33 Best Sights in Kvarner, Croatia

The northern end of Cres is mountainous and forested, harboring wildlife such as the rare griffin vulture. This rescue center helps protect and rescue these beasts, as well as preserve the environment and heritage of the island. The center houses rescued vultures before they are released back into the wild and includes educational info on the biodiversity and history of northern Cres, bird-watching, eco-trails, and volunteer opportunities. The naturalists that run the center are full of passion about their work and are excited teachers. Visit this center with your kids to learn more about these protected birds, then try to spot the griffins flying in their natural habitat around the cliffs of the island. From November to April, the center is open by appointment only, so call in advance during this period.

The road that runs along the Mali Lošinj Harbor leads to Čikat Bay, a pine-covered area dotted with impressive Habsburg-era villas and pebbled beach coves. Nearby hotels and campsites, plus good parking, lots of cafés, and ice-cream stands make these beaches popular. There's a gracious promenade along the bay that's perfect for strolling, a windsurfing school for the adventurous, and paddleboat rentals.

Tucked into a well-protected bay midway down the island, Cres Town is set around a lovely little fishing harbor, small but perfectly formed, with numerous Gothic and Renaissance churches, monasteries, and palaces. For the most part these are in the Old Town, which sits protected by winged Venetian lions atop three 16th-century gates, the only remains of a defensive wall. A small harbor (Mandrać), as well as a municipal loggia built in the 15th-century, remain the soul of the town.

The town beach, at Camp Kovačine, holds a Blue Flag award for cleanliness. To get there, follow the path around the harbor from the main road and keep going for at least 15 minutes along the promenade, where you'll find spots to jump into the water and the odd café or restaurant to keep you fueled. Although the seaside here is man-made, it somehow doesn't detract too much from the experience.

A fine spot from which to admire the splendors of the Kvarner Bay, the Kastav—11 km (7 miles) northwest of Rijeka—was originally a medieval fortress comprising nine defensive towers. The old hilltop village sits at 1,200 feet and is still home to some 900 residents. The backside of the hilltop village is blanketed by a forest area with biking, hiking, and horseback riding trails leading from the loggia to the woods. The town is a popular venue for regular events throughout the year, from the monthly Zeleni Kastav organic green market to the summer Kastav Blues and Cultural Festival, the Bela Nedeja young white wine festival in October, and the traditional bell ringers during the Carnival season in February. Having been home to wealthy and powerful clans in the past, the tiny town has many splendid buildings from throughout the ages. E-bike rentals are available at the forest entrance.

A community of around 180 bottlenose dolphins makes its home just off the coast of Lošinj, and the nonprofit Lošinj Marine Education Centre has made it its mission to protect the marine environment of the Adriatic Sea. The center has a few engaging displays that use various media forms that invite visitors to take a deeper look at the amazing blue world surrounding the island. You can even "adopt" your own dolphin; you can't take it home with you, of course, but for €35 you'll receive an adoption certificate, a photo of your adopted dolphin, membership for a year, and, of course, that warm fuzzy feeling of doing something good for the world.

From gentle hiking to mountain biking, climbing, and paragliding, all are available in the 160 square km (62 square miles) of Mt. Učka Nature Park, a series of peaks that help shelter the Liburnia Riviera (the official name for the stretch of coast centered on Opatija) and the islands from weather systems to the north. Hiking trails leading toward the summit of the Učka range start from all the resorts along the coast. A climb up to the fine stone lookout tower at the summit of the highest peak, Vojak (4,596 feet), can be well worth it, but it is not for the faint of heart nor inexperienced, out-of-shape hiking enthusiasts. On a clear day, the view offers a distant tour of the islands of Kvarner Bay, the Italian Alps, and perhaps even an indistinct view of Venice. Most routes up to the heights lead through the forest so that you can trek in summer without overheating. Along the way, you'll find natural springs to quench your thirst, ponds, tumbling waterfalls (in the wetter months), impressive natural stone columns, and several hundred caves. The local inhabitants include deer, wild boar, and bears in the park's northernmost sections. Humans have also been living in these hills for centuries, rearing cattle, farming, and working the forest; you'll come across numerous tiny villages and historical sites if you roam far enough. If you're running short on time, many mountain-biking tracks throughout the park offer the chance to expand your lungs on the way up and test your nerve rattling back down to the coast. There is also the possibility to drive to the top and take in the views from the stone tower. There is an information point with maps and souvenirs on the road leading to the summit called Poklon. At Poklon, hikers will find two great restaurants with accommodation and a mountain-hiking hut that sleeps 18. There's also a modern educational center.

