Weekend Getaways

AquATIkA - FRESHWATER AquARIuM kARlOVAC Karlovac is famous for its four rivers, each one just as lovely as the other. This beautiful modern aquarium is devoted to local freshwater life, enabling us to get to know our fishy friends better and understand more fully just how rich in beauty and biodiversity the Karlovac region is.QUlica Branka Čavlovića Čavleka 1a, Karlovac, tel. (+385‑47) 65 91 12, www.aquariumkarlovac.com/.

BRSEč A mediaeval town built on a 157m-high cliff overlooking the sea 20km from Opatija. The majority of buildings date from the 17th century, while the town’s fortifications and bell tower are from the early middle ages. From Brseč there’s a splendid view of the islands of Cres, Unije and Susak, as well as the of Sisol, southernmost peak of Mount Učka. A walking trail leads from the town direct to Sisol.

MuSEuM OF APOxyOMEnOS The island of Mali Lošinj is an attraction to tourists primarily because of its majestic bays and lush green vegetation. Now it has another formidable tourist offer in the Museum of Apoxyomenos. Apoxy who you may ask? It is home to ‘Apoxyomenos’, the bronzed statue of a young athlete founded in 1998 and at a depth of 45 meters in the vicinity of Mali Lošinj. It is an extremely well-preserved and beautifully crafted Greek work of great artistic value presumed to date back to the 2nd or 1st century BC. The Croatian Apoxyomenos is a 192cm-high statue, set on a well-preserved original plinth of a height of 10 cm. It portrays a young athlete who has just completed his bout or exercise, thus simulating a moment of relaxation, when he is about to clean his body of oil, sweat and dust (Gr. apoxyesis), and this is why it is called the Apoxyomenos. The Kvarner Palace is home to the Museum of Apoxyomenos. The exhibition display is defined by nine scenes and transition zones shaped by time and space, and accompanied by audio background. The final room is all white with Apoxyomenos the solitary hero. Thereafter, the Kaleidoscope Room offers a resplendent lookout of various sequences from the Lošinj harbour with the use of mirrors. This year the museum earned a Special Commendation in the European Museum of the Year Awards (EMYA). EMYA is dedicated to promoting excellence in innovation and public quality in museum practice, encouraging networking and the exchange of ideas and sustainable best practices within the sector. QRiva lošinjskih kapetana 13, Mali Lošinj, tel. (+385‑ 51) 73 42 60, www.muzejapoksiomena.hr. Admission 115/40 kn. J RISnjAk nATIOnAl PARk Glowering above the city of Rijeka, in the densely forested Gorski Kotar region, are the primeval forests, mountain meadows and karst formed peaks of Risnjak National Park. This range of mountains, from which can be viewed the Julian Alps and the Adriatic is by far the wildest and most untouched in the country – mostly thanks to the somewhat inhospitable climate; it has an average temperature of 12.60 in July. The park is a haven for deer, bears, wildcats and lynx (ris) – from which the park takes its name. Wolves and wild boar also put in an occasional appearance. The Information office for the park is in Crni Lug, a small village that perches at 724m above sea-level (no mean feat with the sea around 25km away) and 12km from Delnice – the main regional town. From the villages of Razloge or Kupari, small winding paths can be followed up to the source of the Kupa river. From the jagged karst the water wells up into a lake and then tumbles downwards through the ‘valley of the butterflies’. QBijela Vodica 48, Crni Lug, www.np‑risnjak.hr.

