Must-see attractions in Kvarner

  • Trsat Castle, fort interior courtyard, Rijeka, Kvarner Region, Croatia

    Trsat Castle

    Rijeka

    High on a hill above the city, this semiruined 13th-century fortress offers magnificent vistas from its bastions and ramparts, looking down the Rječina…

  • Stara Baška

    Krk Island

    For one of Krk's best beaches, head south of Punat on the lonely road to Stara Baška. It’s a superlative drive, through steep, parched hills and lunar…

  • Bell tower of St. Mary's church at Rab, Croatia.

    St Mary's Campanile

    Rab Island

    Dating from the 12th century, this is Rab’s tallest bell tower and one of the most beautiful on the entire Croatian coast. The 26m edifice is topped with…

  • Rab island, Croatia - July 19, 2018: The Paradise beach in Lopar, Croatia. South-east Europe.

    Paradise Beach

    Rab Island

    One of Croatia's best beaches, this sickle of fine sand hems Lopar's southern flank and is the biggest attraction in these parts. Backed by all sorts of…

  • Lubenice Beach

    Lubenice Beach

    Cres Island

    One of Kvarner’s most remote and beautiful beaches, this secluded cove is accessed by following a steep path through the scrub. The 45-minute descent is a…

  • Sahara Beach

    Rab Island

    Sahara Beach is a popular nudist spot in a gorgeous but shallow bay. Look for the signpost pointing off the main road before you reach Paradise Beach; it…

  • Beli Beach

    Cres Island

    An archetypal Adriatic beach – secluded, wonderfully quiet and strewn with pebbles – 130m below the pretty village of Beli.

  • St Lucy's Church

    Krk Island

    More than just a village church, little St Lucy's was the site of one of the most important cultural discoveries in Croatia – the 11th-century Baška…

  • Croatian Museum of Tourism

    Opatija

    Spread between three historic buildings, this excellent museum houses a permanent collection of old photographs, postcards, brochures and posters tracing…

  • Our Lady of Trsat Church

    Rijeka

    According to legend, the angels carrying the house of Jesus' mother from Nazareth rested here in the late 13th century before moving it to Loreto across…

  • Košljun Franciscan Monastery

    Krk Island

    The tiny island of Košljun contains a 16th-century Franciscan monastery built on the site of a 12th-century Benedictine abbey. Taxi boats wait at Punat…

  • Cathedral of the Assumption

    Krk Island

    This imposing 12th-century Romanesque structure was built on the site of Roman baths and an early Christian basilica. Inside, note the rare early…

  • Fritzy Palace

    Mali Lošinj

    The largest branch of the three-headed Lošinj Museum (the others are in Osor and Veli Lošinj), this grand mansion houses a trio of distinct collections: a…

  • Lungomare

    Opatija

    Lined with majestic villas and ample gardens, this wonderful path (more formally known as the Franz Joseph I Promenade) is a people-watcher’s dream and…

  • Church of the Assumption

    Rab Island

    It hasn't been a cathedral since 1828, when the diocese was dissolved, but locals still refer to this, their grandest church, as the katedrala. Its…

  • Monastery of St Euphemia

    Rab Island

    A 2.5km walk heading north along the seaside promenade from Rab's old town brings you to this peaceful Franciscan monastery, dating from the 13th century…

  • St Vitus' Cathedral

    Rijeka

    North of Rijeka's Roman Arch is this unusual round cathedral, built by the Jesuit order in 1638 on the site of an older church and dedicated to Rijeka’s…

  • Maritime & History Museum

    Rijeka

    The star of this museum is the building itself, the former palace of the Austro-Hungarian governor. It's a splendid showcase of Hungarian architecture,…

  • Sea Turtle Rescue Centre

    Mali Lošinj

    Small but extremely interesting, this centre is dedicated to rehabilitating injured sea turtles, most of which have been entangled in plastic or fishing…

  • Holy Cross Church

    Rab Island

    This 13th-century church takes its present name from a crucifix upon which, in 1556, the image of Christ was said to have wept due to the immoral conduct…

  • St Mark's Church

    Cres Island

    The parish church houses the village's main sight: the 11th-century Valun Tablet. Inscribed in both Glagolitic and Latin, this tombstone reflects the…

  • Viewpoint

    Rab Island

    For a great view over Rab's rooftops, including all four bell towers, head to the northwesternmost corner of the old town and look for a small courtyard…

  • St Anthony the Abbot's Church

    Rab Island

    At the eastern tip of the old town, this church attached to a still-operating Franciscan convent has lots of inlaid marble and a carving of a seated St…

  • St Andrew's Monastery

    Rab Island

    Founded in 1018, this Benedictine monastery has Rab’s oldest bell tower (1181) and a still-functioning bell dating from 1396. Peer through the railings at…

  • Trg Frane Petrića

    Cres Island

    Right by the harbour, the main town square was the scene of public announcements, financial transactions and festivals under Venetian rule. It’s now the…

  • Kaštel

    Krk Island

    This crumbling seafront fortress guarded the old town from pirate attacks. Check out the inscribed Liburnian and Roman stones displayed in the courtyard…

  • Rescue Centre for Griffon Vultures

    Cres Island

    Housed at the Beli Visitor Centre, this place is home to, at last count, six juvenile griffon vultures that are being prepared for tagging and release…

  • Natural History Museum

    Rijeka

    Located in a very grand 19th-century villa, this museum is devoted to the geology, botany and sea life of the Adriatic area. There’s a small aquarium,…

  • Garden of Fine Scents

    Mali Lošinj

    This fragrant paradise on the southern edge of town has more than 250 native plant varieties plus 100 exotic species, all framed with gromače (traditional…

  • Livačina Beach

    Rab Island

    This popular beach is one cove east of Lopar town. It can get busy, but it's a good alternative to the even busier main town beach. Backed by pine trees…

  • Baška Beach

    Krk Island

    Baška's beach arcs around the coastline south of the main drag, with fine views over towards the mainland. It can get crowded in summer, but there's…

  • Church of the Assumption

    Cres Island

    Completed in 1498, this large church has a rich Renaissance portal facing onto the main square. The baroque altar inside has relics of St Gaudentius, Osor…

  • Valun Beach

    Cres Island

    Around the headland to the northwest of the village, you'll find a lovely pebble beach bordered by pines. It's much quieter than the beach just east of…

  • Komrčar Park

    Rab Island

    This 8.3-hectare park abuts the old town and stretches along the coast to the marina at Palit. It was originally used as a place to graze cattle but was…

  • Astronomical Centre

    Rijeka

    High on a hill east of the city, Croatia’s first astronomical centre is a striking modern complex encompassing an observatory, a planetarium and a study…

  • City Tower

    Rijeka

    One of the few buildings to have survived the 1750 earthquake, the distinctive yellow City Tower was originally a gate from the waterfront to the old town…

  • St Mary of the Snow Church

    Cres Island

    Just inside the main harbour gate, this church is notable for its Renaissance portal with a relief of the Virgin and Child. A glassed-in foyer allows you…

  • Ruta

    Cres Island

    This local collective promotes the island’s cultural tradition of wool weaving and felting. Using the discarded wool of indigenous Cres sheep, the…

  • Petar Kružić Stairway

    Rijeka

    To follow in pilgrims’ footsteps to Our Lady of Trsat, climb this stairway from Titov trg, built in 1531 for the faithful on their way to the church. The…

  • St Justine's Church

    Rab Island

    This semiderelict church has a bell tower dating from 1672. It’s located beside pretty Trg Slobode, which has a holm oak tree and sea vistas. Below is an…