Kvarner promises dreamy beaches and ancient cultures, lively cities and romantic places that invite you to relax, dream and enjoy. Here, on the upper Adriatic between Istria and Dalmatia, you will find the oldest and most famous holiday resorts in the country. No wonder, as rolling hills invite you to an active holiday between forests and vineyards, wide beaches for swimming and relaxing, and numerous islands to discover and enjoy. It is the wonderful location between the sea and the mountainous hinterland that makes Kvarner a tourist jewel on the Adriatic. And a perfect starting point for tours to other parts of the country, which can be reached quickly from Kvarner.
A trip to the wonderful Plitvice Lakes National Park is also part of a perfect Kvarner holiday. The picturesque travertine terraces in the Croatian hinterland were once the perfect backdrop for the Winnetou film adaptations – and with their turquoise water, bizarre shapes and extensive, fairytale-like paths, they still make great photo and film motifs today.
Amongst Beach Life, Wine and Historical Walls
Did you know that you have the opportunity to see large schools of tuna (and with a little luck, the odd dolphin) anywhere in the Kvarner Bay? If you are not on a cruise or sailing trip, you can simply use the viewing platforms scattered along the coast and enjoy the wonderful view of the beach, towns and hilly landscape. Contrary to popular belief, Croatia is not just full of pebble beaches and bathing platforms.
The best example of this is Crikvenica. The former Roman settlement, about 37 km from Rijeka, has extensive golden sandy beaches. And for this reason alone it is a popular excursion and holiday destination among Croats and tourists alike.
Rest and relaxation by the sea is also a priority on the Lungomare in Opatija. The approximately 12 km long sea promenade from Preluk in the north to Lovran in the south leads past not only wild, romantic beaches and rugged bays, but also majestic villas and elegant hotels, churches, monuments and other tourist gems that are worth seeing. Anyone who wants to travel at least part of the magical coastal road should definitely plan a stop at Lido Opatija. Croatia’s oldest tourist resort is particularly enchanting with its historicist-style seaside architecture – and with its sandy beaches wrested from the sea.
Here, where noblemen once traveled by train from Vienna, Budapest or Zagreb for a summer holiday, you can still admire the lovingly maintained and restored villas and hotels of the Belle Epoch. Moscenicka Draga, a town a little further south with charming villas and narrow alleys, a romantic harbor and the scent of summer, sun and freedom, is just as enchanting.
Senj, located near Zadar. The oldest town in the upper Adriatic is picturesquely situated between the Adriatic Sea and the UNESCO Velebit Biosphere Reserve and is an excellent starting point for exploring the nearby Nehaj Fortress on the mountain of the same name. The imposing castle, once the headquarters of the Uskoks, is now a museum and a popular destination for locals and visitors alike. If you feel like relaxing and enjoying yourself after so much sightseeing, you don’t have to travel far: Novi Vinodolski, the new wine valley, invites you to spend relaxing days with good food and even better Croatian wine with its cozy restaurants and wine bars.
Rijeka: Vibrant, Bustling Center of the Kvarner Bay
The undisputed centre of the Kvarner region is Rijeka in the north of the bay. Here, where Roman artefacts meet Italian and Habsburg influences and the eventful history has left its mark on the cityscape, variety and surprising discoveries are the order of the day. Magnificent buildings such as the Governor’s Palace, Trsat Castle, the city walls, the Palazzo Modello, the large market and various churches invite you to explore, and institutions such as the Natural History Museum or the Museum of Contemporary Art are a sight to behold.
If you’ve had enough of immersing yourself in the history and stories of the country, you’ll find plenty of opportunities for shopping on the Korso, the city’s spacious promenade. This is also Rijeka’s party center: numerous clubs and bars invite you to party and dance in summer and autumn. Rijeka’s central location and excellent connections make the city the gateway to Kvarner. Rijeka Airport and the large ferry port connect the city with all parts of the world and Croatia.
Enchanting Islands in the Kvarner Bay
But Kvarner is not just Rijeka and the Velebit, beach promenades and historically interesting, romantic towns with old alleys and cozy restaurants. The region is internationally known above all for its diverse and beautifully situated islands in the clear blue of the Adriatic. One of the tourist centers is the island of Krk, which is connected to the mainland by a bridge near Rijeka.
