WHERE TO GO
PLACES YOU MAY LIKE TO VISIT
If you want to escape crowded beaches in days of highest season, then renting a boat is perfect option for you.
ISLAND PRVIĆ
Prvić is an uninhabited island located southeast of Krk, separated from it by Senjska vrata (eng. Senj Passage). Prvić has an area of 12,76 km2 which makes it the 30th largest Croatian island. On the island is located the automatic Stražica Lighthouse and near it is cape Brezonjin. Prvić’s highest peak is Šipovac (357 m above sea level). Although most of the island is inaccessible as its coastal areas are made up of steep barren cliffs 250–300 m high, on the west coast there are dozen private sandy beaches suitable for swimmers, along with the largest southwestern beach Njivica with traces of a medieval settlement owned by Frankopan.
Harbours nearest to Prvić are Sveti Juraj, a village near Senj at the foot of the Velebit, and Baška on the island of Krk. 3 km of Prvić is the island of Sveti Grgur (eng. Saint Gregory) separated from Prvić by the Grgurov kanal (eng. Gregory’s Channel). In addition, 3 km to the south of Prvić’s southernmost point is Goli otok (eng. “barren island”).
Although the island is uninhabited, it is frequently used by shepherds for pasture and by local beekeepers who keep apiaries on the island. On the island you may also see Griffon vultures, a protected bird species, which are known to breed at Prvić. In addition, there are 17 species of endemic plants which grow on the island. Because of this the island of Prvić is protected as a special botanical and ornithological reserve from 1972.
ISLAND SVETI GRGUR
Sveti Grgur is uninhabited island between Rab and Krk. Located 7 km away from the mainland and 1 km away from nearest village Lopar on island Rab. Its surface is 6,7 km² and it’s mostly covered with forest which make it as the most wooded island on Kvarner.
In the northwest bay of Sv. Grgur are ruins of building and a port of Porat. Earlier on the island people were digging bauxite and in recent times this island was leased as a hunting lodge of deer. From 1948. until 1988. the island of Sveti Grgur was used as a women prison in Yugoslavia.
The island has dozen of small and beautiful isolated beaches waiting for you to enjoy all day long in peace in crystal clear blue sea. You may also find a restaurant Arta which we recommend you to visit and try their fish or meat dishes, which ever you prefer more.
ISLAND GOLI
Goli Otok is a barren, uninhabited island that was the site of a political prison which was in use when Croatia was part of Yugoslavia. The prison was in operation between 1948. and 1988. It is located between the north-eastern part of the island of Rab and the land coast in the northern part of the Velebit Channel with an area of approximately 4,5 km2. West of it is the island of Sveti Grgur and the northernmost island of Prvić. It is about 6 km from the mainland and 5 km from the island of Rab. Exposed to strong bora winds, particularly in the winter, the island’s surface is almost completely devoid of vegetation, giving Goli Otok (“barren island” in Croatian) its name.
It is also known as ‘Croatian Alcatraz’ because of its location on an island and high security. After the conflict between Tito and Stalin in 1948., the Yugoslav authorities established a political camp, Goli otok, in which the prisoners were mostly sent to administrative decisions without any trial, it was stated that Josip Broz Tito himself. It was the most guarded prison in Yugoslavia. Prisoners were forced into heavy physical work in quarry and bauxite mines, regardless of weather conditions: in the summer at high temperatures as well as in cold weather in the winter. The guards regularly beat and mistreated the prisoners. The prison ceased operations in 1988., and the year after, 1989., it is completely abandoned and is now part of the ruins.
The island is visited today by tourists, and fishermen and shepherds from the island of Rab, who bring their sheep to summer. On the island you also have a bar if you want to refresh yourself with beverages.
SAN MARINO - RAJSKA PLAŽA
So called Rajska (Paradise) beach is the largest and best known sandy beach in Lopar on island Rab. Almost 2 kilometers long and offers diverse attractions for tourists.
It has been awarded with Blue flag for the quality of water, preservation of natural surroundings as well as safety. It even got on the CNN’s Top 100 world beaches list.
There is a lot to do, from beach volleyball, to aquaparks, parasailing and beach parties. If you have a dog, take it to the south part of the beach and enjoy a swim together.
RAB
As a multiple award winner of the for the best tourist spot on the Adriatic, Rab town is located on the narrow lintel of the country surrounded by ancient walls. The recognizable sight of the old town consists four bell towers, with which Rab resembles a sailboat with four masts: the bell towers of the Assumption Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the church of St. John the Evangelist (located beside the ruins of the church), the church of St. Andrew the Apostle and the Church of St. Justine. Slightly further inland is a beautiful park Komrčar with numerous trails running around the wooded hills and descending to beaches.
