Shells’ cemetery & salty meadow

Explore the bivalve shells’ cemetery, where 234 species of all the bivalves of the Gulf of Trieste can be found.

The rain gradually washed away the mud from the piles of silt, leaving only the limestone mollusk shells.

Mediterranean salty meadow is the only meadow of its kind in Slovenia and one of the few on the eastern Adriatic coast.

This unique and ecologically important area is classified as a natural asset of national importance and part of the Natura 2000 network.

Located between Sv. Katarina bay and St . Nicholas monastery, the salt y meadow is a special example of a seashore which is not steep, rocky, or sandy, but rather muddy, moist, and shallow. The area is extremely important for many birds and a habitat of rare and endangered salt-loving plants. It is accessible to visitors via a raised wooden nature trail.

Access: Turn off the highway on the Ankaran exit and drive towards the Sv. Katarina (Polje Bay), located a few hundred meters behind the barracks, opposite the car wash. Then take the side road to a small marina and a football pitch where you can park. A hiking trail then leads you to the eastern edge of the marina to the dunes (see Google maps).