Forest Kontija

The Kontija forest is located between the settlements of Kloštar, Gradina, and Flengi (Prodani), covering an area of 65 hectares, and boasts beautiful excursion spots as well as maintained hiking and cycling trails.

Since 1964, the area has been designated as the Kontija Forest Reserve, but it has excited and been nurtured much earlier, dating back to the period of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Within the Kontija Forest, the best preserved area of white hornbeam vegetation can be found, which is over 140 years old. In addition to the predominant white hornbeam, the forest is home to downy oak (Quercus pubescens), flowering ash (Fraxinus ornus), Montpellier maple (Acer monspessulanum), Turkey oak (Quercus cerris), prickly juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus) and common juniper (Juniperus communis). In the shrub layer, you can find: mahaleb cherry and blackthorn (Prunus mahaleb and Prunus spinosa), Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas), wild privet (Ligustrum vulgare) and European smoketree (Cotinus coggygria). The herbaceous layer contains hellebore (Helleborus multifidus), butcher’s-broom (Ruscus aculeatus), autumn moor grass (Sesleria autumnalis) and wall germander (Teucrium chamaedris).

The forest area also includes the Mukaba hillfort, one of the most beautiful examples of prehistoric settlements with visible and numerous remains of fortifications built using the dry stone wall technique. From Mukaba, you can enjoy not only one of the most beautiful natural viewpoints of the Lim Bay, St. Euphemia, Vrsar and its’ islands, but also an exceptional observation point of the entire Kontija Forest and the settlements behind the coast of Vrsar.

The Kontija area is an ideal oasis of peace, silence, and natural ambiance, which is extremely suitable for hiking, day trips, recreational cycling, and spending time in nature.