THAlASSOTHERAPIA OPATIjA Health and wellness go hand in hand with Opatija and the Thalassotherapia Medical Center has the complete package to suit almost all of your health needs. As their offer continues to expand, the center now includes the

Apoxyomenos Museum © photo Bosnic & Dorotic

application of contemporary, aesthetic interventions ensured under the highest medical standards. It is possible to remove or alleviate almost all aesthetic flaws of the face and body and you get to stay in a lovely old Opatija villa.QMaršala Tita 188/1, Opatija, tel. (+385‑51) 20 26 00, www.thalassotherapia‑opatija.com. A THE ISlET OF kOšljun The search for tranquillity stops right here at the islet of Košljun, located 750 meters from Punat at the Krk island. The miniature island takes about 1- 2 hours to see and is best known for the Franciscan monastery which thrives till this day. A Benedictine abbey was built there in the 11th century and was then extended and turned into a monastery in the 15th century. The Benedictines presented Košljun under the motto: ‘Pray and work’ which is visible on the front door of the monastery, while the Franciscan’s saluted with ‘Peace and Good’ on the way out – written, of course, in the ancient Croatian ‘Glagolitic script!’ Franciscan monks still live and reside there and the islet has a museum with an ethnographic collection containing numerous items produced by Krk fishermen and farmers, as well as local folk costumes. The library has around 30,000 books which includes some world rarities. Getting to the island is only via organized boat tours and once there, take out your treasure maps and begin the search for the six chapels around the island… THE MEMORIAl CEnTRE lIPA REMEMBERS (MEMORIjAlnI CEnTAR lIPA PAMTI) In April, 2015, the Memorial Centre ‘Lipa Remembers’ opened its doors to the public for the very first time. Lipa, is a picturesque village of the Liburnian settlement Kras which is situated 27 kilometres from Rijeka. The Memorial Centre is dedicated to a massacre which took place on April 30, 1944 when, after only a few hours, Lipa lost 269 of its residents, mostly elderly women and children. The crime was committed by Nazis and fascists within the Braunschweig offensive, a campaign aimed at wiping out partisan gangs. The killing of civilians was accompanied by the theft of their property, and then the arson of most residential and commercial buildings. By the end of World War II, the town’s surviving inhabitants had no home to return to, a tragic scene to say the least. An arduous and painstaking restoration of the village began marked by a huge sense of loss. Today, Lipa lives and remembers with its attractive and modern memorial museum of World War II. It’s a way of paying homage to its forefathers and never forgetting the past. The Centre also signifies the cultural and historical heritage of Kras in the period from prehistory to the present day. An exhibition on memorial tourism, On the Roads of Revolution, can be seen on display until August 30th. QLipa 35, Šapjane, tel. (+385‑51) 73 22 39, www. lipapamti.ppmhp.hr. (10/5 kn).

npsv@np-sjeverni-velebit.hr

THE nORTHERn VElEBIT nATIOnAl PARk With impressive peaks and chasms, karst landscapes and impenetrable forests, the Northern Velebit is a mosaic made up of the most diverse habitats, which is why the Northern Velebit was proclaimed a National Park. The Northern Velebit is an ideal place to visit for an active holiday. Among the best-known locations in the National Park are Zavižan, the Velebit Botanical Gardens, the Premužić Trail, Štirovača, Alan and Lubenovac. Zavižan and Alan have open grassy spaces, thick forests and huge limestone boulders, surrounded by the peaks offering magnificent views of the sea and the Lika region. In the Velebit Botanical Gardens you can enjoy the wealth of the Velebit flora. Štirovača is an area of exceptionally thick forests of spruce and fir and is home to the only wetland in the Park. Lubenac, a spacious Velebit grassland, has numerous ruins of shepherds’ cottages and dry stone walls which bear witness to peoples’ lives in times past. The Premužić Trail traverses the entire Velebit range, passing through incredible karst landscapes, and is an incredible feat of engineering. At Alan you can stay in renovated shepherds’ huts, experience the traditional way of life and learn about the natural environment. The renovation of the huts has made possible the reintroduction of livestock farming as a measure for preserving biodiversity. To learn more and buy entry tickets, Velebit House, open all year, is an information centre located in the village of Krasno. An especial attraction is the experience of entering a chasm using a special “lift”. QKrasno 96, Krasno, tel. (+385‑53) 66 53 80, www.np‑sjeverni‑velebit.hr.

