Lim Fiord ~Croatia~

I know, I know. You’re thinking that this is not a city. But this year, I wanted to change some things and one of them is writing about natural wonders as well. I mean, why not? We shouldn’t be limited under one single brand, right? Plus, these curiosities created by Mother Nature, won’t be a bore- I promise! Last summer I went on a boat trip to this particular place and it was amazing to experience its fascinating glory, so I thought/ why not share it with all of you?

It is one of the most alluring natural resources, lying on the Western coast of Istria in Croatia, Europe. For those who aren’t clear about the appelation “fiord“, let me explain: they were created by glaciers, which have cut  long and deep, but narrow U-shaped valleys inbetween steeo sides of cliffs. Although it is named a fiord, it is actually a ria.  The difference between the two is, that a ria is not carved by a glacier, but by a river (in our case Pazincica), which is hurrying to reach the sea (the Adriatic Sea). “Real” fiords only exist on the high circles of latitude, mostly in Norway, Alaska and Britsh Columbia of Canada in the Northern Hemisphere, and Chile and the South Islands of Chile in the Southern Hemisphere.

The term “lim” comes from the Latin word limes, which means limit, invoking the fiord’s  position inbetween two Roman Provinces: Dalmatia and Italia, or today’s cities of Porec and Pula. Croats sometimes call it “Limski Canal” or Lim Channel, because of its’ narrow width.

Lim fiord’s beauty lies not only in the water’s absorbing malachiteblue color, but also in its surrounding, very steep mountains, which in some places can even reach up to 100 meters. The fiord itself is approximately 10 kilometers long, 30 meters deep and its’ widest part is around 600 meters wide. The water is only partly brackish, allowing and persewing growth of plants and animal life. There are a few oyster and fish farms along the way which can be observed from a fair distance.

Seeing things from a touristical view, the place is very popular in the Istrian region, because there are plenty of boat trips departing from Porec, Vrsar, Rovinj and other cities in the area (approx. 25 euros – a day long cruise with meal and drinks included) , having Lim fiord in their itinerary as the main natural attraction of the day! The visit is totally worth it if you like natural wonders, don’t mind if seagulls steal part of your lunch and want to observe huge fish swimming abreast your tourboat.

An interesting curiosity is that here lies the cave where the world-famous Winettou movie was shot, which can be frequented at any time of the day. There is also another famous cavern along the way (otherwise there are many many caves by the fiord)  called St. Romualdo‘s cave, which was used as a church and in which certain religious ceremonies were held dating back to the 11th century. It is open to the public and can be seen through an organised visit with a professional guide.

For all you rock-climbers, I have some wonderful news! There is a cliff on the Northern side of the fiord, which through the summer is crowded with tourists pursuing their beloved passion. So don’t hesitate to visit!

Have you ever been at the Lim Fiord? If you haven’t, but had the opportunity, would you visit?

Related posts:

Poreč ~Croatia~ Rovinj *Croatia* Lim Fiord through my lens Poreč Tips