This is an entire museum dedicated to telling the amazing story of a single ancient artifact found on the bottom of the sea near Mali Losinj in 1996. After six years of restoration, the bronze statue, which is presumed to date back to the 1st or 2nd century BC, is an awesome piece of Greek work that is displayed in an artistic and mesmerizing way, making a remarkable impression of what may have happened when the statue fell into the ocean thousands of years ago (but also about the process of its restoration). The building itself is reason enough to buy a ticket and enjoy a guided tour (offered twice-daily at noon and 5 pm).

In a cube-shaped building on the grounds of the Governor's Palace, the museum has more than a dozen different permanent collections that capture the history of the city and the people who have left an indelible mark on it. The collections range from music to visual art and postage stamps, as well as cultural and scientific displays representative of the heritage of this historic port city. One of the most interesting is the Rijeka Torpedo Exhibit, the first of its kind in the world.

If you're looking for a more secluded spot, head to this town that sits just above the beaches that trim a wide cove and peninsula. The road here is a single track through the tiny village, so you may find yourself performing intricate maneuvers in your car should you be unlucky enough to meet the water truck that keeps the village's houses supplied. Unless you arrive by boat, it is best to park in the first empty spot you see and walk into town or down the hill to the beach.

The medieval castle was built on the foundations of a prehistoric fort. In the early 1800s, it was bought by an Austrian general of Irish descent, who converted it to include a Greek temple with Doric columns. Today it hosts a popular café, offering stunning views of the Kvarner Bay; throughout the summer, open-air theater performances and concerts take place. Across the street, the pilgrimage church of Sveta Marija (St. Mary) was constructed in 1453 to commemorate the Miracle of Trsat, when angels carrying the humble house of the Virgin Mary are said to have landed here. Although the angels later moved the house to Loreto in Italy, Trsat has remained a place of pilgrimage. The path up to Trsat from the city center takes you close to Titov trg, at a bridge across the Rječina. It passes through a stone gateway, then makes a long steep climb up 538 steps. Local Bus 2 will get you here, too.

The sea captains of Veli Lošinj evidently preferred to escape the harsh working conditions of life on the sea while they were back on land, so they built their villas away from the waterfront, often surrounding themselves with gardens filled with exotic plants brought back from their travels. Archduke Karl Stephan built a winter residence in Veli Lošinj that is now a sanatorium surrounded by wonderful gardens, with a range of exotic plants and an arboretum. It's possible to spend the night in the sanatorium, even if you are healthy. A short walk beyond the main harbor is the quaint fishing cove of Rovenska. Beyond that, there's a pebble beach and several inviting restaurants. The breakwater was established by Archduke Maximilian I.

This clifftop town on the northeast coast of the island offers majestic views of the Velebit Mountains and a bird's-eye view of the crystal clear waters far below. Clustered on a hilltop 157 feet above a small harbor, it's a mass of confusing winding streets. As you traverse the town on foot you will find many corners where long staircases suddenly arise due to the steep terrain. As one of the oldest settlements on Krk, Vrbnik can feel a a little ramshackle, but this more lends to the charm than distracts from it. The fragrance of old wine barrels is ubiquitous on Vrbnik, and it is likely that they were once filled with Žlahtina, a local white wine that some claim is the best from the Kvarner region. The vineyards are just a short hop from town.

On the southern end of the island, this town has a great beach as well as the conveniences of civilization. However, this means that you must sometimes fight to find a spot in season. The 2-km (1-mile) beach is fronted by colorfully painted houses (and hotels at the southern end) and adorned with interesting nooks and stairways, all lending a fun and slightly eccentric air to the town. Cute backstreets behind the houses offer a selection of cozy cafés and a plethora of ice-cream shops.