učkA nATuRE PARk The forested slopes of Mount Učka offer a variety of ways to spend your free time in the open air. Učka is a nature park with 50 hiking trails and 8 mountain bike trails. The park boasts a wealth of wildlife and offers some of the best views around: you can see the entire Kvarner gulf with its islands laid out at your feet, and on a clear day the view south extends as far as the Velebit mountain range.Qwww.pp‑ucka.hr.

zElEnI VIR And THE VRAžjI PROlAz CAnyOn, SkRAd The Zeleni vir area is known for its unusual geological formations. The name means “Green Pool”, and refers to the emerald pool formed by a little waterfall gushing from an opening high up in a rock face. Close by there’s an inn serving mountain specialities such as trout, game, wild mushrooms and desserts made from highland blueberries. The second attraction in this area is Vražji prolaz – or the Devil’s Pass. This is an 800m long canyon carved out of the rock by a wild, foaming stream. You can walk along galleries and bridges the whole length of the canyon, and at the end you’ll come to a cave, “Muževa hiša”, with stalagmites, stalactites and a small underground lake. Zeleni vir is near the little town of Skrad, just off the A6 motorway (Zagreb direction).Qwww.tz‑skrad.hr.

OPatija RiViERa

Many would say that the Opatija Riviera initiated Croatian tourism as a whole. Ever since the aristocracy of the Austro-Hungarian upper class saw this coastal town as a top quality resort 120 years ago, the string of settlements on the Kvarner Bay has never really looked back. At its center is Opatija, a belle-époque seaside resort clinging to the slopes of Mount Učka. To the north is the fishing village of Volosko, a picturesque huddle of houses gathered round a dainty port, while to the south lies Lovran, with its appealing mixture of medieval alleyways and art-nouveau holiday villas. As all three are situated within a mere 20-30 minute drive from Rijeka, getting around is a piece of cake.

Initially Opatija was a winter resort, catering for landlocked central Europeans in need of Mediterranean warmth and maritime air. Nowadays it is very much an all-season destination, offering neatly manicured parks, stylish cafes crammed with delicious mouth-watering sweets, traditional souvenir boutiques and Croatia’s densest concentration of top-class restaurants.

They say that location is the key – and it is evident that the key to Opatija’s success is its position at the foot of Mount Učka, which protects Opatija from the North and West with the intruding cold air, whilst the islands of Krk, Cres and Lošinj protect Opatija from the East and South as they deviate the winds that come in from the open sea. Over the years Opatija has been labelled as the perfect getaway, a place to relax and seek leisure through its natural surroundings and tourist attractions. These days this gorgeous coastal village is undergoing something of a boom in spa and wellness tourism, with almost every hotel in the 4-to-5 star bracket now offering indoor pools, saunas, steam-baths, massage rooms, and a full range of state-ofthe-art beauty treatments. With major European centers such as Munich, Vienna and Milan located within a 500 kilometer radius, Opatija is one of the most accessible yearround health-and-lifestyle resorts in Europe.

The business sector hasn’t been forgotten as there are a multiple facilities to cater for congress tourism: the Grand Hotel Adriatic’s 600-seat auditorium has been hosting top international meetings for several decades while the Hotel Kvarner’s Kristalna dvorana (crystal room) is a near-legendary venue for high-level receptions and showbiz events. The Ambasador, Grand Hotel 4 Opatijska Cvijeta and other local hotels are also endowed with amenities to accommodate business meetings and seminars of all numbers and sizes. Everything to suit the customers’ needs.

Volosko Volosko is the oldest of the settlements along the Opatija Riviera and it still retains its sleepy fishing-village charm, with a cluster of stone houses scrambling up the hillside above a sheltered little port. Volosko’s strong fishing tradi-

Visit Kastav

www.kastav-touristinfo.hr

Visit Kastav

tion may help to explain why it boasts some of the best seafood restaurants in the country. A fistful of high-class eateries are clustered around the Mandrač, the sheltered inner harbour which provides moorings for small boats.

