The Island
Nine kilometres of island, one village
Premuda is nine kilometres long and at most 1.6 km wide. There is one village, two restaurants, two supermarkets and a few dozen people who live here all year. There are almost no cars, and there are clear water, olive groves and sage.
Diving & snorkelling
The Katedrala is one of the Adriatic's best-known cave dives, a bubble-shaped dome where light falls in through cracks in the rock. For everyone else a mask and snorkel are enough: shallow reefs, clear water, octopus and mussels on the sandy floor.
Bays & beaches
Down by the harbour lie two beaches. The larger one, beside the church, has an easy walk into the water and plenty of room to spread out, which helps with small children. For more solitude, take a boat: along the coast one quiet bay follows the next, bright water over sand and, on some days, nobody but you.
Out and about by scooter
The house sits up on the hillside above the village. By scooter you are down at the harbour in minutes, or off on a loop along the coast, past stone walls and olive groves to where the road meets the water. Three road-registered Honda 125cc scooters are available to hire.
Stand-up paddling & watersports
You can reach the Masarine rock formation by SUP or with fins. The current depends on the weather, and only strong swimmers should cross alone. In calm conditions the trip is worth it.
Simply being here
The sea against the rocks in the morning, drifting in the water at midday, cooking together in the evening as the sun goes down behind Silba. A day on Premuda needs no more of a programme than that.
Map
Premuda on the map
Red marker: location of the holiday house · © Mapbox, © OpenStreetMap
More about the island
Premuda from antiquity to today
Roman road maps, Ottoman corsairs, a sea battle in June 1918, and 647 inhabitants in 1905 of whom a few dozen remain.
Island historyCommon questions
- Where is Premuda?
- In the Zadar archipelago in the northern Adriatic, south-west of Silba and north-west of Škarda. Seen from the Croatian mainland it is one of the outermost inhabited islands: about nine kilometres long, at most 1.6 km wide, roughly 9 km².
- How many people live on Premuda?
- A few dozen all year round. The census counted 647 in 1905 and 64 in 2011. The single village fills up many times over in summer, and more Premujani now live in the Americas than in Croatia.
- Are there shops and restaurants on Premuda?
- Two restaurants and two small supermarkets. The one in the village is open all year, the one at Krijal harbour only in the main season. Some islanders still fish for the restaurants directly, and a few families press their own olive oil.
- Are there cars on Premuda?
- Almost none, and the few there are usually carry no number plates: with no traffic police on the island, nobody needs them. Nothing here is far anyway. The bays are easiest to reach by scooter or by boat.
- Can you dive at Premuda?
- Yes, and for many people it is the reason to come. The Katedrala is one of the Adriatic's best-known cave dives, a bubble-shaped dome where light falls through cracks in the rock. The wreck of SMS Szent István, sunk in 1918, lies at about 68 metres and is a protected monument with restricted access.
Plan your stay
When would you like to come?
Send us your dates and how many you are. We reply by email with availability and a price.
Send enquiry