{"id":3550,"date":"2026-03-18T16:59:59","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T16:59:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/?p=3550"},"modified":"2026-07-15T12:28:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T12:28:38","slug":"a-few-hours-on-mars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/en\/2026\/03\/18\/a-few-hours-on-mars\/","title":{"rendered":"A Few Hours on \u201cMars\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>No, don&#8217;t worry, I&#8217;m not going to give you a lecture on the Solar System. The name \u201cLife on Mars\u201d refers to a network of running and hiking trails on the beautiful Croatian island of Pag, more specifically near the village of Metajna, which is just a short drive from the major tourist resort of Novalja. The \u201cLife on Mars\u201d network includes four hiking sections with a total length of 16 km. It also features Croatia\u2019s first coastal via ferrata, also named \u201cLife on Mars,\u201d which is 100 meters long and rated at difficulty level D\/E. I don\u2019t consider the via ferrata dangerous, since it runs just above the water\u2014so even if you fall, you\u2019ll just take a dip in the sea. However, it\u2019s actually quite challenging, since you traverse almost the entire route in a backward-leaning position and have to rely mainly on your hands.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1184px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1-3.jpg\" width=\"1184\" height=\"670\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">&#8222;Life on Mars&#8220; Hiking and Running Trail Complex<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>*Metajna*<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A few words about the resort town of Metajna. It is a tiny village located at the end of Pag Bay; the road ends here, and from there you can only continue on foot. It is a relatively young village; its history dates back only to the early 18th century, when two Croatian fishing families settled here.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2-3.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Metajna<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Metajna is also popular for its wild beaches, where\u2014if you\u2019re lucky\u2014you\u2019ll have them all to yourself even during the high season. Although the village has its own beach, the truly beautiful ones are a few meters away\u2014or, in some cases, kilometers away. The best-known beaches are Ru\u010dica, Beritnica, and Slana, but there are, of course, many more.<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 640px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-3550-1\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Video-1.mp4?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Video-1.mp4\">https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Video-1.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<p>And we mustn&#8217;t forget the beautiful &#8222;lunar&#8220; landscape that surrounds Metajna. It is precisely through this landscape that the trails included in Life on Mars wind their way.<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 640px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-3550-2\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Video-2.mp4?_=2\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Video-2.mp4\">https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Video-2.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>*My little self on the &#8222;Life on Mars&#8220; route*<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In the morning, I parked my car in the large parking lot by Ru\u010dica Beach, which is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island of Pag. The weather was perfect for this kind of trip&#8230; the sun was shining, occasionally obscured by a passing cloud. I was looking forward to the beautiful views. These feelings were further enhanced by the sight of the sea, which reflected every shade of blue. Here, too, it was a sight fit for the gods\u2014or, in my case, for the Goddess \ud83d\ude42 .<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/3-2.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ru\u010dica Beach<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/5-2.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ru\u010dica Beach<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/7-2.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/15-2.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/17-2.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/10-2.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/16-2.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/18-2.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" \/><\/p>\n<p>From Ru\u010dica Beach, the trail began to climb into the hills. The ascent wasn\u2019t difficult; the terrain was mostly rocky, and the trail alternated between ascents and descents. It was fascinating for me to see the sea and wild beaches on one side and massive mountain ranges, such as Visoka Strana (205 m), on the other.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/21-2.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The climb from Ru\u010dica Beach<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20-2.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Visoka strana<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/22-2.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Between the Sea and the Mountains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I come to a massive rock formation, alongside which the road winds its way to Beritnica Beach\u2014another beautiful beach.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/23-3.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/24-2.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/25-2.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Since I was looking forward to the via ferrata, I decided to continue along the Life on Mars trail and not descend to Beritnica Beach. I plan to return there in the summer. In the distance, I can already see one of the landmarks of my journey\u2014the Stogaj rock massif, which I\u2019ve affectionately nicknamed \u201cThe Cathedral\u201d and which is known for having several climbing routes. As I get closer to \u201cThe Cathedral,\u201d I find myself more and more fascinated by it. Only one thought comes to mind: how small a person really is&#8230; \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/28-2.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/30-2.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I continue along the red trail toward Slana Bay and Beach, and I can&#8217;t get enough of the views.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/38-2.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1599\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Slana Bay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/33-2.