Ičići Pronounced as (itch-i-chi), this coastal town which is part of the Opatija Rivijera has a true connection to the sea and mainland. For one it has been awarded the ‘Blue Flag’ for over a decade, it also has one of the best harbours in Croatia with 283 berths and on the opposite end, Ičići is a wonder for hiking enthusiasts as there are numerous marked trails leading up to Mount Učka. Action packed sports camps are available with top quality restaurants and cafes to help wind down.QTourist Board, Liburnijska 7a, Tel: +385 (0) 51 704 187, www.icici‑tourism.com.

Lovran Sitting in a tiny little pocket six kilometers south of Opatija is Lovran, the most picturesque of the Riviera’s resorts, with a historic centre of medieval stone houses grouped around the fourteenth century Church of St George, and a surrounding girdle of Italianate nineteenth century villas – many of which have been renovated and now serve as guesthouses or boutique hotels. A short walk south of Lovran is the lovely cove of Medveja, the site of a crescent pebbly beach. QTourist Board of the Lovran Munica‑ pility, Trg slobode 1, Tel: +385 (0) 51 291 740, www. tz‑lovran.hr.

Kastav There’s no better way to see the entire Opatija Riviera then from Kastav, a hilltop town northwest of Rijeka. The view from the battlements of this fortified town is simply breathtaking, with Mount Učka to the right, the islands of the Kvarner Bay to the left and the coastal settlements of Volosko and Opatija in the middle distance. QTourist In‑ formation Centre Kastav, Matka Mandića 11a. Tel: +385 (0)51 691 425, www.kastav‑touristinfo.hr.

OPatija

OPATIjA TOuRIST InFORMATIOn CEnTER QMaršala Tita 128, Opatija, tel. (+385‑51) 27 13 10, www.visitopatija.com.

Opatija Tourist Board Archives

Weekend Getaways Islands

cREs - thE laRgEst island in cROatia

The moment you arrive on Cres, your troubles back at home melt into the distant past. Scrub and olives contrast with white rock and give way to azure seas and blue skies. Somehow, Cres island has been relatively unscathed by the ravages of the tourist industry, leaving both its natural environment and its towns and villages just as they should be.

Cres town is today’s capital of the island. The gothic architecture you’ll find here owes much to the island’s long connection with Venice – it was annexed to the Venetian Republic for much of the period between the year 1000 and 1797. There are a number of fine churches and palaces, one of which houses the Cres museum (Ribarska 7, tel. +385 51 57 11 27) with its collection of sculptures, icons and prehistoric and Roman artefacts. The town’s main square has been renovated, and the atmosphere there is supremely relaxing. Cres town has a large marina and a string of shingle beaches, and although it’s largely unspoilt, retains an unpretentious feel.

A short drive or boat ride to the far side of the bay of Valun brings you to the hamlet of the same name, a collection of picturesque red-roofed houses straggling up the hillside away from the water, with a wide shingle beach that’s an absolute delight to bathe from. It was here that the Valun Tablet was found - thought to be the oldest Glagolitic inscription in Croatia. There’s a simple campsite and a couple of pleasant restaurants. If you have the opportunity to tour at all (Cres is difficult to negotiate if you don’t have your own wheels), the town of Lubenice is something you should definitely not miss. This old village’s setting on a high cliff against the backdrop of the sea is absolutely spectacular. Hundreds of metres below you, the colour of the sea against the yellow shingle beach is incredibly inviting, but the idea of the climb back up the hillside is equally off-putting for all but the most determined pleasure-seekers. Lubenice is known for hosting exhibitions of photography and for its musical evenings.

