Medulin Harbour in Istria: Getting There, Harbour Info and Sailing Destinations

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Medulin harbour lies at the eastern end of Medulin Bay in the far south of Istria, about 9 kilometres south of Pula Airport as the crow flies. Here you can read how to get to Medulin, how the harbour is laid out, where to park and shop, what winds to expect, which sailing destinations are nearby and what skippers should bear in mind when arriving.

Where is Medulin harbour?

Medulin harbour lies right by the town at Osipovica, at the eastern end of the wide Medulin Bay. Above the town stands the church with its two bell towers, which you can already see from the sea. To the south lie the small islands of the Medulin archipelago and, beyond them, Cape Kamenjak, the southern tip of Istria.

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The harbour consists of several parts: the yacht section has a new quay wall with berths for seasonal and visiting boats and a floating pontoon, plus mooring buoys in the harbour basin. Alongside are a section with the berths of local boats and the fishermen's piers, as well as a pier head at the Kaštel where the excursion boats pick up their passengers. The harbour is managed by the Istria County port authority, based in Pula. A good 2 kilometres further west in the same bay lies ACI Marina Pomer, a separate harbour with its own approach.

Arriving for the start of your sailing trip in Medulin

From Pula Airport to Medulin

The easiest way to get from the airport to the harbour is by taxi.

The airport shuttle bus goes to Pula bus station at Trg I. istarske brigade. Its departures follow the flight schedule, it leaves about 30 minutes after landing, and a single fare costs 6 euros (as of November 2026). As things stand (November 2026), there is also another airport bus, which serves Medulin, among other places.

The nearest major airports are considerably further away: Rijeka about 135 kilometres from Pula, Trieste about 165, Ljubljana about 220 and Zagreb about 270 kilometres.

By car or train

By car, you reach Pula via the Istrian Y motorway. From the west and north it runs via Trieste, Koper and Buje, and from the east via Rijeka, the Učka Tunnel and Pazin. From Pula, drive southeast to Medulin.

Pula has a railway station. From Slovenia you travel via Ljubljana, changing at Divača and Buzet, and from Zagreb via Rijeka with one section by bus. For the last stretch to Medulin, take a taxi or the suburban bus.

As things stand (November 2026, winter timetable until 10 May 2027), Pulapromet's suburban bus line 25 runs from Pula via Šišan and Ližnjan to Medulin, 13 times on weekdays, 9 times on Saturdays and 3 times on Sundays. The journey takes 25 to 45 minutes, depending on the service.

Parking

There is parking in the village, around 200 to 250 metres from the harbour.

Shopping for the trip

You don't have to go far for your first shop: a Studenac is around 400 metres from the harbour and a Konzum around 450 metres. For a big shop by car or taxi, it is around 1.4 kilometres to Plodine and Lidl.

Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services

The nearest pharmacy is around 900 metres from the harbour. The Apotheke Centar at Giardini 14 in Pula is open around the clock. In Medulin, there is a clinic for tourists at Ulica SAD 37, open daily from 8 am to 9 pm from mid-May. From 1 June to 15 September, a further clinic at Osipovica 33 is also open daily from 9 am to 2 pm. The nearest hospital is Pula General Hospital at Santoriova 24A, around 8 kilometres away, with an emergency department.

• 112: general emergency number, free from all networks
• 194: ambulance, 192: police, 193: fire brigade
• 195: sea rescue, the coastguard coordination centre MRCC Rijeka; at sea you can also reach them on VHF channel 16

What does Medulin harbour offer?

Medulin harbour has 195 berths along the quay wall and 21 mooring buoy berths for yachts and boats of visitors and seasonal berth holders. Boats with a draught of up to 2.20 metres may enter (as of November 2026).

Feature	Details
Position	44° 49′ 2″ N, 13° 55′ 53″ E
Address	Osipovica bb, 52203 Medulin
Administration	Port authority of Istria County (Županijska lučka uprava Pula), Riva 2, Pula
Berths for yachts	195 along the quay wall, 21 on buoys
Berths for locals	362 along the shore, 9 on buoys, plus 11 berths for fishermen
Water depth	along the shore 0.50 to 1.50 m
Maximum draught	2.20 m, deeper only with permission
Size	up to 75 GT
Harbour supervision	+385 91 255 8262, daily 7 am to 9 pm
VHF	Channel 10
Email	info.medulin@lup.hr

Equipment

The harbour is well protected from wind and waves; its limit is the depth of the water. Along the shore it is very shallow, at 0.50 to 1.50 metres. The deepest berths along the quay wall are near the harbour supervision office, where the depth is just under 1.50 metres. For yachts with a draught of 1.80 to 2.20 metres there are only a few buoy berths, and larger boats generally lie on buoys.

