Marina Vrsar in Istria: Getting there, harbour information and sailing destinations

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Marina Vrsar lies on the west coast of Istria in Croatia, directly below the old town of Vrsar, near the entrance to Limski kanal. Here you'll find how to reach Vrsar from the airport and by car, bus or train, where to park and shop, what weather to expect, which destinations are nearby and what skippers should know about berthing and sea conditions.

Where is Marina Vrsar?

The marina lies on the south side of the Montraker peninsula with its old quarry, just below the hill with the old town. Its address is the waterfront road Obala maršala Tita, and the town begins directly at the marina site.

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It's around 10 kilometres by road to Poreč, around 25 to Rovinj and around 45 kilometres to Pula. Off Vrsar lie around 18 small, uninhabited islands which break up the water in front of the town. Around three kilometres further north lies Marina Funtana, which belongs to the same operator. This article covers only Marina Vrsar, which has existed since 2001.

Arriving for your trip start at Marina Vrsar

The following sections take you from the airport to the pontoon.

From Pula airport to Vrsar

Pula airport lies around 45 kilometres south of Vrsar and is the nearest international airport. The quickest way to Vrsar is by taxi, transfer or hire car. By car you drive via Vodnjan and Bale to Kloštar and from there to the coast.

By public transport, first take the Pula Shuttle from the airport to Pula bus station at Trg I istarske brigade 1. The shuttle leaves about 30 minutes after each landing, and a single fare costs €6 (as of now, November 2026). From Pula bus station, regional buses run to Vrsar via Rovinj; departure times vary by day of the week and season.

Other airports within reach are Trieste (Ronchi), Rijeka, Ljubljana and Venice. From there you continue by hire car or bus.

By car, bus or train

From the north, that is from Slovenia or Italy, you drive via the border crossings at Kaštel or Plovanija onto the motorway, leave it at the Delići junction and drive via Kloštar to Vrsar. An alternative along the coast runs via Buje, Novigrad and Poreč. From Rijeka and Zagreb you come through the Učka tunnel via Pazin to the Delići junction. In Croatia speed limits are 50 km/h in built-up areas, 80 outside and 130 on motorways.

Long-distance buses stop in Poreč, around 10 kilometres to the north. From there regional buses run to Vrsar, and there are also connections to Rovinj and Pula. Railway stations are in Kanfanar, in Pazin around 30 kilometres from Vrsar, and in Pula. From Zagreb you travel by train and bus via Rijeka to Istria, from Ljubljana with changes to Pula.

In summer, passenger ships run from Venice and Trieste to Poreč and Rovinj, and from both places you can get to Vrsar by bus or taxi. As of now (November 2026), the ferry from Venice to Poreč usually runs up to five times a week from April to October and takes around 3 to 5 hours. From Trieste to Poreč, fast boats run on two to three days a week from late June to early September, and the journey takes around 1¼ to just under 2 hours.

Parking

The marina has its own car park right on site. It provides luggage trolleys for bags and provisions crates. One parking space per boat is included in the berth fee. For additional cars, and for all public car parks in the town, you pay charges from 20 April to 31 October: in the marina car park, €3.50 per hour or €50 per day from June to September, and €2 per hour or €35 per day in spring and in October. The large main car park is cheaper, at €25 per day in high season and €10 in the shoulder seasons (as of 2026).

Showers and sanitary facilities

The marina has air-conditioned sanitary facilities with showers and a laundry. The washing machine and tumble dryer run on tokens costing €7 and €3.50 respectively (as of the 2026 price list).

Shopping for the trip

You don't have to go far for provisions: within walking distance of the marina there is a supermarket, a fish market and a fruit and vegetable market. Bank, bureau de change and post office are also nearby. For a big shop there is a larger supermarket in Vrsar on Ulica Sv. Martin.

On the marina premises itself there is a restaurant, a café and a chandlery.

Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services

There are two doctors' surgeries in Vrsar, one of them at the sports hall at Petalon 1F. The Apotheke Vrsar pharmacy is in the same building. It is open from 7 am to 7 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from 8 am to 7 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and from 8 am to 1 pm on Saturdays. In season, the pharmacy in the neighbouring village of Funtana, Istarska 37, is open daily from 8 am to 9 pm. The Apotheke Centar in Pula, Giardini 14, is open around the clock (as of November 2026).