To the Protector of Rab, St. Christofor, is given the merit for rescuing the island from the attacker. His skull is kept in the relic of the cathedral.
If you want you can visit a large collection of sacred art in the Franciscan monastery of St. Bernardin with two churches (St. Euphemia and St. Bernard) where you will find pictures, valuable old books, precious works of ecclesiastical art, an ethnographic and numismatic collection and much more.
STARA BAŠKA
Stara Baška is a village 2 km long in the southern part of the island of Krk, and along its length you may find few beautiful beaches. Village is situated on a steep slope. At the end of Stara Baška lies the beach Zala and above the beach are the ruins of St. John’s church.
The place is located in the open cove of the same name, and the hills are protecting it from the wind Bora, and the hilltop Klobučac is protecting it from the wind Jugo. Still, Stara Baška is one of the most windiest part of the island Krk. Because of the frequent and strong Bora, the surrounding hills are obscured with low growth vegetation, among which is sage very common.
At the end of the village is a small harbor that provides security not only to boats of local people but also to many sailors and tourist boats during the summer season. In the cove, about 3 km from the village is a small uninhabited island of Galun.
Stara Baška has a shop, tavern, 3 pansions with restaurants, pizzeria and the Škrila camp.
ISLAND PLAVNIK
Plavnik is an uninhabited island located in the Kvarner Bay in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea. It is located between the island of Krk and the island of Cres. Administratively it belongs to the city of Krk. Its area is 0.055 km². The length of the coastline is 1.07 km. The height of the island is 23 meters. Its shores are steep and almost inaccessible. The depth of the sea around Mali Plavnik is about 70 meters with a maximum depth of 84 meters northeast of the island. The depth between Mali Plavnik and Plavnik is about 20 meters. The sea is extremely clean and very transparent and the bottom is mostly rocky.
The islet of Mali Plavnik is known as a top destination for divers, who still call it “Underwater Mountain”. The islet of Mali Plavnik abounds in numerous underwater caves and famous vertical underwater walls that descend to a depth of 45m (red gorgonians). The seabed of the island of Mali Plavnik is rich in many species of fish. It is essentially a real playground for slugs, octopuses, gilthead sea bream, toothfish, groupers and large frogs. 44 plant species were found on the islet of Mali Plavnik, among which the most significant are the endemic community of the Istrian bellflower in the cracks of the rocks and the Dalmatian hare (Campanola-Centaureetum dalmaticae). The pastures at the top of Mali Plavnik belong to the community of herons and karsts (Asphodelo-Chrysopogonetum grylli), which also covers a large part of the neighboring island of Plavnik.
Mali Plavnik is also known for a local legend which says that back in 1524., in the strait between the islet of Mali Plavnik and the island of Plavnik in front of Krk, pirates intercepted a trade galley with a rich cargo. The smoke of the burned ship and the circling of vultures alarmed the prince’s guard, which sails out, intercepts and manages to sink the pirate ship, and the only surviving pirate on the deserted island of Plavnik buries the most valuable treasures and disappears. After many years, an enigmatic traveler appears in the town of Krk looking for barcarole for transport to the island of Plavnik. The whole story becomes suspicious to the prince’s guard, they start guessing what it is about and organize a search for a mysterious stranger. However, the stranger disappears without a trace, leaving behind only a mysterious map with directions to the treasure on the island of Plavnik. An unsuccessful search for the treasure begins and continues to this day.
SENJ
Senj is an old town in the foothills of the Velebit mountain. The symbol of the town is the Nehaj Fortress, known as Nehaj Kula.
Senj has apparently been inhabited since prehistoric times. A settlement called Athyinites in today’s Senj was mentioned in Greek documents dated to 4th century BC. The military captaincy of Senj was established in 1469. in order to defend against the invading Ottoman and Venetian armies. The Nehaj Fortress was completed in 1558. on the hill Nehaj. The wars with the Ottomans lasted well into the 17th century. During this time the Uskoks lived in Senj and occupied the fortress. However, after the Uskok War with Venice, which ended in 1617., they were forbidden to settle in the area.
The 18th century brought some prosperity, especially with the construction of the Josephina road (named after Emperor Joseph II) linking the Adriatic coast via Senj to Karlovac. The import of salt and export of grain and wood were passing through that port. The sailors from Senj sailed on their ships all over the world and they traded especially intensive with the Mediterranean countries.
