The Novalja Marina offers 100 berths for boats up to 20 m in length and with a maximum draft of 5 m. A hydrofoil docks at the harbor pier every evening and remains there until the following day. Fishing boats are usually moored along the sides of the pier. During the summer season, buoys for recreational boats are set up in the area between the crane and the fuel pump. Mooring and departing from the fueling station can be difficult due to the limited space, especially when there is a sea breeze.
Novalja is located in the northwest of the island of Pag, facing the open sea and overlooking Mali Lošinj, Silba, and Olib. Novalja traces its roots back to Roman times, when it was a safe harbor in the eastern Adriatic. Of particular archaeological significance in Novalja are the Caska site, a Roman colony destroyed by an earthquake in the 4th century, the ancient 1st-century underground aqueduct, carved into solid rock, approximately 1 km long and up to 40 m high, with an entrance from the Civic Museum; and Vlaška Mala Bay, where a sunken Roman merchant ship loaded with amphorae was discovered. The archaeological site is currently protected by a metal cage accessible only to researchers, but it can still be visited by divers. Those unable to dive can still view the extensive photographic documentation available at the Civic Museum.
Today, Novalja is a lively seaside resort with numerous restaurants, bars, and ice cream shops, and a waterfront that comes alive in the evening with music and markets until late at night. Nearby are numerous beaches, such as Straško, Babe, Trincel, and Branicevica.
The most important and famous is Zrce Beach, located on the western side of Pag Bay, with its pebble beach and crystal-clear sea. This beach is home to the island’s most popular nightclubs, which host the biggest names in club entertainment and electronic music during the summer months.
Among the initiatives worth mentioning is“Novalja’s Cultural Summer,”which features sporting events, art exhibitions, concerts, and theater performances, as well as outdoor movie screenings. The festival also features themed evenings where traditional music accompanies tastings of typical local products, ranging from fritters to almond cake to dried fig bread.