Moving south again towards the point where a short road bridge connects Cres with the island of Lošinj, you pass by beautiful freshwater Lake Vransko. It’s fenced off since it ensures the islanders’ supply of drinking water. Finally, Osor town, which once used to be the administrative centre of the island, is now a quiet stone village basking in the sunlight and its reputation as an artists’ colony. You’ll see modern sculptures adorning the streets and squares, and if you’re lucky enough will catch the summertime Osor Music Evenings. The former town hall on the main square now houses the Archeological Collection of Osor.

CRES TOuRIST BOARd QCons 10, Cres, tel. (+385‑51) 57 15 35, www.tzg‑cres. hr.

OMIŠALJ TOURIST OFFICE OF OMIŠALJ MUNICIPALITY QPrikešte 11, Omišalj, tel./fax. +385 (0)51 84 10 42, e‑mail:info@visit‑omisalj‑njivice.hr, www.visit‑omisalj‑njivice.hr.

NJIVICE TOURIST OFFICE OF OMIŠALJ MUNICIPALITY QRibarska obala 10, Njivice, tel. +385 (0)51 84 62 43, e‑mail:info@visit‑omisalj‑njivice.hr, www.visit‑ omisalj‑njivice.hr.

MALINSKA THE MUNICIPALITY OF MALINSKA -DUBAŠNICA TOURIST BOARD QObala 46, Malinska, tel. +385 (0)51 85 92 07, e‑ mail: info@visitmalinska.com, www.visitmalinska. com.

VRBNIK TOURIST BOARD OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF VRBNIK

QPlaca Vrbničkog statuta 4, Vrbnik, tel./fax. +385 (0)51 85 74 79, e‑mail:info@vrbnik.hr, www.vrbnik.hr.

KRK CITY OF KRK TOURIST BOARD QVela placa 1/1, Krk, tel. +385 (0)51 22 14 14, e‑mail:tz@tz‑krk.hr, www.tz‑krk.hr, www.experi‑ encekrk.com.

TIC /TOURIST INFORMATION CENTER QJ.J. Strossmayera 9, Krk, tel. +385 (0)51 22 02 26, e‑ mail: tic@tz‑krk.hr .

PUNAT THE PUNAT TOURIST BOARD OFFICE QPod topol 2, Punat, tel. +385 (0)51 85 48 60, e‑ mail:info@tzpunat.hr, www.tzpunat.hr.

BAŠKA TOURIST BOARD OF THE BAŠKA MUNICIPALITY QKralja Zvonimira 114, Baška, tel. +385 (0)51 85 68 17, e‑mail: info@visitbaska.hr, www.visitbaska.hr.

DOBRINJ DOBRINJ MUNICIPALITY TOURIST BOARD QStara cesta bb, Šilo, tel. +385 (0)51 85 21 07, e‑ mail:info@visitdobrinj.hr, www.visitdobrinj.hr.

DOBRINJ THE ISLAND OF KRK TOURIST BOARD QTrg sv. Kvirina 1, Krk, tel. +385 (0)51 22 13 59, e‑ mail: tz‑otoka‑krka@ri.t‑com.hr, www.krk.hr.

THE ISLAND OF KRK THE ISLAND OF KRK TOURIST BOARD QTrg sv. Kvirina 1, Krk, tel. +385 (0)51 22 13 59, e‑ mail: tz‑otoka‑krka@ri.t‑com.hr, www.krk.hr.

Dobrinj Tourist Board Archives

kRk - gOldEn island

So close to the mainland and so easy to get to thanks to the bridge, Krk is not only the second largest Croatian island but also has one of the most developed tourist industries. Its western seaboard, along which the main artery runs from north to south, is where most larger resorts are located.

Omišalj, despite the closeness of an important terminal for the shipping of oil, has a very attractive old cliffside centre, while Malinska and Njivice are much newer settlements mainly centred on tourism. It’s quite possible to spend your holidays here without realising exactly how much the island has to offer. Krk is rich in both human and natural history. The island was once the seat of the Frankopan family – a powerful dynasty of Croatian counts and nobles who built many of the forts, churches and monasteries you’ll come across on your travels through Kvarner. Christianity arrived here in the 5th century, and has remained exceptionally strong, so the island is dotted with churches, some early Christian, others with a characteristic onion dome topping the bell tower. The Glagolitic script brought to the Slav lands by Saints Cyril and Methodius took very firm root here, and many inscriptions of great historical significance have been unearthed, or can be seen on buildings, lending an air of the exotic with lettering which resembles a secret code written in the shape of mushrooms and cherries!

