Zubovići, Novalja
About this place
Zubovići is a coastal village on Pag’s north-eastern shore, positioned between Kustići and Metajna within the cluster of settlements known locally as Barbati. Houses rise gently above Pag Bay, with the 1854 parish Church of the Immaculate Conception defining the skyline. The pebble beach of Veli Žal lies by the village, while sandy Plat is about one kilometre south, extending roughly 150 metres and offering refreshments and parking. Above the houses, the marked Kozje berdo trail forms a circuit of approximately five kilometres, passing a Bronze Age stone mound and former bauxite mines before returning to Zubovići. More dramatic scenery waits towards Metajna, Ručica and Beriknica, where bare limestone creates eastern Pag’s signature otherworldly views. The village has a shop, bakery, several cafés and restaurants, including Konoba Marina, whose specialities feature Pag cheese, lamb and octopus cooked under a peka. Local buses connect Zubovići with Metajna and Novalja, although a car remains more convenient for scattered beaches and southern Pag. The village best suits travellers who value swimming, rocky walking routes and quiet evenings over extensive urban entertainment.
Zubovići belongs to Barbat, the chain of settlements that also includes Vidalići, Kustići and Metajna on Pag’s eastern shore. The village occupies a low rise above Pag Bay, opening views between the houses towards the opposite coast and Velebit. The Church of the Immaculate Conception, built in 1854, marks the visual centre. Unlike busier Novalja, daily life here revolves around apartment accommodation, a small shop, a bakery, several places to eat and beaches reached on foot. Stone, dry walls and sparse vegetation are not merely a backdrop but the defining character of this part of the island.
Stays nearby
ApartmentApartmeni Klenovica.eu
Klenovica
65 km from Zubovići, Novalja
up to 4 guests · 1 bedroom
The host confirms the exact price for your dates and availability.
Things to see
The 1854 parish Church of the Immaculate Conception stands on rising ground and is Zubovići’s most recognisable building. The other principal landmark is an archaeological landscape rather than a structure: at the 127-metre summit of Kozje berdo, a stone mound arranged in several concentric circles dates to the Bronze Age. The marked route passes former bauxite workings, descends towards Vela Luka Bay and returns to the village along an old shepherd’s path. Together, the church, prehistoric mound, mining remains and dry-stone walls reveal four distinct layers of life on Barbat’s austere limestone terrain.
Beaches
Veli Žal is the village pebble beach and the simplest option for swimming without driving. Plat lies about one kilometre south of Zubovići; its official description records roughly 150 metres of sand, a refreshment venue, pedal boats, canoes, loungers and parasols. Plat has 60 parking spaces, and a 50-metre section has been allocated to dogs since 2016. For a wilder setting, continue towards Metajna: Ručica combines pebbles and sand, while Beriknica has neither natural shade nor cafés, is reached on foot or by boat, and is instantly recognisable by three rocks aligned in the shallows.
Bathing water quality nearby
- Zubovići · 459 mexcellent · season 2025
- Kustići · 1.7 kmexcellent · season 2025
- Sveti Duh · 2.8 kmnot classified · season 2025
Source: European Environment Agency (EEA); data from Croatian authorities. · bathing water profile
Things to do
Spend the first morning at Veli Žal, the nearest pebble beach below the village, then walk up to the Church of the Immaculate Conception in the cooler evening light for views across the bay. For a more active day, start at the Zubovići playground on the marked Kozje berdo trail: its roughly five-kilometre circuit reaches a 127-metre summit, a Bronze Age stone mound, former bauxite workings and Vela Luka Bay. Devote another outing to Metajna, where the route through Kanjon reaches Ručica before continuing on foot to Beriknica and its three rocks in the shallows. Both walks require sturdy footwear and personal water supplies.
Food and drink
Konoba Marina at Barbatska 18 is Zubovići’s clearest traditional dining address. Its own published selection includes octopus and lamb cooked under a peka, fresh seafood, cured ham, Pag cheese, local wine and grilled dishes. Tourism listings classify it as a konoba serving Croatian and Mediterranean cooking. The village contains several other small restaurants and cafés, although the choice is notably narrower than in Novalja. A peka dinner is best arranged ahead because the dish needs preparation time, and during peak summer weeks the limited number of tables in small Barbat does not always match the apartment population.
Practical information
Practical information
Zubovići has a shop, bakery and several restaurants and cafés, but broader grocery shopping, banking services and onward bus connections are found in Novalja. Administratively, the village belongs to the Town of Novalja and the Zubovići local council, which also covers Kustići and Metajna. The rocky Kozje berdo route offers little dependable shade; official advice calls for sturdy footwear, a charged phone and at least one litre of water per person. Visitor information is handled by the Novalja Tourist Board, while departures on the Novalja–Metajna local bus should be checked against the relevant seasonal timetable before each trip.
Parking
The most clearly documented public beach parking near Zubovići is at Plat, about one kilometre south of the village. An asphalt road reaches the beach, where the official listing records 60 parking spaces. Because Veli Žal sits directly below the residential part of Zubovići, its approaches share narrow local streets and access lanes with nearby houses; apartment guests should use the space provided by their host. For Beriknica, cars are left around Metajna or Ručica, since the final approach takes a little over twenty minutes on foot or about five minutes by taxi boat.
Getting there and around
Zubovići is a stop on the Novalja–Metajna local bus line. The 2026 winter timetable lists departures from Novalja at 4:30 and 17:40, passing Zubovići at 4:46 and 17:56, except on Sundays and public holidays. Drivers approaching from Zagreb can use the Prizna–Žigljen ferry; Jadrolinija gives a crossing time of 15 minutes for route 335. The other approach runs from the Posedarje motorway exit across Pag Bridge, with the Novalja Tourist Board giving 70 km from that exit to Metajna.
Frequently asked questions
Which beach is closest to Zubovići?
Veli Žal is within the village, while Plat lies about one kilometre south of Zubovići.
Where does the Kozje berdo trail begin?
The marked trail begins at the Zubovići playground and forms an approximately five-kilometre circuit.
Does Plat Beach have parking?
Plat’s official listing records 60 parking spaces and an asphalt access road.
What can you order at Konoba Marina?
Konoba Marina lists octopus and lamb cooked under a peka, seafood, Pag cheese, cured ham and local wine.
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Photo credits
- Zubovići, Novalja, Pag — Palauenc05 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Metajna — Mich973 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Kolan — Marijan · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
- Cesarica — Klapi · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
