The five-hour ferry ride to Premuda is a priceless pleasure

Every route towards Premuda, a small island in the Zadar area, starts in Zadar or Mali Lošinj. Interestingly, Mali Lošinj is much closer, but Premuda still falls under Zadar.

For example, the ferry ride from Mali Lošinj to Premuda takes 1 hour and 40 minutes, and I went from Zadar, which is a five-hour ride because the ferry first stops at Ist, Oliba, and Silba along the way before arriving at Premuda. Nevertheless, it is a route that I would always repeat, enjoying the unreal beauty of the Croatian islands and islets.

Premuda, Krijal ferry port, Photo: Adria.fun

It is an island where you don’t even need a car because you can walk all over it in an hour. The island is known for its natural beauty, rich history, and attractive diving locations.

The most famous diving location is the “cathedral”, a system of underwater caves that amaze me with their beauty and light. Another interesting location is the wreck of the ship Szent István, which was sunk in the First World War. This wreck is accessible only to the most experienced divers, as it is located at a depth of about 60 meters.

Premuda, Photo: Goran Šafarek, Dreamstime

Premuda has two ports: northern Loza and southern Krijal, where the new ferry pier is located. Between them is the settlement of the same name, Premuda, which is the only settlement on the island.

Premuda, Loza bay, Photo: Adria.fun

The island attracts tourists who want to enjoy peace, and the clean and clear sea, so it attracted me as well. Only a few small beaches, primarily in Krijal Bay, although they are barely fifty meters apart, have completely different, rather strong sea currents.

The Masarina rock, which is only a hundred meters from the coast, has a lot of influence on them, so a kind of channel has formed between it and the coast of the island.

There, for the first time, I experienced a jump into the sea at the beginning of the ferry pier, and then, in just a few minutes, I ended up at the beginning of it, about fifty meters away, without swimming.

Premuda, Pogled na otočić Hripa i hrid Masarine, Photo: Adria.fun

There are also two churches on Premuda. Parish Church of Church of St. James, built in 1610, is located on a hill in the center of the village, and the church of Church of St. Krijac and the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary from the XVII. century in the new ferry port.

During my stay on the island, my host Miro took me to the former military artillery battalion, which is hidden in the north of the island. There are many tunnels where the former army lived. The island was also the scene of battles during the Homeland War when it was liberated from the Yugoslav army in 1991.

Premuda, entrance to the tunnels of the coastal artillery battalion, Photo: Adria.fun

I remember the island of Premuda for the indescribable ease of forgetting about the passage of time, the forest of the sea, the wild goats I met along the forest paths, and the beautiful sunsets in the calm of the day. Oh, and to the excellent fish that I caught together with my host in the early dawn. Truly priceless. 🙂

Premuda, sunset, Photo: Adria.fun

Premuda enchanted me with its charm and beauty, so I quietly promised myself that my first visit would by no means be my last. If you haven’t been and you’re looking for peace, then you definitely must visit it. Maybe we’ll meet there!