Krk Town is the island’s capital, and inside its walls is a lovely little maze of stone streets. Since there’s quite a lot to see, it’s a place to stay in or visit for a day, but be prepared for crowds in the height of summer. There’s a little beach just under the city walls, a pleasant spot to bathe. Krk’s Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary is built on a site where a church has stood ever since the 5th century. Adjoining it is the early Romanesque Church of St Quirinus, protector of Krk. This simple church, formerly the chapel of the bishops of Krk, has an unusual cloverleaf shape on two storeys. Inside, the sacral art museum includes an impressive 14th century painting by Paolo Veneziano and a collection of silver and gold. When the

cathedral’s not open, you can peep into its interior from here. The cathedral backs onto a square with a distinctive 12th century fortress with blunt forms typical of Frankopan constructions. This is the venue for summertime cultural happenings.

Close to Krk town, Punat has a large marina and the islet of Košljun lies in the sheltered bay. On the islet, the Franciscan monastery has a museum with an excellent ethnographic collection, sacral art, a library and a natural history section with some stuffed animals with too many appendages that are sure to thrill the kids. The monks run retreats, and cultural performances are also held here. It’s well worth taking a taxi boat over.

Of course, many of us head to the sea for… well, swimming! Drive through the green valley to Baška in the east, and you’ll come to a modern resort on a beautiful 2km sweep of clean shingle and turquoise sea. The view over the mainland is stunning, and it’s a great place to swim if you don’t mind the crowds at high season.

For gastronomy, we recommend you head for Vrbnik, topping a steep hillock on the northern coast, with a tiny emerald-green harbour at its feet. In the maze of narrow streets and stairways, locals say, is the narrowest street in the world. The town is surrounded by vineyards where žlahtina, a type of wine unique to Krk, has been made for generations. Wandering through Vrbnik you have the overwhelming impression that old wine barrels lie abandoned everywhere, and the smell of wine permeates everything. Vrbnik is blessed with a couple of very famous restaurants.

If you’re already in Vrbnik, we recommend you take a detour to the small village of Dobrinj. The vineyards soon give way to cool deciduous forests. The road winds uphill, and when you come to the village you start to think of Tuscany. The view from the lovely Church of St Stephen with its wide, stone-flagged, roofed porch encompasses the lush forests of the island interior, hillsides punctuated by dry stone walls, and the entire Kvarner Gulf. A little further north of Dobrinj is the Biserujka Cave, the only one of fifty on the island open to the public. As its roof is so close to the surface, rain water seeps through the rock and has formed incredible stalactites.

lOšinj - an island Of hERBs

You’ll hardly notice crossing the bridge to Lošinj, but after a while you’ll arrive in Mali Lošinj, a port of some size and the largest island settlement on the Adriatic. It has some fine villas and a lively atmosphere. The crystal waters around are excellent for diving, and from here (or indeed anywhere around Cres and Lošinj) you have a good chance of spotting a dolphin. From Mali Lošinj you can catch a passenger boat to Susak, a tiny island made entirely of sand and with an unusual culture that includes a folk costume featuring possibly the world’s first miniskirt, or to Susak’s larger neighbour Unije. Though Unije is small, and – like Susak – carless, and is for sure a good choice if you’re looking for a relaxing retreat, it has a surprising amount going on, including a festival of olive oil.