The harbour has a reception, and the harbour administration also accepts waste from boats. In winter you can use a pressure washer for your boat.

Mooring fees

A day berth costs €38 on the quay wall or €27 on a buoy for a yacht up to 10.99 metres in length from 16 May to 30 September. For yachts up to 12.99 metres it costs €48 or €34, and for yachts up to 14.99 metres €58 or €42, all including VAT. From 1 October to 15 May you pay half price for a day berth. Catamarans and trimarans pay double the price on the quay wall (as of December 2025).

What sailing weather can you expect in Medulin?

In summer, in fine weather, the maestral usually blows along the coast of Istria, a moderate, steady wind from the northwest to west. From autumn to spring the bora and the jugo play the bigger role. The bora comes down cold and very gusty from the northeast off the mainland. The jugo blows from the southeast and brings cloud, rain and heavy seas. The bay of Medulin is open to the jugo, which builds up a rough sea there. The bora can reach storm force and reduce visibility considerably.

The tides are weak, with an average tidal range of 0.3 to 0.5 metres. The bora and the jugo have a stronger effect on the water level, and that matters in a shallow harbour. A prolonged jugo can raise the water by up to a metre, while a strong bora lowers it by up to 40 centimetres. Fog occurs on only seven to eight days a year, mostly in winter.

Which sailing destinations are near Medulin harbour?

From Medulin, you sail southwest around Cape Kamenjak to the west coast of Istria, or southeast across the Kvarner to the islands of Unije and Lošinj. The distances are rounded stretches over water on the usual course; for precise planning, use the nautical chart.

• Cape Kamenjak: around 4 nm. The southern tip of Istria and the Medulin archipelago are protected nature areas and belong to the European Natura 2000 network of protected sites. The cape is well suited to a first short leg.
• Pomer: in the western part of the same bay. We present ACI Marina Pomer in the Harbour profile of ACI Marina Pomer .
• Pula: about 15 nm, round Kamenjak and north along the west coast. Just before the town lies Marina Veruda, which we describe in the harbour profile of Marina Veruda .
• Unije: about 18 nm southeast across the Kvarner, a stopover on the way to Lošinj.
• Mali Lošinj: about 30 nm, a long day's sail across the Kvarner.

For short days, the coast between Kamenjak and Pula is a good choice; for a week-long sailing trip, try a loop via Unije and Lošinj.

What can you do on a harbour day in Medulin?

Medulin is a holiday resort with beaches, restaurants and accommodation. For Kamenjak and Pula you will need a taxi, a hire car or a bicycle.

• Beaches: The beaches of the municipality of Medulin include Bijeca, Munte and Stupice, as well as the beach at Pomer at the western end of the bay.
• Vižula Archaeological Park: The Vižula peninsula lies in the middle of the village. Finds from the Neolithic period to the early Middle Ages have been made here over an area of around 26 hectares. The Roman villa from the imperial era is well known, one of the largest of its kind on the eastern Adriatic coast, with mosaics and marble. Admission is free, and at the information point you can borrow a tablet with reconstructions of the villa.
• Church with the two towers: It is also one of the village's sights.
• Cape Kamenjak: You reach the southern tip of Istria, with its meadows, maquis and rocky coastline, via the village of Premantura. Entry is free on foot or by bike, while cars are charged a fee in summer.
• Arena in Pula: The Roman amphitheatre from the 1st century stands near the old town, about 9 kilometres as the crow flies from the harbour. Its outer wall rises to a good 32 metres, and during the Pula Film Festival films are shown there under the open sky.
• Aquarium Pula: It is located on the Verudela peninsula on the southern edge of Pula in an Austro-Hungarian fortress from the 19th century and displays animals from the Adriatic, the Mediterranean and tropical waters.

For skippers: berthing and marine weather in Medulin

You reserve your berth in the harbour of Medulin by e-mail at info.medulin@lup.hr. On arrival, you can reach the harbour office on VHF channel 10 or by phone. They will assign you a berth and, if you announce your arrival, help you with mooring on request. Channel 16 is the distress and calling channel.

