The island of Krk is the heart of Croatia. There are beaches, beautiful settlements, a national park and picturesque nature. Photos of the island of Krk can often be seen on advertising banners and all kinds of travel guides – it is considered an important tourist destination in Croatia.
General information
Krk is the largest island of the Adriatic Sea, located near the Dalmatian coast (its area is 406 km²). The population is about 17,000 people.
The island of Krk has a rich history: the first mention of it dates back to the 1st century BC. (naval battle of Julius Caesar and Pompey). Next was the arrival of the Slavs in the 6th century, the formation of the Venetian Republic in the 18th century. and its collapse, after – the occupation by the Italians, and after another 40 years, the island became part of KSHS. Then the Kingdom of Yugoslavia was formed, and in 1990, like many states, Croatia (and Krk in particular) gained independence.
Today the island is very popular with tourists – there are several resorts and historical and cultural values.
Krk National Park
Krk National Park is the pride of the island of the same name and the whole of Croatia. This place is famous for its picturesque nature: waterfalls, green hills and forests. Krk National Park is not inferior in beauty to the famous Plitvice Lakes – tourists also come here from all over Europe.
The Krk Nature Reserve in Croatia is located in the Krk River Valley, near the green resort of Sibenik and the town of Knin. The park occupies the fourth part of the island – 109 km².
In the protected area of the park there are more than 860 species of animals and 18 species of fish. The Krk National Park in Croatia is also famous for its birds: every autumn and spring you can see bird migration here.
As for the sights, this is, first of all, 7 picturesque waterfalls. The largest of them is the Skradinsky beech, reaching a height of 46 meters. Near it you can also find an ethnographic museum – here are presented windmills operating on the energy of a waterfall.
There are also architectural sights in the national park – these are the Franciscan monastery Visovac and the Serbian Orthodox monastery Krka. These temples in Croatia were built back in the XIV century, then were repeatedly destroyed, but were again restored.
- September-October and April-June – 110 kunas – adult, 80 kunas – children (the price includes a visit to the park and travel by boat).
- November-March – adult – 30 HRK, children – 20 HRK, children under 7 years old are free.
- July-August – a full ticket of 200 HRK, for children over 7 years old – 120 HRK.
Opening hours: The main entrance to the Lozovac and Skradinski Buk waterfalls is from 8.00 to 18.00, Roshsky waterfall is from 09.00 to 17.00 (the park has several entrances).
- You can get to Krka from Split by a free route along the sea (look for brown signs with the inscription KRKA park along the road). The distance between the objects is about 370 km, which on average can be overcome in 5 hours.
- The second option is a trip by the Autobahn Split – Zagreb. It will be necessary to leave the highway after the sign for Sibenik. Such a trip will cost about 12-15 €.
- And the last option is the bus Sibenik – Lozovac (landing at the Šibenik – Autobusni kolodvor stop in the center of the town). The ticket will cost 39 kunas.
Island settlements
On the island of Krk in Croatia there are small villages and towns. The largest of them are: Krk, Baska, Omisal, Punat, Vrbnik, Malinska. Each of these settlements deserves the attention of tourists, because in all these places there are both natural and architectural attractions.
Krk is the largest city on the island, located on the southwest coast. This is one of the oldest settlements of the Adriatic Sea, the first mention of which dates back to the period of the Roman Empire.
Krk has architectural sights. Firstly, it is the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built in the XII century on an even more ancient building – the early Christian basilica of the 5th-6th centuries. Secondly, this is the Roman Forum – a huge square on which the town hall and the old well, popular with tourists, later appeared. And finally, thirdly, these are huge city walls built to protect the old city from enemies.
It is also worth visiting the museum of religious art and the chapel of St. Donat, created back in the XII century.
Baska is a small village in Croatia, located on the shore of a large bay. This is more a resort for a beach holiday than for sightseeing tourism.
There are many beaches here: Nikolina, Ikovac, Osijek, as well as Wild (or Dog). The village has ideal conditions for recreation – the water is clean, the wind is very rare, there is a pine forest near some beaches.
It is worth saying about several attractions: the church of St. Nicholas of the XIX century, the statue of St. Nicholas (this saint is the patron saint of Krk), as well as the central promenade of the resort. Near the resort of Baska there is another interesting place – Biseruyka cave. According to myth, pirates hid treasures in this place. Today it is a very famous tourist attraction: travelers can visit several caves and admire the stalactites.
Stara Baska is the classic old town of Croatia on the seashore. This is a great place for families: there are many beaches, a forest, a park, as well as the famous mountain. Getting to the resort is not so easy – you can come here either by car from the city of Punat, or come on foot along the hiking path that starts at the village of Batomal.
There are several nameless beaches in Stara Baska, the largest and most famous of them is Pebble Beach. The water here is very clean, but there are practically no people. The only negative is sometimes you can find sea urchins.
Vrbnik is a city located on the rocks of the island of Krk. This is not only one of the largest, but also one of the most popular resorts of the island. There are a huge number of architectural and historical monuments: the Church of St. John the Baptist (patron of Vrbnik), the chapel of Anthony of Padua, the chapel of St. Martin, the Gothic chapel of the Holy Rosary and the old cemetery. But the most interesting fact is that Blaz Baromich, the founder of the first printing house in Croatia, was born in this town. A street is named after him, and there is also a museum.
The village will be interesting for lovers of alcoholic beverages – annually there is a wine festival. During the week, winemakers come here from different parts of Europe and present their products. Special wine exhibitions and lectures are also held.
Malinska is a small cozy town in the north-west of the island. He is known primarily for picturesque parks and clean beaches. There are also interesting historical sights: the Church of St. Appolinaria, the Church of Mary Magdalene and the convent of the early 16th century.
In the settlement of Malinska, many holidays and festivals are held. For example, on July 23, St. Apolinarius, the patron saint of Malinsky, is celebrated here. Festivals such as the Malinsky night (late July) and the Malinsky cultural summer are also being organized.
Malinska resort is worth a visit to beach lovers: there are pebble and sandy beaches. There are very few latter in Croatia. The beaches are nameless, but finding them is not at all difficult.
How to get to the island
The island of Krk in Croatia is a popular tourist destination, so getting to this place is not so difficult. Firstly, the sea links with neighboring islands are well established, and secondly, there is an airport on Krk.
The nearest airport is 27 km from Krka in the port city of Croatia, Rijeka (it accepts both international and domestic flights). From the airport to the city can be reached by bus (travel time – about 30 minutes).
However, if you fly from Russia or the CIS countries, you will have to choose a less convenient route, and will land at Pula airport (approximately 130 km to the city of Krk). You can also get to Krk by bus.
The bus leaves 3 times a day from the bus station in Pula. Approximate travel time – 4 hours. The fare is 158 kunas. You can view the current transport timetable and buy tickets at www.autotrans.hr.
You will find more information about the city of Pula here .
You can also get from Pula to the island by ferry on the Crikvenica-Šilo route. However, first you need to get to the port town of Crikvenica from Pula. The fare is 7.5 kuna. Next you need to transfer to the ferry. Travel time is 4 hours. Ticket price – 139 kunas.
Prices on the page are for April 2018.
The island of Krk is a great place in Croatia for both beach and sightseeing tourism.
Video with useful information: travel around the island of Krk .
