Fratarski Island

Fratarski Island (also called Otok Veruda) is a small island at the entrance to Veruda Bay, just south of Pula, on Croatia's Istrian coast — not to be confused with any island near Cres or Lošinj in the Kvarner Gulf, further down the coast. Its name comes from the Croatian word for friar (fratar): the island once held a monastery of Observant Franciscans, whose remains can still be seen there.

The island is reached only by boat, most commonly a seasonal passenger service of around 10 minutes from Marina Bunarina in Veruda. It is largely covered in pine woods, with a pebble eco-beach and rocky coves used for swimming and snorkeling in a sheltered bay. There is no permanent electricity supply; the seasonal beach bar that runs in summer uses a generator. Sources differ on how touristy the island now is — some describe an organized eco-beach open from June to September with basic facilities (toilets, a bar, a children's playground), others describe it as a low-key spot favored mainly by Pula locals — but all agree it has no year-round population and is boat-access only.

Sitting just off the coast at Veruda, it's one of the anchorages you'll visit on a private gulet cruise in Croatia along this stretch of the Istrian coast.