Breathtaking bays and secluded beaches — 7 days around Kvarner

Located between the Istrian peninsula and the Dalmatia region, Kvarner Gulf puts together a great variety of fascinating features of the Croatian coast, from grizzled coastal hills and mountains, idyllic beaches overlooking rich blue waters to lively fishing villages and a great variety of subtropical plants. The wide range of pebbly and rocky coves, as well as some of the most beautiful beaches in the Adriatic Sea, can put Kvarner Gulf on the list of most desired destinations for sea lovers. 

Sailing itinerary for Kvarner

Day 1: Krk – Sailing route Krk-Cres: +/- 36,1nm

 Day 2: Cres – Sailing route Cres-Losinj/Unije/Susak: +/- 24,3nm

 Day 3: Losinj/Unije/Susak – Sailing route Losinj/Unije/Susak-Ilovik/Silba/Olib: +/- 22,3nm

 Day 4: Ilovik/Silba/Olib – Sailing route Ilovik/Olib/Silba-Pag: +/- 20nm

 Day 5: Pag – Sailing route Pag-Rab/Grgur/Goli Otok: +/- 14,5nm

 Day 6: Rab/Grgur/Goli Otok – Sailing route Rab/Grgur/Goli Otok-Krk: +/- 21nm

Total distance: +/- 138,2 nautical miles

Day One: Krk

Most desired bays

•   If you start from the Punat marina, try to anchor in St. Juraj, about an hour away. Somewhat more hidden is Oprna beach, situated in a beautiful bay in front of Stara Baska. Other secluded, less-known yet equally beautiful beaches can be found in Vrbnik, including the Nuluk, Pod Kovac, Kozica and Potovosce beach. The island also has many beaches with therapeutic mud that can help ease various problems associated with bone ache, most of which lies in the Bay of Soline at Dobrinje.

What not to miss: 

•  A trip to Vrbnik is definitely worth your time. Situated on a rocky coastal hill overlooking the sea, Vrbnik is undeniably beautiful, making it one of the most famous towns in Croatia. Visitors come to Vrbnik for its beauty, its rich Glagolitic heritage, and its favourite Zlahtina white wine that can only be found in the region. If you’re interested in the local history and culture, take a walk around Krk Town. The two most famous sights here are the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary and Frankopan castle, both of which were built in the 12th century and carry many stories of the island’s heritage.

Berthing:  

•  The best berthing option in Krk is Marina Punat, located on the island’s north coast and around 3km away from Krk Town. Other options include small harbours in Malinska, Njvice, Omisalj, Vrbnik, and Baska.

Day Two: Cres

Most desired bays

•  The island of Cres is blessed with a long and diverse coastline, with many coves and charming bays on one side and stunning perpendicular cliffs on the other. Out of all, Saint Ivan is arguably the most beautiful beach on the island. Located at the foot of a hill covered by Mediterranean vegetation, Saint Ivan beach is an isolated paradise where you can swim undisturbed in crystal-clear blue water. You can also visit Blue Grotto for a bit of adventure – a hidden cave with a large blue lagoon inside. Another worth-mentioning beach is Mali Bok, located in Orlec. This pebbly beach is sheltered by high cliffs, which provides visitors with calming shade, perfect for hot summer days.

Nature 

•  Vegetation on Cres is very diverse, with around 1100 plant species identified on the island, 939 of which are indigenous. The island's northern part is home to red oak, hornbeam, elm, and chestnut trees, while the southern part is covered in pastures and thick macchia. It can be said that Cres is most famous for being the last habitat of the griffon vulture, a scarce type of vulture eagle. 

What not to miss

•  One of the main sights in Cres town is the round Venetian tower, which is the only tower left on the island that was built in the 15th century. Once you’re in town, don’t forget to visit the preserved Roman bridge from the city entrance over the canyon and remnants of the Cres’ city wall, dating back to the Middle Ages. Other worth-visiting places include Beli – one of the island's oldest, most secluded areas, which is also home to rare griffon vultures. Or the historic village of Lubenice, famous for its excellent position on a 378-meter-high cliff, which opens up a stunning view of the coast of Istria.

Berthing 

•  ACI Marina Cres, which is located in Crestown, is the only marina on the island. The marina offers 473 berths. Other berthing options include small harbours in Valun, Martinscica, Osor or anchorages at the island’s southeast end.

  Day Three: Losinj

Most desired bays

• There are plenty of options to choose from. Losinj is further from the mainland, and you can easily find a bay just for yourself. Very north, there is a beautiful bay called Plaža Plieski, with water colour that are out of this world. The west coast of the island of Koludarc hides many beautiful places for swimming and anchoring.

What not to miss 

•  If you are a dolphin lover, we recommend sailing to Kvarneric on the western coast of Losinj, which is the natural habitat of around 120 of these protected species. Those who take an interest in ancient Greek sculpture will have some good time in the Museum of Apoxymenos, where the history of Apoxyomenos is presented in an innovative and approachable way. The Losinj Aromatic Garden is also another worth-visiting place. This lovely garden offers a great variety of local handicrafts, from liquor, aromatic sea salt to fragrant sachets and tea.

