CROATIA – PART 2 KRK, CRES and LOSINJ Islands

Days 3/4/5 – Krk Island to Cres and Losinj

A 40 min drive from Baska on Krk took us to Valbiska where we just made the ferry over to Merag on Cres. After a 25 min crossing, we were on a new Kvaerner Gulf island! We were now also very close to the mainland Croatian area of Istria.

Although mainly low lying and pine clad, the land did rise to  around 600m in the north end and is actually the second largest island in the Adriatic.However, I would say that you don’t go to these islands for stunning landscapes as such.Hvar was lovelier overall but so much of the coast is pine clad and low lying and, terrible though it is to say, that can get a bit monotonous.The towns and villages however are delightful.

We had a 70 min drive through Cres to Losinj (pronounced Losheen) another island, connected via a small swing bridge. Here,  we were booked for 2 nights into the enormous Hotel Aurora. I was worried about this place because we don’t usually stay in big resorts but the setting looked nice, it was 4 star and overlooked what looked like a pretty bay.It was by far our most expensive accommodation at around £206 B&B per night. 

However, it turned out to be my favourite stay😊

Parking was free in the public area amidst the pines and which overlooked the hotel so that was handy.

Inside, it was a sort of typical, enormous corporate style hotel but attractive enough.

We had booked a superior double with sea view and we certainly got that! On the 3^rd floor, our room was high enough above the pines for good views and we loved it right away.

After dropping the gear off, we walked the few mins down to the beach – surprisingly busy with classy looking sun loungers and parasols  – and found a nice bit of flat rock from which to have a swim. In peak season it must go like a fair and perhaps be too busy (some play equipment in the water – pedalos with slides which looked good fun actually!) But it really was a beautiful spot. It’s a public beach so the hotel doesn’t run the loungers etc.

We’d stopped at a supermarket on route so enjoyed some cold stuff on the balcony – salad, avocado, cheese and some nice bread. Watched the sun going down, the whole place very quiet and relaxing.

The best buffet breakfast next morning! Really first class with every possible option you might want from yoghurts and granola, cereals and fresh fruits of all types; to smoked fish and pates, bacon and eggs(all ways).Grilled veg too, something that was served a lot in Croatia – peppers, aubergine, mushrooms etc – I love veg (and need to eat a lot😉) so that was very welcome.

There was a beautiful outdoor terrace for dining and on the basis of how good breakfast was, we decided to book dinner . This was on offer to guests for an extra 20 euros each which seemed a great deal for 3 courses.

Various forest trails led from the hotel, one of which took us over the narrow peninsula to the small town of Mali Losinj. What a beauty of a place!

A very smart, pastel coloured harbour town, lined with cafes and shops. It really was gorgeous.We had almost booked into the Hotel Apoksiomen, on the main promenade and while it looked very nice, I was also glad we hadn’t as we still preferred the more rural location of the Aurora.But really, what a perfect little place.

We walked about 9 or 10 miles that day, initially through ML itself then emerging at a small pebble beach where we picked up another coastal path (all this from a map the hotel gave us – really useful)

It was a beautiful walk, mostly flat and shaded amidst the pines. Finally we reached Veli Losinj, a smaller version of Mali and what an absolute gem of a place IT turned out to be too. A wow! It wouldn’t have looked out of place on the Cote D’Azur (of which we are big fans.)

It was a stunning, pastel coloured beauty of a small village. Absolutely gorgeous.Different looking to Baska and Rab Town too  – the Italian influence was apparent now, being so close.

The village was not busy and actually very quiet, with several nice looking cafes and restaurants. I was already wondering whether to dine here instead (albeit going by car!)

Ooft – we were ready for a seat now! Relaxed over some nice lattes in a quayside café where I also spotted some apple strudel.Very good it was too…one of the best desserts I had all holiday in fact.

We carried on round the coastal path until we reached another little gem of a village- they were getting smaller and quieter all the time.This was Mol…just beautiful…

It was getting pretty warm so time for a swim.Found a small pebbly beach beyond Mol, not busy. Bliss to cool down in the very clear water! But as ever, we needed those beach shoes.Mine were a great purchase which I made about a decade ago on the island of Symi(Greek Islands) so they don’t owe me anything.

Got some ice creams from a café and started the 5 mile or so walk back.

Checked out some rental properties in Mol which really did look our kind of place.

Once we reached Mali Losinj, we made the major mistake of taking a slightly different path about a mile from the hotel – mainly to allow a stop off at the supermarket again – and ended up cutting through the forest.This took us on a descending, awful, broken, bouldery path for a good half an hour. Oh the relief to see Hotel Aurora finally emerge through the pines! Should have stuck to our outward route or used the pavement via the road to the hotel.Anything would have been better than that detour.

But really, what a great hike! Felt we got to know this area quite well, as you often do, exploring on foot.It also meant I felt I really deserved tonight’s mega meal.(Chris never has such qualms!)

The buffet at the hotel was outstanding – one of the best I’ve ever had. The dining room was enormous and was absolutely full of different counters and offerings.Freshly cooked fish of various types including Grouper, Trout, Salmon, cold meats, pates, wild game stew, roast meats, roast chicken…sauces, dips, salads, grilled veg…it was superb. Big mistake not to have enjoyed this the previous night! Incredible value too.

