Lim Fjord

The Lim Channel, the Limski Zaljev, is a long, narrow, deep inlet on the west coast of Istria, between Rovinj and Vrsar, often called a fjord though it is technically a drowned river valley, a ria. It cuts more than ten kilometres inland between steep, forested cliffs, and from the water it reads exactly as its nickname suggests.

The channel was formed when a river valley was flooded by the rising sea after the last ice age, and its depth and the shelter of its cliffs made it a natural fish and shellfish farming site, and oysters and mussels are cultivated in the cleaner inner reaches. Boat trips from Rovinj and Vrsar run up the channel, and there are viewpoint terraces at the head of the inlet on the road between the two towns.

The cliffs along the channel hold caves, including the Romualdova pećina, named for the 11th-century hermit Romuald who is said to have lived in it, and reachable on a short guided walk. The channel’s steep sides keep much of the shoreline undeveloped, which is its appeal.

For photographers, the long view down the channel from a viewpoint terrace, with the cliffs reflected in the still water, is the shot, best in the morning. Take a boat trip for the water-level view, and combine it with Rovinj or Vrsar.

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