Limski Zaljev

This bay on the western coast of Istria is around 9 km long, 500 m wide and 10-30 m deep, and is in fact a submerged valley which continues to the east as the karstic valley of the Lim intermittent stream. In its narrower part it resembles a canyon or a fjord. There are clam farms in the bay which is abundant with fish. In 1980, the bay was proclaimed a maritime and fishing reserve. In antiquity, the bay divided the administrative regions of Porec and Pula, hence its name (Lat. limes = border). Along the coast, there are numerous caves in which human traces from the end of Neolithic era were discovered. According to a legend, St. Romuald, who established the Benedictine monastery of sv. Mihovil (St. Michael), lived in one of these caves in the 11th century. The ruins of the monastery can be seen above the northern coast of the bay. The Early Christian Church of sv. Mihovil (St. Michael) is even older and dates back to the 6th century. Boats are prohibited from entering the inner part of the bay (yellow buoy).