern side of ‘Veliki Brijun’, home to a strange mix of native Istrian and exotic South American, African, and Asian wildlife. The friendly residents of the Safari Park include the Indian elephant Lanka, and llamas—South American camels that, according to native legend, were domesticated in the earliest origins of human life, zebras, Indian sacred cows, and ostriches.
- Cycling – the program includes admission to the National Park and bike rental (for 3 hours) on the island of ‘Veliki Brijun’; reservations in advance are required.
Things you didn’t know about Brijuni:
- Dinosaur Footprints – The richness of Brijuni is also amplified by geopaleonthological sites, where more than 200 footprints of dinosaurs have been discovered. It is believed that these ancient reptiles walked Brijuni 100 million years ago.
- The old olive tree - one of the oldest olive trees in the Mediterranean, a fact that has been proved by research, carried out on samples of this ancient olive tree by the Ruđer Bošković Institute in Zagreb, in the 1960s.
- The Byzantine Castrum - The most structured site on the Brijuni is in Madona Bay, and it covers a surface area of around 1 hectare. Its extensive history is evidenced by finds from the Roman Republic and Empire, late antiquity, Eastern Goths, Byzantium, the Carolingian period, and Venice.
Persons worth knowing about:
- Josip Broz Tito first visited Brijuni in 1947, and the Bijela vila (“White villa”) became his official residence in 1953.
- Paul Kupelwieser - the Austrian industrialist and expert on steel who bought malaria-ridden Brijuni in 1893 and transformed them into a fashionable summer and health resort for the European and global aristocracy.
- Robert Koch – Discovered the cause of tuberculosis and cholera and was awarded the Nobel Prize for medicine in 1905.
We have hand-picked only the greatest luxury villa rentals in Istria near Brijuni National Park for our guests, ensuring that you have the most enjoyable and unforgettable holiday possible. Whether you love the beach or choose to stay inland, the place of your fantasy holiday is only a click away.