Once an insider tip among sailors, the island is now a popular destination for water sports enthusiasts, pleasure travelers and beach tourists from all over the world. No wonder, the warm, clear water is still inviting for swimming in autumn, the sandy beaches of Soline and Silo, the picturesque bathing bays in Stara Baska, Mala and Velika Luka and the almost 1.5 km long, crescent-shaped dream beach in Baska for relaxing under the southern sun. Punat not only has wonderful pebble beaches – the wide, sheltered bay is also home to one of the largest and safest marinas in Croatia. The pretty towns of Krk and Malinska with their typical regional flat houses and narrow streets offer variety, but also special features such as the spectacular Biserujka stalactite cave.
In addition to Krk, the highly fragmented island of Rab is also one of the holiday paradises in the Kvarner Bay. Here, where the Middle Ages have left their mark, particularly in Rab town with its four characteristic church towers, it is above all the beaches that make the island such an attraction. Because unlike in many other parts of Croatia, sun worshippers and water lovers will find a picture-perfect, gently sloping sandy beach here on the paradise beach of Lopar, which is particularly suitable for families with children.
But it is not only on the paradise beach that holidaymakers seeking relaxation can expect paradisiacal conditions: all around the idyllic village there are beautiful bays framed by mountains and pine trees with a total of 22 sandy beaches – a record! No other holiday resort in Croatia, not even on the Adriatic, has such a large selection of sandy beaches to offer. Whether families with small children, active holidaymakers or young people who want to party – everyone gets their money’s worth here. Incidentally, numerous nudists have also long since discovered the beauty of Rab’s beaches for themselves. Nudists from all over the world meet here to relax and enjoy together.
The islands of Cres and Losinj are in no way inferior to Rab and Krk in terms of recreational value and beauty. Bathing bays and hilly hinterland, vineyards, picturesque villages and good Croatian wine make you quickly forget everyday life here. Cres, the long, narrow, mountainous one, is not yet overrun by tourists, unlike Krk and Rab.
Dense forests in the north, vineyards and olive groves, pastures and Mediterranean-covered plains and hills make the island a dream destination for active holidaymakers. The island’s capital of the same name, with its large marina, is a popular destination for many sailors and enchants with its narrow alleys and medieval buildings as well as its idyllic location between a wide bay and hilly hinterland.
If the island’s capital Cres is too lively for you, a trip to nearby Valun is recommended. The fishing village, which is clinging to the hillside with its small, authentic harbor, is known above all for a stone tablet from the 11th century, the Valunska Ploca. And for excellent fish and scampi dishes, which are best enjoyed in one of the small restaurants near the harbor. As a former fishing village, Martinscica has managed to retain its charm and appeal to this day. Nestled between green hills and turquoise blue sea, the charming, idyllic place with the Glagolitic monastery and a castle invites you to relax and explore.
If you fancy a dip in the cool water after sightseeing and strenuous hikes, the best place to go is Lubenice on the west coast of the island. The village, situated on a rocky outcrop, rises far away from any civilization into the blue of the sky and sea. Below the village there are wonderful bathing bays, although they are difficult to access. If you are not afraid of the descent to Lubenice Bay, you will be rewarded with crystal-clear water and an untouched dream beach. The “blue grotto” awaits discovery from Zanja Bay. In the 23-meter-deep grotto, rays of light are reflected in such a way that the entire vault glows an intense blue.
To the south is the island of Cres, which is not any less idyllic than her neighbor, the Losinj island. The two islands are connected with a swing bridge. The Pine forests and lush overgrowth on the hillside and plains are inviting to tourists searching for extended hikes, or simply a small stroll in the forest. One of the most popular swimming spots from the islands is the Cikat Bay by Mali Losinj, where tourists are offered a large number of sport activities ranging from the Tennis school to the diving courses. Of course, the extensive amounts of small bays also provide the perfects spots for a refreshing dive in the sea. One can reside in one of the well-preserved and renovated villas from the 19th Century, which are now mainly run as hotels. The two largest cities from the islands are the picturesque Veli Losinj and the bustling city of Mali Losinj are widely known and popular as a health resort. Since 1892, sufferers of asthma have found alleviation in the mild island climate, the sea air and with the smell of the pines.
In contrast to Krk and Rab, Cres and Losinj, the island of Pag shapes the impressive scenic backdrop of the Velebit. The barren island is a beauty at first sight and attracts hikers to her bizarre, karstic forms, and luscious valleys. The island is not only for tourists, but is well known all over Croatia. The reason for its popularity is not because of its famous Pager’s sheep-milk cheese, but for its party nights which never seem to end. The young and the old gather from all over the world to unite under the beat of good music.