Premantura: Nature, trails and Kamenjak

Premantura brings together several different points of interest to consider when planning your trip: From here, you can reach Kamenjak by car, bicycle or boat; the Donji Kamenjak Biodiversity Trail starts and ends at a car park at the entrance to the town. In the town itself, you’ll find the Kamenjak House of Nature and the Church of St. Lawrence in the centre. When looking for accommodation, you can consider whether nature, hiking, cycling, the coast or culture matters most to you.

Landscape and plant life

Kamenjak’s landscape includes forests, grassland, garrigue, maquis and rocky areas. Its open habitats are protected under the EU Habitats Directive. Kamenjak is also home to several endangered and protected plant species. These include yellow centaury, whose only known location in Croatia is on Kamenjak. A total of 487 plant species have been recorded in Gornji Kamenjak; the area has been protected as a significant landscape since 1996. Here, different habitats meet a distinct botanical focal point.

Trails, footprints and places to visit

On the Grakalovac Peninsula, a hiking trail leads to fossilised dinosaur footprints. The Dinosaur Trail at Cape Grakalovac reaches the site; the footprints are 98 million years old. The Donji Kamenjak Biodiversity Trail starts and ends at the car park at the entrance to Premantura. Its route also takes hikers into the town, where the Church of St. Lawrence in the centre is a place to visit. This gives you a choice of different ideas for planning your trip: a nature trail, a palaeontological site and a cultural stop.

The Premanturka is another point of interest for active days: the cycling route starts at the car park at the entrance to Premantura and continues from Pomer towards Gornji Kamenjak. On foot or by bicycle, these trails offer different ways to explore the area’s natural and cultural attractions.

House of Nature and activities

The Kamenjak House of Nature Eco-Centre is located in Premantura. It presents Kamenjak’s natural heritage as well as geological, cultural and historical themes in an interactive way. The Kamenjak Public Institution organises guided tours of the Lower Kamenjak area with expert guides throughout the year. They are intended for international visitors, children and adults, and are held in English or German.

The water is another part of what’s on offer: Kamenjak is considered a diving destination because of its rich underwater world. Cape Kamenjak also offers suitable conditions for surfing. If you’re weighing up different interests for your stay, these activities provide a different focus from exploring the trails on foot or by bicycle.

Beach and regional orientation

Munte Beach in Premantura has a ramp for people with reduced mobility. Access to the sea is via steps with a handrail. These specific features can help you get your bearings at the beach, but do not describe other sections of the beach.

The wider destination of Općina Medulin includes four protected areas within the municipality. One of them is the Donji Kamenjak and Medulin Archipelago area. The Gornji Kamenjak viewpoint trail starts at the car park at the entrance to Premantura. The hike is eight kilometres long and takes about an hour and a half. Along the way, the trail passes a defensive cove built by the Austro-Hungarian army during the First World War to protect Pula and its surroundings from the Italian army.

The wider destination of Općina Medulin also includes Istarska Farma on the Orhideja Route. It serves typical Istrian food and drinks and is open from late spring through the summer. Its seasonal opening period is a useful distinction to keep in mind when planning visits as part of your trip.

Discover more destinations: Banjole, Pjescana Uvala, Vinkuran, Vintijan, Medulin, Pomer.

Return to the overview of the wider destination: Općina Medulin.