Registration and Berthing

Check your boat's draught before entering. With up to just under 1.50 metres you will find places along the quay wall, the deepest ones near the harbour master's office. With 1.80 to 2.20 metres, only the few deeper buoy berths come into question. Allow for the water level: during prolonged strong Bora it can be up to 40 centimetres lower.

On the quay wall and the floating pontoon in the yacht section, you moor your boat with three or four lines.

If you enter Croatia by yacht, you pay the safety of navigation fee for the current calendar year, plus the tourist tax. The skipper has the crew list confirmed at the harbour office before departure.

Harbour rules and rules off the coast

• Boats up to 75 GT and up to 2.20 metres draught may enter the harbour. With a deeper draught you need the permission of the harbour master and must sign a declaration that you are entering at your own risk.
• The harbour's water area is divided into a yacht section and a section for local boats.
• Boats flying a foreign flag berth in the yacht section only.
• In the harbour, you proceed slowly and without creating a wash. Swimming, diving, water skiing and windsurfing are prohibited in the harbour, as are open fires on the quay wall and on board.
• Shore power may only be connected while someone is on board; otherwise a fine of €50 plus VAT is payable (as of December 2025).
• Off the Croatian coast, you may travel at a maximum of 5 knots up to 150 metres from the shore, and at a maximum of 8 knots between 150 and 300 metres. Keep at least 50 metres away from designated bathing areas and 150 metres from natural beaches.
• In the Donji Kamenjak and Medulin Archipelago protected area you never anchor in seagrass meadows and check the bottom beforehand.

Approach

The approach to Medulin demands attention, as there are several shoals in the bay. They are marked with poles and topmarks, including Fenera, Konjina, Ceja and Gajdaruš. You enter between Cape Kašteja to the east and Cape Munat to the west; on Munat stands a lighthouse, a red tower with a gallery. The course then leads to the first green lit buoy with a radar reflector and on between two pairs of red and green lit buoys as far as the last red buoy. At night, stay within the white sector of the light on Munat, which leads clear of shoals and islets.

Tidal currents of up to 0.3 knots set in the bay; stormy wind from the southeast or northeast can strengthen the current to up to 1 knot. The green and red buoys belong to the approach to Medulin; the approach to ACI Marina Pomer lies further west.

Larger boats anchor between the islets of Ceja and Trumbuj, where the anchor holds well. Small boats anchor in the inner part of the bay south of the islet of Pomerski školjić, sheltered there from all winds.

Which marine weather forecast applies in Medulin?

The marine weather forecast for small craft issued by the Croatian meteorological service DHMZ applies to Medulin. It is published by the Split marine weather centre for the entire Adriatic: first the warnings and the weather situation, then the forecast for wind, sea state and visibility for the next 12 hours, and an outlook for the following 12 hours. You can read it on the Meteorological Service website in Croatian, English, German and Italian, or listen to it on VHF.

The coast radio station Rijeka Radio broadcasts weather reports and warnings in English and Croatian at 05:30, 12:30, 19:30 and 00:30 UTC on VHF channels 04, 19, 20, 23, 24, 81 and 85, which in summer means two hours later in local time.

Sailing trips from Medulin on Törnfinder

All current offers can be found in the trip overview, trips throughout the country under Sailing in Croatia and trips in the wider sailing area under Sailing in the Adriatic.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from Pula airport to Medulin harbour?

The easiest way is by taxi; the airport lies about 9 kilometres as the crow flies to the north. An airport bus to Medulin also runs.

Where do I park at the start of the sailing trip in Medulin?

In one of the car parks in the town, around 200 to 250 metres from the harbour.

Is there a supermarket near the harbour in Medulin?

Yes. A Studenac is around 400 metres from the harbour and a Konzum around 450 metres. You can reach Plodine and Lidl by car after around 1.4 kilometres.

Do sailing yachts in Medulin moor at the quay wall or on buoys?

That depends on the draught. At the quay wall the water is at most just under 1.50 metres deep. Yachts with a draught of 1.80 to 2.20 metres and larger boats moor on buoys in the harbour basin.

Is the harbour in Medulin the same as ACI Marina Pomer?

No. Both are in Medulin Bay, but ACI Marina Pomer lies a good 2 kilometres further west near the village of Pomer, with its own access road.

How do I reserve a berth in the harbour in Medulin?

By e-mail at info.medulin@lup.hr. You can also reach the harbour office on +385 91 255 8262, daily from 7 am to 9 pm.