Pag Island in Croatia - salt, cheese and sandy beaches

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated August 2026 | The island of Pag in Croatia is an elongated windswept island that is famous for its salt production, its special sheep's cheese and its beautiful sandy beaches. You can come here to sunbathe and swim, enjoy beautiful nature and discover the island's history. We have checked out the historic town of Pag and the nice Camping Šimuni, with both campsites and cottages.

Island of Pag in Croatia

The island of Pag in Croatia is located in Zadar County, in the south-west of the country. The oblong island, which is the fifth largest in the country, is connected to the mainland by a bridge. We reached the town of Pag by car from Zadar, which took about an hour.

Barren and dramatic

Crossing the bridge to the island of Pag in Croatia is like travelling to another country, or perhaps another planet. Pag is a barren, rocky and salty island. Several people we met told us about a wind called 'bura' - a strong northerly wind that blows salt water across the island.

The salty environment means that only certain extra-tough animals and plants can survive. Incidentally, the first thing you see when you cross the bridge to the island is the medieval defence building called 'Fortica'.

The town of Pag on the island of Pag

The town of Pag is the capital of the island of the same name. Originally there was another town (Stari Grad), but in the Middle Ages, fearing invasion by the Ottoman Empire, a new fortified town was built about three kilometres from the old one.

The new city was built between 1443 and 1447 and was equipped with a city wall and nine strong towers. There are only minor remains of the city walls today, and of the original nine towers, only one remains today - the Skrivanat tower.

Apart from the wall, today's city looks much the same, with sturdy stone houses and narrow alleys. There are also plenty of cafés, restaurants and small shops selling clothes, jewellery and souvenirs. Peter bought two t-shirts here that he is really happy with!

On the main square, Glavni gradski trg, St Mary's Church is a nice place to visit. The church, like most churches in Croatia, is Catholic, and many Croatians still enjoy going to church.

The town of Pag is on the waterfront, and it's nice to walk along the quay and watch all the little boats. We had lunch at a restaurant on the street Šetalište Vladimira Nazora. The food was quite ordinary, but the service was good and the view over the water is fantastic!

Lace - once an important livelihood

The town of Pag is famous for its lace making - so famous, in fact, that lace making is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lace is still made in Pag, but of course not to the same extent as in the past, when it was necessary for a family's survival. All girls were taught how to make lace when they were young, and as they grew older they went to school where lace making was the most important subject.

At least three men once made lace - but they did it in total secrecy because the craft was considered 'women's work'. They were caught out when their wives tried to sell the products, and other villagers became suspicious and started watching through a skylight...

Today, there is a small lace museum in the square in the centre of town, which can be visited for a small fee. You can also buy lace in several different places - but note that not everything sold around the city is genuine.

Salt - the white gold

Another important product on the island of Pag is and has been salt - the white gold. In the past, salt was much more important than it is today. It was not only a flavouring agent, but also a prerequisite for survival. If you couldn't salt your food, you couldn't store it and there was a risk of starvation. There is a large salt factory on Pag, and the fact is that salt has been extracted here since Roman times.

In the town of Pag today there is a small salt museum, which can be visited for a small fee. Here you can see photos of the hard work in the past and learn about the process of extracting salt.

Cheese - a real delicacy

The third product known from Pag is cheese. The cheese is simply called Paški sirthat is, "cheese from Pag". The cheese is a sheep cheese, and is immensely popular all over Croatia. When asked about the "secret", it turns out to be about the raw materials rather than the production process.

The sheep that roam the island are small and hardy, and the grass they eat is full of salt and minerals. Since there are only a certain number of sheep on the island, production is limited and the price is relatively high. But the cheese is really good - we promise!

There are three cheese factories on the island and we visited the largest of them, Paška sirana. A variety of cheeses are made here, including cow's milk cheeses where the milk is imported from the mainland, but Paški sir is of course the crown jewel. Want to be sure you're buying genuine Pag cheese? Look for the stamp on the bottom of the cheese.

Party on the island of Pag in Croatia

Pag is also known for its wild parties. In a small town called Novalja, on the Zrce Festival Beach, young revellers from the UK in particular gather every year. Opinions on the whole thing seem to differ among the islanders.

Some are excited about the money that young people bring with them, and many private individuals are renting out accommodation through sites such as Airbnb. Others are unhappy with the noise level, the constant partying and the disorder that comes with drunkenness and disorderly behaviour. Everyone seems to agree that the partying stays in Novalja, and that the rest of the island is unaffected.

Camping Šimuni on the island of Pag in Croatia

There are several campsites on the island of Pag in Croatia, and we visited one of them: Camping Šimuni, located fifteen minutes from the town of Pag by car. This is probably one of the nicest campsites we have ever visited (according to our taste). Camping Šimuni is not a budget campsite, but it is a very nice campsite.

Although the campsite is large, it has managed to create a personal and cosy feel. This is probably because they let nature take over. Trees grow wild across the campsite, and stone and wood have been used to build houses that feel natural in the landscape.

Beaches at Camping Šimuni

The campsite is best known for its beautiful beaches: Two Sailors beach, Diamond beach, Sea Pearl beach, White Seagull beach, Golden beach and Brilliant beach. Some of the beaches are mostly for sunbathing and swimming, while others focus on beach sports and surfing. In some places, motorhomes are parked right by the water.

Services at Camping Šimuni

Everything you need is available at Camping Šimuni, including shops, bars and restaurants. One of the restaurants specifically specialises in fish, and next to it is a shop that sells fresh fish in the mornings.

There are also activities for children and a beachfront wellness centre with various treatments. But there's one thing that isn't. There's no swimming pool, and you'll never ever to get, we are told. The focus here is on nature and the beach!

More to see and do near Pag

There is of course much more to see and experience near Pag. Here you will find more reports and tips:

• Zadar
• Kungastaden Nin
• Biograd na Moru