June 6, 2021 - Croatia is known as the "land of a thousand islands" and yet, only a handful are popular and visited by tourists. There are so many more islands to discover in Croatia, and one of them is the quaint but highly underrated Iž Island with only 500 inhabitants.
I found out about the island of Iž because my very first friend in Croatia who is now one of my best friends was born and raised there. I met her for the first time when we both attended a violin masterclass workshop in Kaštela and she asked me and my Croatian husband if we could drop her off at where she was temporarily staying in Split. On the car ride home, my husband asked her where her hometown is and she answered, "Iž". Judging by my husband's reaction, she easily sensed that he has never heard of this place before and so she explained further, "it is a small island near Zadar and it is not very known because there are only around 500 people who live there and there is fewer every year." From then on, I have always been fond of visiting the small islands in Croatia and learning about the islanders' unique way of life. Coming from the city of Manila (Philippines), which has a highly dense population of 24 million people, it was unimaginable for me to live on a small island where only a few hundred people reside; but after spending two blissful summers on Iž, it turned out that life on a quaint and unspoiled island is astonishingly delightful!
#1 - Enjoy summer without the hustle and bustle of tourists
Located within both the Zadar and Kornati archipelago, Iž is nestled between the islands of Ugljan and Dugi Otok and can be reached daily by catamaran and ferry from Zadar. Iž is surrounded by many islets and private beaches so it is an ideal destination for relaxing and tranquil getaways. The island is divided into two villages - Mali Iž and Veli Iž. In Veli Iž, you can find two shops, a couple of bars and taverns that open in summer, a small marina, and the church of St. Peter and Paul from the 14th century. Even in summer, the island doesn't get too crowded because most of the tourists go to nearby islands like Ugljan and Preko because they are closer to Zadar and are more accessible. Because of this, you can easily find a private corner by the sea on Iž and enjoy a quiet time for yourself. The island is also great for hiking because of the asphalt paths and roads that connect the whole island. To enjoy the views of this island, you can hike to the top of Korinjak which is the highest peak on Iž with a height of 168 meters. From that viewpoint, you can see the nearby islands such as Dugi Otok and Rava.
#2 - Vegetarian and vegan-friendly
In Veli Iž, you can find the Korinjak Hotel and Camp which is the only purely vegetarian hotel in the Dalmatian region. It offers Meditteranean-inspired vegetarian cuisine to its guest including raw food dishes, fruit and vegetable smoothies, gluten-free, lactose-free, and vegan meals. It is a popular destination for long-time vegetarians and to those who are looking to change their diet and detox their bodies through various holistic retreats and workshops that are conducted in this hotel every summer including meditation, relaxation therapies for mind-body energy, yoga classes, pyramid meditation and sound, and organ therapies. The hotel also offers excursions and boat trips to hidden bays and secluded nearby islets where visitors can enjoy their own private beach and islet for the day.
Moon gong retreat in Hotel Korinjak | Photo by: Kyla Ibero
#3 - Explore the island's rich and long history
The island of Iž has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Here, you can find traces of an Illyrian hillfort and Roma settlement. Previously named "Ez" by Emperor Constantine VII, the island was under the rule of the Zadar medieval commune but after a long feud, it was given to the Benedictine monastery of St. Mary and eventually ended up being owned by the Zadar aristocracy. Due to its long history, you can find architecture from as early as the 11th century such as the Church of St. Mary, located at the top of Mali Iž. Beside it stands a parish church which was constructed at the beginning of the 20th century. Records of the earliest Croatian settlers from the year 1266 can be found on this island, too. Iž also holds a thousand-year Glagolithic history. The parishes in both Veli and Mali Iž used to celebrate the earliest Roman Rites in the Old Church Slavonic Language, not in Latin, and based it on the liturgical books from the old Croatian Glagolitic scripts. The most recent discovery of a Glagolitic inscription was from this island at the family house of Švorinić and it was a Glagolitic inscription in stone that dates back from 1685. There are as well a lot of Glagolitic manuscripts, liturgical books, and stone epigraphs currently preserved in Iž.
#4 - Enjoy traditional pottery-making and local homemade products
The island of Iž has a long-standing culture of traditional pottery making. A special clay pot called "Iśki Lopiž" is only found on this island. This pot was traditionally used for storing olive oil and traditional kitchen condiments. It is also traditionally used for making stews on Iž because it adds a special and delicate flavour to the dish. In Veli Iž, you can find an ethnographic collection of traditional ceramics, tools, and pottery. The island is also famous for producing excellent quality olive oil, homemade vinegar, and natural soaps!
#6 - Join in the fun summer and winter events
During summer, a traditional game on Iž called "pošimpijada" is played by the locals. It is a fun competition between participants who live in the southern part of the island (team Jugo) and participants who live in the northwestern part of the island (team Zmorac). They compete in various games such as sack race, rope pulling, chess, and water basketball. Every July 29, Veli Iž celebrates Iška fešta where locals dress in traditional costumes, prepare local dishes, and perform old island dances and songs. During the festival, they also elect the King of Iž, Rava, and Lavdara. After the election, the fiesta would commence and popular singers like Oliver Dragojević, Giuliano, and Dino Dvornik would come and perform. Also during summer, a lot of concerts and theatre plays are conducted on the island. Since the winter of 2017, the island of Iž has been importing trucks of snow every winter from Lika and creates a small ski resort that has a length of 60-metres. This brings great joy to the locals during winter and few tourists who come to the island to ski.
Outdoor summer concert in Iž with The Hague Chamber Orchestra | Photo by: Kyla Ibero
#7 - Authentic gastronomy
A lot of konobas and restaurants open on Iž for the summer. Since the island relies on both agriculture and fishing, the food is always offered fresh and of top quality. The cost of dining here is also relatively cheaper than other islands, for example, a plate of freshly-caught grilled seafood costs around 70HRK. The konobas and restaurants on this island all have their own special house wine. The traditional Dalmatian-cuisine which is called "brudet" is prepared on Iž with an added twist since they use their special traditional clay pot which is the "Iški Lopiž" and this heightens and elevates this dish to another level. CLICK HERE for the recipe of the traditional stew cooked in Iž using the special Iški Lopiž.
Life of a Local on Iž
My friend and a local of Iž, Tena Milinčić, shares with us the way of life in this small and secluded island because to spend a summer on Iž and to permanently live there are two completely different experiences.
Since there are only a few hundred people living on Iž, there are a few things that you cannot find on this island. First, there is no pharmacy - and the locals are kind of used to it. If they need to buy some medicine, they would have to take a ferry to Zadar or they would ask someone whom they know who is in Zadar to send it to them to Iž. There is a small ambulanta (clinic) on the island but it is not very well equipped. You cannot buy any medicine there and the doctor works only twice a week in Veli Iž and twice a week in Mali Iž.
There are also only 2 small shops on the island so the locals are accustomed to taking the ferry to Zadar to shop for their household needs and to get other services that are unavailable on the island such as printing services and hospital/clinical services.
The schools and students are slowly disappearing, too. Nowadays, on the island, there is only an elementary school up until the 8th grade. There are only around 8 students in the entire school. Not even a vrtić (kindergarten) is open because there are not enough kids on the island to attend it. This is really sad and unfortunate because there used to be a lot of educational establishments on the island especially during the war when a lot of people migrated to the island to avoid the conflict. For high school and university, locals leave the island and usually go to Zadar and other main cities in Croatia to continue their studies.
Life on this island can be sometimes idle, but in this place, you can find freedom and tranquility. The bond within the community is strong and the locals are friendly and helpful, too!
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