Introduction & History
Centuries ago, the islands were plagued by malaria, until in 1893 when they were bought by Austrian industrialist Paul Kupelweiser. He rid the island of the disease and set about creating an upmarket health resort.

Only up until a few years ago, the islands were closed to the general public as they were the summer residence of President Tito and top officials of the former Yugoslavia. Over the years, almost 100 foreign heads of state were received by Tito on the islands. Many film stars were also guests of Tito, including Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Sophia Loren and Carlo Ponti, and Gina Lollobrigida.

In 1983, the islands were given National Park status and were opened up to the public.

The Islands
The group of islands consists of 2 larger ones and 12 smaller ones. The largest island is Veliki Brijun, at 1,700 acres (5.6 square km), and is 2km from the coast. It is especially green and is covered with Mediterranean vegetation, and you will see herds of wild deer and peacocks roaming around. The island also has a safari park which is home to various animals, many of them given as gifts to President Tudjman, such as zebras, giraffes, bison, camels and deer.

Getting There
There are daily ferries from Fazana (journey time: 20 minutes), on the mainland (about 8km from Pula) to Veliki Brijuni.

Accommodation
There are two hotels on the island of Veli Brijun, the Hotel Neptun-Istra and the Hotel Karmen. There are also 5 villas (both 4- and 3-star) that can sleep 4-8 people. See accommodation details on the Brijuni National Park website.

Sights
There are many geological and archeological sights on the islands, including a number of Roman sites such as the Castrum, which dates from 2nd century BC.

Further information
See the Brijuni National Park website.
Brioni Classic Polo Tournament