Senj became an important cultural center and its intellectuals and inhabitants were bearers of the Croatian national ideology. The most famous Croatian writers and poets were born and lived there: Silvije Strahimir Kranjčević (1865.-1908.), Vjenceslav Novak (1859.-1905.), Milutin Cihlar Nehajev (1880.-1931.) and Milan Ogrizović (1877.-1923.). Their busts can be seen in the Poet’s Park in Senj.
The construction of the railway line Karlovac- Rijeka (1873.), which went around Senj, had the disastrous consequences for the economy meaning of the town. The traffic in the port was very reduced and the goods took another direction to Trieste and Rijeka. The trade of Senj was reduced just to an export port for wood. That had a negative effect on the town life and the life of the neighborhood. In the late 19th century a migration of the inhabitants started. It was very intensive in the 20th century, especially after the end of the World war II, when political reasons were added to the economic reasons. The old town center suffered a great damage in bombing, when many of the extraordinary valuable cultural inheritance disappeared. But still many are preserved to the present days and they make Senj worth visiting both for domestic and foreign tourists.
The people of Senj have always loved Carnival – both in winter and, quite uniquely, in summer, because each August Senj hosts an international carnival. Carnival always means loads of fun, so it is no wonder that the whole of the town lives for this time of the year.
SVETI JURAJ
Sveti Juraj is a typical coastal destination located in a cove surrounded by the hill of Gradina on one side and the islet of Lisac on the other. In prehistory, a settlement called Lopsica was located here. The ruins of the Church of St. Philip and James (Sveti Filip i Jakov), which dates back to the Middle Ages, can be seen in the old cemetery by the sea. The beach is located right in the centre of the village. If you prefer more privacy, you can find it in the surrounding coves of Spasovac, Ujča, Vlaška, Planikovac, Kalić, Grabova and Rača. If you’re travelling with pets, you can take them to Vlaška Cove, which features a dog beach. Apart from being a tourist resort, Sveti Juraj is known for the production of the finest flower honey in the world.
LUKOVO
Lukovo is a small place that offers a quiet family holiday without any traffic. It takes its name from the 18th century Church of St. Luca and can be reached along a winding road with a fantastic vantage point where you can stop to admire a wonderful view of the rocky islands in the Velebit Channel. Lukovo is characterised by a stunning pebbly beach and the Malta peninsula, which has an ethnographic museum and ancient tunera lookout posts, which in the past were used by local fishermen for tuna fishing and today represent a tourist attraction.
The history of this small fishing village is attested to by the remnants of a prehistoric fort on the hill of Klis, and also by drawings of people and ships dating back to the period from antiquity to the Middle Ages. These drawings can be seen on white cliffs that can only be reached by boat.
The sea and the seabed off the coast of Lukovo are well preserved and unspoilt. Apart from the main beach, there are also the small isolated coves of Vlaška, Anžina and Biluća, which are just a 10 minute walk away.
ZAVRATNICA COVE
Within the Velebit mountain there are strict and botanical reserves, natural monuments, and 2 national parks (North Velebit and Paklenica). In the category of special protection falls and cove Zavratnica.
Zavratnica is certainly one of the most beautiful bays of the Croatian coast. Looks like a miniature Norwegian fjords. It is only a 15 minute walk along the coast from Jablanac. Until it can be reached from the village Zavratnica, descending from a lookout point sandy path to the bay.
The bay is long 900 m, and the width varies from 50 to 150 m. The canyon rises to a height of 100 m. Due to its natural values in 1964. was declared as a protected area, and since 1981., is an integral part nature park Velebit.
According to legend, Zavratnica was formed in strong earthquake back in 615., in which were sank three old Roman town in this area. The true origin of the bay however is different. It is due to tectonic movements that have broken carbonate rocks after which the water from Velebit canyon deepened. How Adriatic coast is sinking, so the canyon Zavratnice gradually lowered into the sea and out of it came in the Velebit drawn saltwater lagoon.
In the early 20th century builds the upper path with a belvedere and promenade. Around this time Zavratnica becomes secluded resort town of Vienna and Prague elite.
In the bay you can see the remains of a ship which, in 1944. sunk allied planes. Ship is a real tourist attraction to numerous divers.
Zavratnica is scarce with soil, therefore the development of flora and vegetation is scarce here. The flora is represented by 129 different species of plants, of which 100 indigenous and 29 introduced species.