And of course, you could go back time and time again…bliss.

Left the table stuffed! Only criticism were the desserts which weren’t so good but with only one or two exceptions(today’s Apple Strudel),  we found this all over Croatia.Or perhaps we just chose the wrong places.

A stroll at sunset…

Sitting with a drink on the balcony afterwards, a DJ appeared on the big terrace below and began playing some really great music. Queen, Sinatra, Elvis.I think Englebert Humperdink even got a look in! Lots of 70 and 80s stuff to match the older clientele.Yeh heh! There were a lot of Germans staying and they were taking to the floor, with two couples waltzing semi -professionally to the music. Impressive! I couldn’t help singing along to some of the really great songs – my  kind of tunes. I always say I hate music played in bars and restaurants but it’s only because it’s not to my taste; when driving on my own I have varous playlists belting out at full volume. Music’s inspiring but most modern pop music I find truly dreadful.

Sorry to leave Hotel Aurora after another excellent buffet breakfast. I was already thinking about a future trip again) …could we fly to Pula, drive to Brestova, ferry then down to here for a long weekend? Maybe a bit much!

At some point we needed to catch the ferry from Porozina way up at the north end of Cres, over to Brestova on the mainland (Istria) That was around a 1hr 20 drive but there were still several places I wanted to see on the island.

Made a brief stop at Osor, a tiny village at the small bridge between Cres and Losinj. Lovely church there and just an atmospheric little place to wander round. We kept an eye on the time as the bridge is a swing bridge which opens twice per day to let boats through.

Next was the mountain village of Lubenice, sitting at over 300 metres in fairly remote countryside.The drive was ultra narrow, with stone walls on either side of the road and few long sightlines. Thankfully we were there before 10am so only a couple of cars came in the opposite direction. There are slim passing places of course but they are not overly frequent nor are they signposted ahead.I just kept memorising where the last one was that we passed in case we had to use it in a ‘stand off.’

Lubenice was deserted though there were two cars parked when we arrived.Clearly, the houses are being done up by various incomers. It was nice but perhaps didn’t quite justify the big detour we made or its write up in the guidebook. Maybe we are just spoiled by the ancient villages we’ve seen in France, Spain and Italy though I was really taken with some we saw in Korcula and the Peljesac area years ago.

I was quite interested in the path that wound its way down to a pebbly beach, ranked as one of Cres’s best.

It certainly looked nice though clearly it was quite a tough hike down and back up to reach it. Signs proclaimed ‘dangerous path’ and from photos I’d seen of the beach, it didn’t look any better than many other ‘remote’ beaches and nowhere near as lovely a setting as Vela Luka.

Still, I do like to find a lovely beach and had tried to organise a boat trip to it this morning from another village but they weren’t operating this early in the season. We just didn’t have the time to do the walk itself given the driving that lay ahead. Plus it did look pretty eroded and steep and it was already very hot. I was conscious too that once back on the mainland in Istria, there was another 1hr 30 or so of driving until we reached our accommodation near Porec.

A nice wander, though, through the utterly silent , seemingly deserted village…and as everywhere, wildflowers and garden roses and other blooms everywhere…

A bit of a relief to re-join the main road which we followed down to Valun, a pleasant little village, super quiet and with a café right by the quay. Lattes! A cold drink might have been more sensible but we seem to crave the caffeine. I usually only drink decaff but this wasn’t available anywhere we went in Croatia.Roses everywhere in Valun…a German guy laughed at me for taking photos as if they were unusual but they were so beautiful plus I DO love roses.

It was a short drive from there to Cres town. Parking was easy and just a short walk from the old town itself. What a place – gorgeous!

Absolutely stunned by these pastel coloured, pristine small places by the sea. Incredibly pretty. We strolled around then headed out along the walkway by the shore, ready for a swim. No beach as such – small pebbly areas backed by pines – but very enjoyable and a relief to cool down.

A bit busier at this area than others had been and with little boats whizzing about up and down the channel.

We tried to see the remaining Tower House which Cres is famous for , one of 5 which used to defend the town, but it was closed at lunchtime.

My final ‘thing to do’ was to try the ice cream in Bacio, on the main square. I’d read about unusual flavours and quality stuff and it didn’t disappoint. The staff were rather grim faced but the grapefruit and raspberry ice cream was first class, as was the pistachio. 

We were very lucky with ferries this trip as we managed to get on the one that was leaving quite shortly from Porozina.

The road climbed high above Cres Town and we stopped at one spot to admire the view over the sea. Then it was down, down, down to the little port, with a bit of a delay due to major roadworks. The road surface was badly broken for quite a long way but it was simply a matter of driving really carefully – back home in that condition, the road would have been closed, it was so bad.There was also a thunderstorm and the rain was torrential for 10 mins or so but – spectacular (given we were in the car!)

Bye bye Cres and Losinj – hello Istria!

Rab and Krk islands report: CROATIA – Islands, Istria and Plitvice Lakes