Novalja, town and settlement in Lika-Senj County, Croatia
Novalja is a coastal town on the island of Pag in Lika-Senj County, Croatia. Its streets feature shops, cafes, and restaurants with a relaxed feel, while nearby beaches offer pebble shores and clear water that attract swimmers and sunbathers throughout the warm months.
The Romans established a settlement called Cissa here about 2000 years ago and built an aqueduct to transport water. Over centuries the town passed between Croats, Venetians, and other powers, shaping its layered past.
The name Novalja echoes its Roman past and marks centuries of settlement. Today you see locals taking time in outdoor cafes, still working in fishing and farming, and welcoming visitors with genuine friendliness and a relaxed daily rhythm.
Reaching Novalja is straightforward by bus from larger cities or by car via a bridge connecting the island to the mainland. Beaches are a short walk from the town center and have changing facilities, showers, and cafes right along the water.
A remarkable Roman aqueduct nearly 2000 years old stands preserved and accessible through a local museum, allowing visitors to walk inside this ancient structure and see how water was transported across long distances in Roman times.
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