Croatia’s Brijuni Islands: Discover its dinosaur past

(Photo: NP Brijuni)

According to popular belief, Croatia’s Brijuni islands were once home to dinosaurs approximately 100-130 million years ago. Presently, a collection of 24 dinosaur fossils and their sites have been designated as a protected natural area in the region.

On April 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., the educational and entertaining event, Dinosaur Day, will take place on Veliki Brijun island. Visitors can expect a diverse program centered around dinosaurs and the paleontological significance of Brijuni National Park and its surroundings. 

The program includes expert lectures, presentations, games, and creative workshops, as well as a tour of paleontological sites on Veliki Brijun island. 

The event will take place outdoors in the center of Veliki Brijun and at the paleontological sites where over 200 dinosaur footprints were discovered. Paleontology students will be present at the sites to provide information on footprints, their origin, preservation, and the knowledge obtained from fossil traces.

Visitors will be taken by a tourist train to the Barban location in the northern part of Veliki Brijun, close to the Safari Park. The visit to the Ploče site on the Zelenikovac peninsula will be organized into four sessions, each led by an expert guide for smaller groups. Visitors can register for participation upon arrival at the Info-point, and the tour lasts approximately one hour, including a one-kilometer walk.

The educational aspect of the program includes expert lectures, stories, fun experiments, educational stands, and posters for children and adults. The creative and enjoyable aspect of the program offers drawing, coloring, making dino masks, dino feet, dino tattoos, and a paleontological sandbox.

The program is divided into three main locations:

1. Center (10:00-18:00): Creative workshops, reading of stories, educational points, games, and educational and entertaining games.

2. Educational Trail Zelenikovac – Ploče location (11:00-17:30): Expert guidance for smaller groups, registration at the Info-point, and tour departures from the center at 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 4:30 p.m.

3. Location Barban (Safari Park – 10:00-17:30): Paleontology students will be available to visitors throughout the day, with organized trains from the center to the Safari Park approximately every 30 minutes.

The first departure of the ship from Fažana is at 10:00 a.m., with subsequent departures according to the sailing schedule and ticket availability. The return from the island is also based on the sailing schedule, and ticket sales will commence on April 15, 2023, from 8:00 a.m. at the NP Brijuni office in Brionska 10, Fažana. The number of tickets is limited according to the ship’s capacity, and reservations are not possible.

The ticket prices for the event are EUR 13.27 / HRK 100 for adults and EUR 9.29 / HRK 70 for children aged seven to eighteen years.