If you are planning to spend your holiday in
one of our villas with pool in Istria, Dalmatia or the Kvarner Bay, we recommend you to explore the
magical underwater museums of Croatia.
The Croatian sea is a small, closed sea and with an
extremely rich diversity of flora and fauna. Many islands have evidence of life on them from thousands of years ago. Some of the most beautiful diving sites in the world are hidden here, as well as various
interesting archaeological sites that have become underwater museums. There are 117 registered diving sites in Croatia. Since the Adriatic belongs to the type of warm seas, the
diving season starts as early as May and lasts until November. During summer, the average temperature at the surface is between 22 and 25 degrees and in the south even up to 28 degrees. Below you can learn more about the "must do" dives.
The first Croatian
underwater archaeological park is located at a depth of 30 metres near the island of Supetar, close to
Cavtat. At the bottom of the sea lies a sunken ship from the 3rd-4th century B.C. The steel cage of the museum preserves more than 1000 North African amphorae. Near the
island of Silba, in a sea bay, a two-metre-long sarcophagus from the fourth century was found. Today there is an underwater museum.
The
island of Lastovo has an interesting history. It is the furthest inhabited island from the mainland and was on the
first line of defence. This is also the reason why a large number of remains of ancient shipwrecks with their treasures from the 1st century BC are hidden in the underwater world of the Lastovo archipelago.
One of the most beautiful island groups, the
Kornati National Park, offers a spectacular underwater landscape with various
underwater sculptures that can be viewed from the water surface even if you are not an experienced diver.
In the Koromasna bay on the
island of Zirje, an ancient ship and amphorae from the 2nd century BC are hidden, which has been transformed into an underwater museum. In 2014, a Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber was found on the seabed. To date, only a few have been preserved and two of them are in museums in London and Chicago.
On the
island of Pag in the bay Vlaska mala at the bottom of the sea there are also true archaeological treasures. The underwater museum presents the
remains of a sunken ship with amphorae and other objects that belonged to the ship's equipment.
Losinj is an island at the entrance to the Kvarner Bay and is famous for the Apoxymenos sculpture that was
accidentally found in 1996. Today the sculpture is in the museum in the town of Mali Losinj. You can see a replica of this sculpture underwater. On the west coast there is an underwater museum with old amphorae, weapons and cannons from the Second World War.
The steamship Vis enjoyed its voyages all over the world, from North America to Africa. Shortly before the end of the war, it wanted to return home to the Adriatic Sea. Until then, the ship survived many wartime attacks. Near the bay Plominski zaljev, the ship sank because it hit a mine. Nowadays
you can see this wreck up close.
The submerged giant Baron Gautsch was an 85-long ship, on its way to its planned destination, of the city of Trieste. The ship never made it there, as it already
crashed near Rovinj. The event happened two years after the sinking of the Titanic. That is why it is often called the
Adriatic Titanic.
We hope we have aroused your interest. Spend a
relaxing holiday with your loved ones in one of our villas with pool and immerse yourself in the precious history of the underwater world. The Adriatic Sea promises you an
unforgettable adventure!
Valentina Novak
27.9.2022
MY ISTRIA GUIDE
