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Lošinj Island located in in the Kvarner Gulf is among the top tourist destinations in the country. On the island, you can enjoy excellent natural reserves, historical sites, and exotic beaches.
To complement the tour, you should consider visiting the island of Cres, which is very close to Lošinj Island. You can cross over to Cres Island using the drawbridge. In this guide, we will cover everything you need to know about travelling on the island of Lošinj.
One of the places you have to visit on the island is the Museum of Kula. In this museum, you will learn a lot about the history of fishing in Losinj Island. It is worth noting that lots of sailors and fishermen live on this island, so the history of the place is tightly tied to the sea. To date, a good proportion of the population considers the sea as their main source of livelihood. In the Museum of Kula, you will see lots of exhibits that are associated with the sea. Once in a while, the museum also organizes events where you can see interesting pieces.
One of the most important historical sculptures on the island is Apoksiomen, and it was retrieved during a study of the surrounding sea waters. This statue depicts the athlete who was known as Apoksiomen and dates back to the days of Ancient Greece. Based on its dating, researchers have been able to determine that the island was already occupied in the prehistoric age. At the time, the island was undergoing quick development, and this can be seen in the priceless items at Mali Lošinj Museum.
If you enjoy excursions, you should consider going to Osorio, and this can be described as an open-air museum. The architecture in this place is quite impressive, and as you walk through it, you will be able to take in the ancient buildings and fort, all of which exist only as ruins now. There are also lots of old religious buildings in the place, and these include the ruins of the oldest Christian church on the island.
Osorio is great for leisurely walks as it is decorated with manicured gardens and alleys, and it also features excellent colonial villas. A popular festival known as the Musicales Osorio is also held in this place regularly, and this is commonly attended by tourists.
You will also appreciate the natural attractions on the island of Lošinj, and one of the most important is the Televrina Mountain. This is the highest point of the island. You can also visit Cikat Bay, a beautiful place that has a nature reserve. Close to the island, you will see a colony of rare dolphins, and these have become the de facto symbols of Losinj Island.
When visiting Lošinj Island, you will be able to enjoy central Croatian foods, as well as typical cuisines from the Adriatic Coast. A popular food on the island is black rizot, and this resembles Italian risotto. It consists of rice, squid, and cuttlefish. To create a unique colour and taste, the chefs add cuttlefish ink to the food. Black rizot is commonly served with grated cheese. Another excellent cuisine you can enjoy at Lošinj Island is grilled fish, and this is usually made with leaves of chard. In Losinj Island restaurants, you will normally get various fresh fish to choose from, and these include zuban, redfish, dorado, sole, sea bass, brancina, and red mullet.
As mentioned earlier, you can also enjoy traditional Croatian foods on Lošinj Island. One of the best meals in this category is prosciutto, a meal which is made with ham. Lots of people buy this food to take back to their loved ones at home. You should also consider trying out Pasticada, a meal that is made with beef that is marinated in red wine with herbs. It is also made with nutmeg, prunes, onions, and carrots. Pasticada is commonly served with dumplins or gnocchi.
Residents of Lošinj Island also enjoy pasta with different sauces, as well as a baked young lamb. While baked young lamb is popular around the country, people in Lošinj Island make it according to the traditional recipe.
Lošinj Island is probably one of the best places for beach vacations in Croatia. The coast is extremely beautiful and features thick pine forests. A popular beach on the island is Veli Zal, and this is among the cleanest beaches in the country. It was even awarded a Blue Flag rating for its environmental performance. About 20 metres of this beach is covered in pine forests. As a fan of watersports, you will also appreciate the training services offered on this beach. In addition, you can access equipment rental shops, a comfortable restaurant, and a small bowling center.
If you walk about five minutes from the middle of Veli Lošinj, you will be able to access Rivne, another great beach on the island. On this beach, you will be able to access excellent equipment, and it normally has very few tourists. Here, the most popular restaurant is Bora Bora, and this is located right next to the coast.
If you choose to go to Mali Lošinj, you should consider visiting Borik Beach. This beach is covered in bright pebble and offers some of the best sceneries on the island. To enjoy different activities, you can visit the small equipment rental. You will also be able to eat and drink at the Bora Bar. Different kinds of seafood are served in this place.
Tourists who enjoy peace and quiet should consider going to Plieski Beach. This is a popular hideaway that can be accessed conveniently by boat. You can also access it easily when strolling in piedmont regions of the island. To get to the beach by walking, you will have to first go to the top of Sveti Ivan Mountain, and the trip should take you about 60 minutes.
You can also visit Lučica Beach, which is a lot closer to get to. You will only need about 20 minutes to walk from the Plat fishing village to Lučica Beach, but you can also visit the place by boat. If you enjoy walking or hiking, you can visit Mala Draga, one of the most scenic beaches on the island. This beach is quite rocky and features a dense forest. Close to Mala Draga, you will find a village known as Ilovik, and this features lots of interesting restaurants and souvenir shops.
Another beach you should consider visiting is Parknu Beach, which features snow-white pebbles and a rich azure colour of the water. You can get excellent watersport equipment on this beach.
For the most serene vacation, you can consider going to Meli Beach near the town of Punta Kriza. Since the waters here are shallow, you will be able to safely swim with children. The fine white sand is also great for building castles. It is worth noting that most beaches on Losinj Island are not sandy, so Meli Beach is quite special.
