St. Anthony’s Hiking Trail

It is a unique experience to walk or run across St. Anthony’s Trail, which is located in the green ring of the Novalja Field and is dotted with vineyards, olive groves and verdant pastures, where you are likely to encounter our native pet – the Pag sheep. This lightweight tour is perfect for families and the elderly as you traverse the winding asphalt, macadam, earth and rocky trails.

The starting and end point of the trail is the eponymous small Church of St. Anthony in the Novalja Field. The rolling surrounding green meadows and fragrant flowers of aromatic herbs complement the dulcet sounds of babbling fresh water springs at Škoplje which irrigate the reed-covered pond. This is a shelter for a bevy of bird species and amphibians, such as frogs, sea turtles, eels and other diverse fauna. On the first turn you will reach a macadam path lining a vineyard. If you stop for a short while and look around, you will see that the view extends to the entire Old Novalja and the bay, prompting your first photo opportunity.

We will then continue through the archetypal Mediterranean countryside distinguished by dry stone wall enclosures, dubbed “fencelets” (pens) by the locals. These small enclosures are used for holding farm animals or growing traditional crops. For this reason, one must always be mindful to close and not damage the pens and gates. The mostly macadam road will lead us to the asphalt main road in the Novalja Field from which we can go back to the starting point at the Church of St. Anthony.