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

Marina Vrsar at a glance

Marina Vrsar has 200 berths in the water and 40 ashore; yachts up to 50 metres in length can be accommodated here. The key details at a glance:

Feature	Details
Position	approx. 45° 09.0′ N, 013° 36.0′ E
Operator	Montraker d.o.o., Vrsar
Address	Obala maršala Tita 1a, 52450 Vrsar
Berths	200 in the water, 40 ashore
Water depth	4 to 14 m in the approach and at the berths
Yacht size	up to 50 m
VHF channel	17
Fuel station	in the marina, near the berths, 4 m water depth
Crane	30 t
Phone	+385 52 441 052, mobile +385 91 441 0526

The reception is video-monitored, and there is also Wi-Fi. A diving service, workshops and a dry berth with slipway complete the facilities.

What weather can you expect in Vrsar?

In summer, the Adriatic usually enjoys settled, clear weather. On the open sea the Maestral blows from the northwest, though it remains weak in the northern Adriatic. Along the coast the wind changes over the course of the day: during the day it blows from the sea towards the land, and at night from the land towards the sea.

In the colder half of the year, especially in winter, the Bora is typical. It blows from the northeast, which means offshore at Vrsar, is very gusty, can reach great strength and last for a long time, and is the prevailing wind on the Istrian coast. The Jugo from the southeast blows steadily and strongly, but is rarer and weaker in the northern Adriatic than further south. Tides play hardly any role, and the difference between high and low water is usually around half a metre. Strong onshore wind raises the water level, offshore wind such as the Bora lowers it, and low air pressure raises it further.

Which cruising destinations lie near Vrsar?

From Vrsar you can reach the harbours of the Istrian west coast with short legs; the entrance to the Limski kanal lies almost on your doorstep. Distances are rounded water distances on the usual course; for precise planning the chart applies.

Limski kanal

About 2 nautical miles to the south opens the Limski kanal, a karst gorge flooded by the sea and almost 13 kilometres long. Since 1964 it has been protected as a significant landscape; since 1980 the water has been a special marine reserve. Freshwater springs at the end of the bay make the water brackish, and mussels and oysters are cultivated in it. On the rock faces of the north side you can see several cave openings. Planing speed is prohibited in the canal.

Funtana and Poreč

Funtana lies about 2 nautical miles to the north; the marina there is presented in the profile of Marina Funtana . Poreč with the Euphrasian Basilica is about 6 nautical miles away.

Rovinj and beyond

Rovinj lies about 6 nautical miles to the south, past the entrance to the Limski kanal. You reach Novigrad after about 11 nautical miles to the north. For a longer cruise, southern Istria is a good choice; there we present the Marina Veruda in Pula . Venice lies about 53 nautical miles away on the other side of the Adriatic.

What can you do on a harbour day in Vrsar?

The old town, viewpoints and the Romanesque basilica lie within walking distance of the marina.

Basilica of St Mary of the Sea

The Romanesque Basilica of St Mary of the Sea stands directly on the coastal road. An early Christian church was already built on this site between the 4th and 6th centuries. The three-aisled basilica has three apses and heavy columns carved from single pieces of stone. Vrsar's oldest cemetery once lay around the church.

Old Town and viewpoints

The old town sits on the hill directly above the marina. The main viewpoint lies below the Church of St Anthony, just beneath the Small Gate. Behind St Martin's parish church you look north over Valkanela Bay and the islands off Funtana. At the Casanova viewpoint stands a bench made from Istrian stone. The name recalls that Giacomo Casanova visited Vrsar twice in the 18th century.

Montraker quarry

Since 1991, an international sculpture school has taken place every summer in the disused Montraker quarry on the peninsula beside the marina. Stone from Vrsar was in demand in Venice during the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Sculptures from previous years stand along the promenade, at beaches and in the town's parks.