Lošinj Island is great for your health and mental state, and this is because it has lots of beautiful places. It also has an excellent relaxing climate. All through the year, the weather will be warm, so you can enjoy recreational activities whenever you visit. It is also worth noting that more than 1200 plant species grow on the Lošinj Archipelago. If you enjoy natural reserves and plant species, you should consider going to the Island of Unije.
On this island, there are over 600 plant species that cover a 17km stretch of land. There is also a well-defined walking trail that covers a distance of 250 km. Other activities you can enjoy at Unije Island include jogging and biking. You can also find lots of great accommodation options, as well as eateries. To get the best from the island, you should consider taking morning walks so that you take in the first rays of the sun.
In Lošinj Island, visitors can enjoy a number of traditional events every year. The most notable event on the island is Lošinj Optimist Regatta, an occasion that is held in Mali Lošinj in Cikat Bay. The event is extremely popular among amateur yachtsmen, and you will be able to watch small yachts sailing the waters.
In Kvarner Bay, lots of carnivals are also organized regularly. These occasions are held traditionally, and the history of the carnivals goes back to prehistory. Even then, the events involved the wearing of masks.
There is also a hiking marathon that covers a distance of 20 km. It starts from the main square in Mali Lošinj and goes through Cikat Bay, Suncana Bay, and the southern region of Lošinj Island. It ends at St Martin Bay, at which point the hikers will go back to the square in Mali Lošinj. As you participate in this marathon, you will be able to see a school of dolphins.
In December, locals and tourists participate in a spearfishing event known as the Year’s Cup. The event goes for a period of two days. It was first organized in 1959 and was initially meant to add a sense of tradition to the New Year celebrations on the island.
Since Lošinj Island is popular among tourists, there are lots of accommodation options you can use in the place. You can stay in hotels, private apartments, hostels, camping grounds, and even luxury villas. Most of the great hotels are situated in Mali Lošinj.
If you’re a fan of the nightlife, you should consider going to the Mali Lošinj town center at night. You can visit the tavern to enjoy live bands, nightclubs, and even coffee bars. Events are usually organized in the tavern, so you can expect your nights to be extremely exciting.
Mali Lošinj has amazing panoramic views, and you can take in this beauty from the theme viewpoint Providenca. For the best views, you should visit the place just before sunset and enjoy some cocktails at the Vidikovac Bar. From here, you will be able to watch the sun touching the sea.
In this spot, you will be able to access the Apsyrtides, a walking trail that was named after Greek terms for the island. This is a great trail for romantic walks as it offers excellent views of the islands of Cres and Losinj. After your walk, you can head to one of the many restaurants in the region, where you can enjoy local foods like marinated fish and sausages. Locals usually take red wine with these foods, so you should consider doing the same.
If you want to catch a glimpse of dolphins, you should visit the Dolphin Way promenade. The trail united the east and west coasts of the island and starts at the Suncana or Sunny cove. After about 1.5 hours of walking on the pristine bays, you will get to Krivica, and this place is used as a yachting hotspot. Your best chances of spotting dolphins are at Mrtvaška Cove, which is the final section of the promenade. Once you finish the walk, you can go to Veli Lošinj, which is a nearby village.
Cikat Forest Park is a man-made ecosystem that has grown to look natural. It was originally meant to add beauty to the island and has great trails for sunset strolls. The forest is situated about 4 km from Mali Lošinj town and features a variety of flora and fauna. You will also see many pine trees, junipers, olive groves, and strawberry bushes. Some animals you will see in the forest are migratory birds, butterflies, crickets, grasshoppers, and cicadas. In 1858, the famous Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built, and many residents attend mass in this church.
Cres is a sparsely populated island that neighbors Lošinj Island. There is a lot to explore in this place, including the Venetian Tower, the Old Roman Bridge, Beli Olive mill, and the Municipal Loggia. You can also view the medieval fortress at Lubenice, and this is perched on a 378 m cliff. When you get to the top of the cliff, you will be able to take in panoramic views of Kvarner Bay. You should also consider going to Osor, the ancient Roman town. Here, you will enjoy attractions such as the Archaeology Museum, the Cathedral, and an old excavation site. You can also relax at the pebbled beach in the fisherman village of Martinšćica, where you can take a swim. In order to get to Cres, you should take the bridge.
The museum of Apoxyomenos is among the newest attraction on the island, and it has helped to boost the place’s reputation as a contemporary cultural destination. Over the last few years, many museums in Croatia have been opened, but the museum of Apoxyomenos is arguably the most famous. It features a Greco-Roman statue of a handsome young athlete known as Apoxyomenos and has a whole narrative regarding this athlete. The statue is made of bronze.
It is worth noting that the name Apoxyomenos is derived from ancient Greek and means the scalper. This is a reference to the habit of cleaning the skin with a strigil or scalping tool. Lots of athletes had this habit in ancient Greece. Sculptors in this era made lots of items with the theme of the scalper, but many of these have been lost or destroyed. The Apoxyomenos is one of the few surviving copies. Other Apoxyomenos statues can be found in Vienna, Rome, and Florence. The strigil is missing in the Apoxyomenos statue in Losinj, so the hand is in an open state.
The Fragrant Garden is known for its exquisite beauty and heavenly atmosphere. With over 100 alohtone wild herbs on 3551 square meters Fragrant Garden is able to excite your senses. In addition to the untouched natural landscape, it features great shapes and colours. It should definitely be one of your steps thorough exploring the pearl of Croatia Lošinj Island.
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