Although mali means “little” and veli means “big”, Mali Lošinj is bigger than Veli Lošinj. Veli Lošinj has a delightful fishing harbour and is lent warmth by the colourful villas built by the island’s wealthy sea captains, who imported exotic plants from their travels as gifts for their loved ones. The villa gardens are a sight for sore eyes, and the park is an arboretum with massive tree specimens from around the world. The town was proclaimed a health resort at around the same time as Opatija, and there is still a medicinal thalassotherapy facility there today.

MAlI lOšInj TOuRIST BOARd QPriko 42, Mali Lošinj, tel. (+385‑51) 23 15 47, www. visitlosinj.hr.

RaB - island a PaRadisE

Sometimes stereotypes are stereotypes because they are just true. You can’t pick up a guide to Croatia without reading about how Rab is a paradise of medieval beauty set amid lush forests, with acres of wild sandy beaches to wander along hand in hand whilst wearing loose clothing that flaps around in the breeze. We tried hard to avoid the stereotypes, but Rab really is that pretty.

OK, we don’t agree so much with the sandy beach thing. One: sand sticks on you when you put sun cream on. Two: it gets in your eyes. Three: it gets between your teeth. Four: it gets bloody everywhere. Five: it makes the water look icky.

Sandy beaches are great for non-swimmers and small children. And that’s why so many people go to them. So be prepared for the large sandy beaches around Lopar in the northern part of Rab to be crowded with slowly basting humanity.

But if you’re prepared to tuck your beach towel under your arm and go for a bit of a hike, you may just come across your own personal paradise. On Rab, there’s a beach to suit everyone.

Whether you’re a fan of fine grains of silicon or not, the journey to Lopar in itself is time well spent. You’ll pass through scenery of green rolling hills that is much gentler than you generally find on Adriatic islands.

On the way is a family hotel, Zlatni Zalaz (“Golden Sunset”), beautifully positioned amidst forest and conveniently facing west. Zlatni Zalaz is very active on the gastronomic scene on the island, and we highly recommend it for the chance to try local specialities at excellent prices. Lopar itself, though a perfectly pleasant resort, has rather little to offer in terms of history or sightseeing or other dining opportunities.

Rab town is quite a different matter. This is where the superlatives come in. Spectacularly occupying a narrow peninsula, it’s a lovely old stone town dating back to the Middle Ages, with a fine small cathedral in pink and cream stone and a chain of four bell towers piercing the skyline.

The summer season is punctuated with historical displays of archery and knightly tournaments. In the evenings, there’s a lively social scene with a handful of good bars and a couple of clubs.

RAB TOuRIST BOARd QTrg Municipium Arba 8, Rab, tel. (+385‑51) 72 40 64, www.rab‑visit.com. Open 08:00‑21:00.

thE cRikVEnica RiViERa

The Crikvenica Riviera is situated in one of the most picturesque corners of Kvarner and is surrounded by clear blue sea, white coastal rocks and fragrant green hills. The Riviera enjoys a mild and healthy climate, and is home to beautiful natural scenery and a rich cultural and historical heritage. This makes it ideal for family fun, an active holiday or just lazing on the beach.

The heart of the Riviera is Crikvenica, the proud host of one the most beautiful town beaches on the Adriatic coast. The charm of Jadranovo will win you over with its proximity to well-preserved nature, while lively Selce will attract your attention with the beauty of its traditions. Seductive Dramalj, on the other hand, conceals the wonderful calm of the Kačjak peninsula. The Riviera has long attracted visitors with its warmth, leaving a lasting impression and making great friends who return here again and again, some even for decades.

CRIkVEnICA TOuRIST InFORMATIOn CEnTERQTrg Stjepana Radića 1c, tel. (+385‑51) 24 10 51, www.rivieracrikvenica.com. Open 08:00 ‑ 19:00. From October open 08:00 ‑ 15:00, Sat 08:00 ‑ 13:00, closed Sun.

BluE FISH MOnTH

To celebrate the magic of the oily fish recipes that have sustained this place for centuries, September in Crikvenica will be Blue Fish Month. Sardines at their most magical.