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/36-2.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/39-2.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/40-2.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/41-2.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This beautiful place also hides a tremendous tragedy&#8230; During World War II, a men\u2019s concentration camp was built right above the bay; it was part of the Usta\u0161e network of concentration camps. The camp was established in June 1941 and covered an area of approximately 5 hectares. The first group\u201430 Jews from Zagreb\u2014was interned in the camp on June 20, 1941. The camp existed for only a few months, but thousands of Jews, Serbs, and Croats who did not support the Usta\u0161e regime perished there (the estimated number of victims is approximately 12,000). Please, God, never let this happen again :\u00b4-( .<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>*Via Ferrata*<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As I approach Slana Beach and see dark clouds in the sky, I feel a little uneasy because I think I heard thunder in the distance. I tell myself that can\u2019t be possible, because the forecast didn\u2019t call for a storm. I slowly make my way down to the beach toward the via ferrata and can\u2019t wait to get geared up. When I reached the beach, I set my things down in a rock alcove and began preparing to start the via ferrata. I gradually take items out of my backpack. First, I put on my helmet to take a few selfies. After this little ritual of mine, I went to take the harness out of my backpack, but lo and behold, it wasn\u2019t there. I only had a fall arrest device and carabiners. Now what? Just then, like a bolt from the blue\u2014literally a bolt of lightning from the now-overcast sky\u2014it struck. I\u2019ve been through storms in open terrain before, and I have to admit, they really scare me.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/42-2.jpg\" width=\"960\" height=\"1280\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>*The Way Back*<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This time, I moved at lightning speed\u2014I packed up my things in a flash and set off on the way back. The raincoat from Switzerland served its purpose 100%. I turned off my cell phone just to be safe, and I won\u2019t lie\u2014I even prayed on the way and shed a few tears. There was nowhere to hide\u2014there were only rocks everywhere. You can probably guess that I don\u2019t have any photos from this stretch&#8230; .<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>*&#8230;and after the rain, the sun always comes out&#8230;*<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In this case, the sun didn&#8217;t come out, but at least the storm had passed. So I turned on my phone and took a selfie to see if it was still me \ud83d\ude42 .<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/117.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1599\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">But it&#8217;s still me \ud83d\ude42<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>*Back to Ru\u010dica Beach*<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The beach scenery is beautiful in any weather\u2014see for yourself&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/47-2.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/51-2.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/54-1.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/46-2.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/44-2.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/49-2.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This route was very short, measuring about 6.5 kilometers. Normally, you can complete it in two hours, but thanks to the storm, my time was much, much faster. The hike around Slana Bay isn\u2019t difficult at all; almost anyone can do it. So don\u2019t wait\u2014go for it \ud83d\ude42 &#8230; By the way, I made sure to be prepared this time, and when I got back to the car, a chilled Pilsner was waiting for me\u2014just in time.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/57.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1599\" \/><\/p>\n<p>On my way to Starigrad, where I was staying, I stopped to watch some donkeys grazing. I have to say, they were very photogenic and used to people.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/60.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/58.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/59.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><\/p>\n<p>If you decide to follow in my footsteps and need advice on accommodations, food, hiking trails, or other ways to spend your time on Pag island, feel free to contact me via email at ajka@uzisibalkaninak.com, my Facebook page \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/share\/18n4hwjo1Q\/?mibextid=wwXIfr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enjoy the Balkans differently<\/a>\u201d or<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/uzisibalkaninak\/?igsh=M2FscHB5dm1vZXg0&amp;utm_source=qr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u00a0Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/89.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/62.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Something like that \ud83d\ude42<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>No, don&#8217;t worry, I&#8217;m not going to give you a lecture on the Solar System. The name \u201cLife on Mars\u201d refers to a network of running and hiking trails on the beautiful Croatian island of Pag, more specifically near the village of Metajna, which is just a short drive from the major tourist resort of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":314,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[878,824],"tags":[830,1896,1980,1978,1145,856,858,1974,1982,1984,1972,1976,1986,1988,1990,1661],"class_list":["post-3550","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-croatia","category-uncategorized","tag-balkans","tag-beach","tag-beritnica","tag-concentration-camp","tag-croatia","tag-hike","tag-hiking","tag-island","tag-life-on-mars","tag-metajna","tag-pag","tag-rock","tag-rucica","tag-slana","tag-stogaj","tag-via-ferrata"],"lang":"en","translations":{"en":3550,"sk":192},"pll_sync_post":{},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3550","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3550"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3550\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3551,"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3550\/revisions\/3551"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/314"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3550"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3550"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3550"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}