Dušan Džamonja sculpture park

From 1970, the sculptor Dušan Džamonja built a house, a studio and a sculpture park in Vrsar. The park lies on the edge of town towards Funtana at Valkanela 5, and admission is free. It opens at 9 am and stays open until 8 pm from June to August, until 7 pm from March to May and in September and October, and until 5 pm from November to February (as of November 2026).

For skippers: berthing and sea weather in Marina Vrsar

For Marina Vrsar use VHF channel 17. Channel 16 is the distress and calling channel; you can also reach the maritime rescue coordination centre MRCC Rijeka there. Channel 10 is for direct calls to the harbour office.

Registration and Berthing

Before entering, register on VHF channel 17 or by telephone on +385 52 441 052. For an advance enquiry there is a form and the current price list on the operator's website a form and the current price list.

A day berth for a yacht of 12 to 12.99 metres costs €90 from April to June and from September to December, and €110 in July and August; for 14 to 14.99 metres it costs €105 and €130 respectively (as of the 2026 price list). The price includes electricity, drinking water, showers and sanitary facilities, as well as one parking space per boat. A 50 per cent surcharge applies to catamarans and trimarans. On the last paid day, you leave the berth by 1 pm. Outside July and August, you pay five daily rates for seven days.

Approach

The marina lies sheltered behind the small island of Sveti Juraj with its Romanesque church. The approach and berths have water depths of 4 to 14 metres.

Speed along the coast and in Limski kanal

In Croatia you travel at a maximum of 5 knots within 150 metres of the coast, and at a maximum of 8 knots between 150 and 300 metres. A yacht keeps at least 150 metres from a natural beach and at least 50 metres from a designated bathing beach. Planing is prohibited in Limski kanal.

What applies with a yacht under a foreign flag?

If you come from a Schengen country such as Slovenia or Italy, there is no border control. If you come from outside the Schengen area, Poreč is the nearest port with a border crossing where you clear in. The harbour office branch in Poreč is at Obala maršala Tita 17, telephone +385 52 431 663; another is in Rovinj, telephone +385 52 811 132.

Every boat pays the maritime safety fee, which is calculated according to length and engine power and is valid for the whole calendar year. You pay the tourist tax for everyone spending the night on board before departure via the portal nautika.evisitor.hr; the receipt stays on board. The skipper has the crew list stamped by the harbour office before departure. An overview is provided by the Croatian National Tourist Board website.

Which sea weather forecast applies in Vrsar?

The sea weather report of the Croatian meteorological service DHMZ for the Adriatic applies to Istria. You can read it on the weather service's website, also in German, or listen to it on VHF.

The report begins with warnings, then follows the weather situation, forecast for wind, sea state and visibility for the next twelve hours and an outlook for the twelve hours after that. 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. Get the report before setting out, especially when Bora or Jugo are forecast.

Trips from Vrsar on Törnfinder

You can find all current dates in the trip overview. Offers throughout the country are listed under Sailing in Croatia, trips in the whole sailing area under Sailing in the Adriatic.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from Pula Airport to Marina Vrsar?

By taxi, transfer or hire car over about 45 kilometres. Without a car you take the Pula Shuttle to Pula city centre and from there the regional bus to Vrsar.

Where do I park at the start of the trip at Marina Vrsar?

In the marina's own car park. One parking space per boat is included in the berth fee, and additional cars pay €50 per day there from June to September. The public car parks in the town are subject to charges from 20 April to 31 October (as of 2026).

Are there showers at Marina Vrsar?

Yes. The marina has air-conditioned sanitary facilities with showers, plus a laundry.

Is there a supermarket near Marina Vrsar?

Yes, within walking distance of the marina, plus a fish market and a fruit and vegetable market. You'll find a larger supermarket on Ulica Sv. Martin.

How far is it from Vrsar to Limski kanal?

The entrance lies about 2 nautical miles south of the marina. Wake speed is prohibited in the canal, the water is a special marine reserve.

What VHF channel does Marina Vrsar use?

The marina monitors VHF channel 17.

Is there a fuel berth in Marina Vrsar?

Yes, near the berths and with 4 metres depth.

How much does a berth cost at Marina Vrsar?

For a 12-metre yacht, €90 per day, or €110 in July and August, including electricity, water and a parking space (as of the 2026 price list).