Berthing 

•  There are 3 marinas on Losinj, namely Marina Losinj, Mali Losinj Marina, and Yacht Club Marina. The first two marinas are located on the east side of the Mali Losinj inlet, offering 200 berths for boats up to 18 meters and in depths up to 8 meters. Yacht Club Marina is located at the head of the bay, and provides 110 berths for boats up to 30 meters and in depths up to 6-7 meters.

Day Four: Silba

Most desired bays

•  Silba has a significant number of small beaches and bays. The biggest and probably most popular one is Sotorisce beach on the west coast of the island. Otherwise, Zalic is also a great beach with crystal clear water that visitors can even dive and watch the fish swimming along sunken rocks.

What not to miss

•  The most famous landmark on the island is Toreta, a 30-meter-high tower with a long spiral staircase that offers a great view of Silba’s landscape.

Berthing

•  The Silba harbour is situated on the east coast of the island, offers 30 moorings for yachts in depths up to 4 meters. There are also 3 other anchorages on the island, namely the Luka Silba mooring to the east of Silba harbour, Luka Sv. Ante on the southwest coast, and Luka Paprenica on the west coast.

Day Five: Pag

Most beautiful beaches

•  Are you a party animal? The famous Zrce is perfect for an active, vibrant beach packed with young people and great music. Otherwise, for a completely different side of Pag, we recommend sailing to the small town of Lun and enjoying some privacy in one of its many beautiful, unspoiled coves.

What not to miss 

•  One of the most important historical sights of Pag is the Talijanova buza, located in the town of Novalja. It is a part of the original Roman aqueduct, which was built in the 1st century. Some worth-mentioning sights include the 15th-century Church of St.George, which was once part of the city’s defensive wall, the Benedictine Monastery of St.Margaret where you can learn lace-making, the 15th-century bridge of Katina, and the Gradac viewpoint where you can get the best panoramic view of the region. The small town of Lun, located in the northernmost point of Pag, is also an exciting destination. It is home to approximately 80,000 olive trees, some of which are around 2000 years old.

What to do 

•  We can’t stress this enough; there are plenty of things to do and experience on Pag aside from partying. The island is famous for its lace-making and local sheep cheese – paski sir. Pag lace was listed as one of the seven immaterial cultural goods from Croatia by UNESCO. And paski sir from Paska sirana – the oldest cheese factory on the island, has won several International Cheese awards, so they’re definitely worth a try. We recommend getting around Pag, especially the mysterious Pag Triangle, on a quad bike for adventurous people. Its rocky, inhospitable terrain will definitely bring you an exciting, somewhat refreshing experience.

Anchoring

•  ACI Simuni Marina is the only marina on Pag, located on the island’s west coast. The marina offers 221 berths for yachts up to 25 meters and in depths up to 5 meters. In addition, there are several good anchorages in the villages of Zubovici, Caska, Povljana, Kosljun, Novalja, Jakisnica, and Tovarnele.

  Day Six: Rab

Most desired bays

•  Rajska Plaza (or Paradise Beach), located in the northeastern part of Rab, is named Top 100 Beaches in the World by CNN. This famous beach has also received the Blue Flag award since 2003. Heading a bit further north from Rajska Plaza, you’ll find Ciganka, a beautiful isolated beach famous for its unique sand pyramids and other natural formations. Banjol is another lovely part of the island, where you can find the pebbly sandy beaches called Padova. Padova 3 is specially designed for families with young children because of its amusing camping site and many family-friendly facilities and services. Sahara Beach is an exciting choice if you’re into naturalism. This remote nudist beach offers a beautiful crescent-shaped shore, crystal clear water, and a much lesser crowd than other similar beaches on the island.

What not to miss

•  The island of Rab can be considered the perfect destination for those interested in visiting historical sights. The most beautiful one of all is arguably Rab old town. With numerous Gothic and Renaissance palaces, churches, and four famous belfries, the town can surely charm its way to the hearts of history lovers. Out of all, St.Mary the Blessed is the biggest church on the island. This beautiful 13th-century cathedral also has a small museum inside. The Museum of Sacred Art is also an exciting sight, whose main attraction is the skull of St. Christopher contained in a gold-encrusted reliquary from 1000 years ago.

Anchoring

•  There are two marinas on Rab island, namely Marina Rab and Marina Supetarska Draga. Marina Rab is located in an old harbour of Rab town on the southwest side of the island. It offers 142 berths for yachts up to 20 meters and in depths up to 5 meters. However, this marina only opens from mid-April till the beginning of November. Marina Supertarska Draga is located on the island’s northwest coast, offering 274 berths for yachts up to 25 meters and in depths up to 3 meters.