Bursting with color and the busyness of an open-air green market, this is the natural starting point for getting acquainted with this port city. It is housed in three large halls, each distinct in its architecture and also in what is sold under its roofs. The most interesting of these halls is the art nouveau fish market, which includes crustacean sculptures on the walls and ceiling by Venetian artist Urbano Bottasso. Surrounding the market are many open-air stalls, mostly manned by women eager to sell their locally grown fresh fruits, vegetables, and other Croatian delicacies. Come early for coffee and people-watching in one of the many surrounding cafés, or come later and have an early lunch or prix-fixe marenda (mid-morning snack) in one of the nearby local eateries, where most offerings come fresh from the market.

Before you leave the market, take a stroll through the small formal park in front of the magnificent Croatian National Theatre, built by Viennese architects Fellner and Helmer in 1885.

Driving into Baška, you'll pass through Draga Bašćanska and then find yourself in Jurandvor. While on this road, take the chance to visit the Church of St. Lucy, which has achieved cultlike status since the discovery of the Glagolitic Baška Tablet on its grounds in 1851.

Formerly the city's main church and dating back to the Middle Ages, St. Mary's is still known to locals as the "big church." However, many additions and changes now obscure much of the original architecture. The relatively recent updates have not imposed severe geometry, though: the bell tower remains leaning to one side by 40 centimeters or so.

Visit this mini-museum to get a good understanding of Croatian (and particularly Opatija's) tourism in the 19th century. Set in the gorgeous pink Villa Angiolina and neighboring Swiss House, the museum's permanent collection includes postcards and photographs, souvenirs, and hotel inventory and equipment such as 19th-century hotel silverware and furniture. The villa's neoclassical design includes superb mosaic floors and frescoes. The park and green area in front of the museum are an attraction in and of themselves and a great place to make a small picnic on the grass.

If you like Communist history, consider a day trip to this uninhabited island that was a Yugoslav prison just off the coast of Rab. Goli Otok means "naked island," a name aptly given for the lack of vegetation and inhabitable conditions on the island. After Tito broke ranks with Stalin in 1948, the island became known as the place where Yugoslav political prisoners were confined. Men were incarcerated here while women were taken to nearby Sveti Grgur island. The treatment of these prisoners is wholly unknown, as very few prisoners lived to tell of their experiences, but a stone quarry indicates that prisoners were forced to do hard labor quarrying stone. Conditions on Goli Otok were harsh, with blistering temperatures in the summer and brutal bura winds ripping across the barren island in the winter. Any mention of Goli Otok was strictly forbidden in Yugoslavia until after Tito's death. The prison was completely abandoned in 1989, but prison barracks remain there. You can make a short trip to this legendary gulag by taxi-boat with one of the many charter companies in Baška or Punat on Krk.

High on a hill facing the Mediterranean sun and a short walk from the city's center, the Governor's Palace affords a grand view over the harbor. Built in 1893 by Hungarian architect Alajos Hauszmann, who also designed Budapest's castle and Palace of Justice, it was done in High Renaissance style and now houses several exhibits and cultural events. The large columned facade communicates the self-confidence of the robust Habsburg empire, as do the numerous statues placed throughout the green area surrounding the palace. The Maritime and Historical Museum of the Croatian Littoral, which investigates Kvarner's seafaring traditions and cultural heritage, is also housed here. After taking in one of the exhibits, enjoy the garden area surrounding the museum, which sometimes hosts an outdoor summer theater and beer garden.

Designed by specialist Viennese architects Fellner and Helmer, Rijeka's National Theatre opened in 1885. In high summer the theater plays host to a Festival of Summer Nights, held beneath wonderful ceiling paintings by Gustav Klimt and emerging from behind a stage curtain decorated by Croatian artist Oton Gliha. It's worth it to buy a ticket to a performance to experience Croatian culture and see the inside of the theater. 

