| Other name | Orsera |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 45°09′N 13°36′E |
| County | Istria County |
| Mayor | Ivan Gerometta[1] (IDS) |
| Unit pref | Imperial |
| Area total | 36.5 km² |
| Area urban | 15.2 km² |
| Population as of | 2021 |
| Population total | 1923 |
| Population urban | 1535 |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| Time zone (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Postal code[2] | 52440 Poreč |
| Area code | 52 |
| Website | vrsar.hr |
Vrsar (Italian and Venetian: Orsera)[3] is a seaside village and a municipality in Istria, west Croatia, located 9 kilometers south of Poreč.[4][5] The historical center is located on top of a hill, including the St. Martin parish church and the 40-meter high bell tower. In the 20th century, the town expanded down the hill, into the surrounding area.[6] It is a popular summer destination with large campsites, private accommodation units and a modern marina.[7] It is the home of the large Koversada Naturist Campsite, the oldest in Istria.
Municipality
The municipality consists of Vrsar as the largest settlement and 8 villages in the interior, including Begi, Bralići, Delići, Flengi, Gradina, Kloštar, Kontešići and Marasi. Funtana, the nearby coastal town, was a part of the Vrsar municipality until 2006. Town council has 11 representatives[8] elected every four years. Local government is based in a refurbished historical building in the central Degrassi Square.[9]
Demographics
According to the 2021 census, its population was 1,923. with 1,535 living in the town proper.[10] It was 2,162 in 2011.[11]
The municipality consists of the following settlements:[10]
- Begi, population 31
- Bralići, population 23
- Delići, population 21
- Flengi, population 149
- Gradina, population 44
- Kloštar, population 41
- Kontešići, population 4
- Marasi, population 75
- Vrsar, population 1535
Language
Although though the Government of the Republic of Croatia does not guarantee official Croatian-Italian bilinguialism here, the statute of Vrsar itself does.[12]: 3
History
Vrsar was part of the Republic of Venice (1420-1797), then of the French Kingdom of Italy firstly, and Illyrian Provinces till 1814. After the fall of Napoleon, it was part of the Austrian Littoral up to 1915 then became part of Kingdom of Italy (1918–1947) after which it was part of Yugoslavia until 1991 when incorporated in the Republic of Croatia.[13]
Naturist Park
The Koversada Naturist Park is located 2 kilometers south of Vrsar. It has over 1100 camping emplacements, 350 with their own water and 600 with internet connections.[14] It is situated in ninety hectares of olive groves on the shore and on a tiny island. It is linked to the town by a tourist train.[14]
In 2025 Koversada was turned into a mainly textile campsite "Koversada Covered" [15] while a small part of the campsite is still a naturist site "Koversada uncovered". [16]
Notable people
- Francesco Carpenetti (born 1942), Italian footballer
- Lino Červar (born 1950), Croatian handball coach
- Egidio Grego (1894–1917), Italian aviator
- Antonio Quarantotto (1897–1987), Italian swimmer
References
- ^ "Administration". Vrsar.hr. Vrsar municipality. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ^ Wikidata item Q125763583
- ^ Lalli Paćelat, Ivana; Brkić Bakarić, Marija; Matticchio, Isabella (2020-10-30). "Službena dvojezičnost u Istarskoj županiji: stanje i perspektive" [Official Bilingual Status in Istria County: State and Perspectives] (in Croatian). Rasprave Instituta za hrvatski jezik. 46 (2): 815-837. doi:10.31724/rihjj.46.2.20
- ^ "Vrsar - tourist guide". Adriagate. Retrieved 2019-12-15.
- ^ Sinke (2016-09-12). "Three Reasons to Visit Vrsar". Croatia Times. Archived from the original on 2019-12-15. Retrieved 2019-12-15.
- ^ Baldini, Marino. "Vrsar". Istrapedia. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ^ "Marina Vrsar". Montraker.hr. Montraker. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ^ "Općinsko vijeće". Vrsar.hr. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ^ "Jedinstveni upravni odjel". Vrsar.hr. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ^
- ^
- ^ "Izvješće o provođenju Ustavnog zakona o pravima nacionalnih manjina i o utrošku sredstava osiguranih u Državnom proračunu Republike Hrvatske za 2023. godinu za potrebe nacionalnih manjina" (in Croatian). Vlada Republike Hrvatske. November 2023. Archived 2025-04-30 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Vrsar - Travel guide for tourists in Istria, Croatia". Istria Sun. Retrieved 2019-12-15.
- ^ "Naturist campsite Koversada - Vrsar, Istria - CAMPING.HR". www.camping.hr. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
- ^ "Koversada Covered Campsite - Vrsar, Istria - Maistra". Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ^ "Koversada Uncovered Naturist Campsite - Vrsar, Istria - Maistra". Retrieved 23 July 2025.