This Romanesque cathedral is unusual in this part of the world because of its rotunda and the semicircular apse behind the altar. Fine Baroque statues are sheltered by Baroque and Gothic construction. Founded by the Jesuits in 1638, the cathedral was named for Rijeka's patron saint. An 18th-century gallery was reportedly built to protect young novice monks from the tempting sights presented when the local lovelies attended services. You can find a cannonball in the wall at the main entrance, apparently fired from a British ship during the Napoleonic wars. The church is closed every day from noon to 3 pm.

On the edge of town, the green expanse of Komrčar Park, laid out in the 19th century, offers avenues lined with pine trees for gentle strolling and access down to the sea. Although the Old Town and its immediate surroundings are Rab's chief treasures, this park is characteristic of the abundance of green areas on Rab that are conducive for escaping the sun on hot days or laying a blanket down under one of the big trees and taking a nap.

Opposite the harbor, but now hidden by a row of houses, are the battlements of a defensive tower that dates back to the 15th century. The squat construction, known as The Tower, now houses a museum and an art gallery staging temporary exhibitions by notable Croatian artists. The permanent exhibition tracing the town's history includes a copy of a Greek statue of Apoxyomenos, which was discovered on the seabed in 1996.

With 8,000 inhabitants sheltered around an inlet, Mali Lošinj is the largest island settlement in the Adriatic. In the 19th century, Mali and Veli Lošinj experienced a golden age when many wealthy sea captains lived on the island. Brightening the waterfront, the mansions and villas they constructed contributed greatly to the town's appeal. There are a handful of churches to wander into and take in the sense of history and time that has been well preserved by the island's faithful. The 15th-century St. Martin's Church was the original centerpiece around which the town was built but is now a bit decrepit, though its ominous presence with a tall square tower and pointed top are hard to miss. At the base of the tower is a cemetery where the history of the town's past residents is collected. If you wish to dig a bit deeper, the Church of Our Little Lady (aka Church of the Nativity of Our Lord) houses many fine examples of religious art.

After a few days of dipping your toes in the water and basking in the sun, you might be itching for a diversionary outing. The Miomirisni otočki vrt is a pleasant place to spend the afternoon—rain or shine—sitting on the terrace admiring the sea of lavender on the hilltop. A donkey, a rabbit, and a small sheep delight visitors, especially children. A small shop in a wooden building sells organic products like soaps, marmalades, and, of course, lavender oil.

Housed in the former city hall near the cathedral, this museum contains one of the oldest archeological collections in Croatia, including artifacts from across the Roman empire.

The grounds of Park Angiolina are a wonderful spread of palm-punctuated lawns with a botanical garden. The vegetation is strikingly lush, including cacti, bamboo, and magnolias, plus neatly kept beds of colorful flowers and sweet-scented shrubs. Indeed, Opatija as a whole is a town saturated with botanical splendor. Iginio Scarpa, an aristocrat from Rijeka and the first settler in Opatija, began importing exotic plants and the tradition has survived into the present. The camellia is the symbol of the city.

This museum was founded by computer enthusiasts interested in collecting vintage computers and technology from the early days of the technological revolution. The collection includes everything from LEGOs to computers, old game consoles, and calculators. A large part of the mission of the museum is to educate visitors in the areas of science and math as the foundation for understanding technology. The great thing about the museum is that they encourage visitors to peek and poke at the displays not only with their eyes but also with their hands and their minds (hence the name).

Exploring the geology and biology of the region at the Rijeka's Natural History Museum invariably involves holding a sizable chunk of marine life up to the eyes. The shark and ray display here is predictably popular, starring a brigade of stuffed sharks swimming in strict formation while suspended from the ceiling. A multimedia center based on an aquarium adds to the extensive collection of nonmammalian species, some 90,000 specimens in total, but also includes rocks, plants, and other less animated elements of the locality. The botanical garden contributes more exotic plants to the array from the museum's grounds. Considering the fearsome appearance of some of the more fascinating inhabitants of the museum, it may be worth considering putting off a visit here until the end of your stay on the coast, lest your imagination get the better of you while bathing on the beaches.

North of Vrbnik, near Rudine, this cave is only one of many caverns on Krk; however, it's the only one open to the public. The stalactites, stalagmites, and calcine pillars inside are lit for easier exploring.