Islands of Croatia
Croatia is truly a land of islands because it has more than 1,200 islands, islets and cliffs and each one is different. Many of them are inhabited and exceptional, with its own story and destiny.
The fourteen islands of Brijuni are situated along seven kilometers between Pula and Rovinj. Nature has created a small paradise here, true harmony of flora and fauna, historical monuments and modern hotels. Brijuni offer shade in the rich evergreen vegetation, pheasants, deer and doe that roam freely all over the island and the peace and quiet of the holm oak and hundred- year old olive groves.
The golden or green Krk is and isn't an island. It is, if we look at the idyllic nature and peaceful oasis far away from the everyday world but as far as traffic connections are concerned, it isn't. Krkis divided from the mainland by the sea but is connected to it by a bridge.
The islands Plavnik, Kornat, Galun, Prvic and Zec are special tourist destinations offering nature untouched by Man. The island towns Baska, Malinska, Omisalj, Njivice, Krk and Punat, which has the largest marina on the Croatian Adriatic, are offering exciting town bustle and hospitality.
Cres and Losinj. They were once connected by a channel, which was dug up by the Romans, but are now apart. In the town of Cres, is the center of the island. The climate of Losinj is pleasant, what's more it has lots of woods, so it is both a holiday and health resort.
Susak is one of the rare island that nature created from sand. There are 20 million meters of sand, which gives a specific flavor to the wine produced on Susak.
The local council proclaimed Rab a bathing-place and health resort in 1889. The British King, Edward VIII especially encouraged tourism on Rab when he stayed there with his great love, the American Wallis Simpson. He was the first to go swimming without any clothes and this is how nudism was founded on Rab.
Pag is an island full of mythical olive groves, rich in sea salt, famous for its lace, cheese a world known delicacy, sheep's milk, live oil . A part of Pag with its specific relief resembles the surface of the moon.
Moving along to the middle-Adriatic islands like: Olib, Silba, Premuda, Vir, Dugi Otok, Lovrada and Pasman will charm you and give you strenght. In front of you lies untouched nature.
Silba is an island of ship owners and captains and their old houses. It has a harbour protected from the wind and located in the middle of the island. The island Ugljan is the 'suburban area' and a garden that lies in front of Zadar. It got its name because of its richness in oil. The main centre and summer resort is Preko.
The nearby Pasman island 'grew into' Ugljan. They are equally beautiful and covered with silvery green olive groves. These two pearls can be seen from the coastal town of Biograd, the geographical center of the Adriatic.
Iz is the island situated between Ugljan and Dugi Otok. It has rich Mediterranean vegetation. It doesn't have any cars.
Dugi Otok offers rest in preserved nature of an area of 114 square kilometers. The town of Telascica is situated there, which is the biggest natural harbor of all the Adriatic islands, a nature park and a habitat for mouflon. Its rich woodsy northwestern coast is full of wide coves and a beautiful beach with a 41-meter high lighthouse.
According to the legend, Kornati labyrinth of sea passages and islands were created from the many rock cliffs that God had left over after he had finished making the World. He threw them into the sea, turned around and concluded that no other repairs were necessary.
Kornati are especially interesting for navigators and that's why there are two nautical enters there: Zut and Piskera. Among the islands another picturesque one is Murter which has an area of 18 square kilometers. It is connected to the mainland by a bridge only 12 meters long. This is an island of fishermen, olive growers and ship builders with the towns: Tisno, Hramina, Betina and Jezera.
The island Prvic is near the tourist pearl Vodice, it's an oasis of Mediterranean flora and fauna. The island Zlarin is southwest of Sibenik. In the 15 th century it was famous for coral and sponge harvesting. West of Zlarin is the island of Obonjan, known as Otok Mladosti (The island of Youth). Not far is the island Kaprije, which got its name from the Mediterranean, plant caper (kapar). Many yachts visit Kaprije because of the many coves and beautiful beaches. Zirje is the farthest away inhabited island of the Sibenik archipelago with great fishing-grounds. Krapanj is the smallest and lowest inhabited island of the archipelago.
Across from Split, a city harmonious in structure with cultural and historical values, with an airport and a harbor, lies the island Brac, the highest and by size the third largest island in the Adriatic. It is covered with pine woods, vineyards and olive groves and the world famous stone from Brachas been used in the construction of many important buildings (e.g. The White House in Washington DC or House of Parlament in Rome). The beautiful beach Zlatni rat is located in Bol, which is the biggest tourist town on the southern part of the island. The beach is located on a cape covered in pebbles which moves, depending on the wind and waves from one side to another.
South of Brac is Hvar, the longest island of the Adriatic. This is an island of vineyards, olive groves and lavender. The many stone houses along both coasts, which are connected by small bridges, achieve the harmonious unity of Stari Grad on Hvar, the fisherman's museum is in Vrbovska which is unique on the Adriatic...
Pakleni otoci are an especially interesting group of islands with pebbly, sandy and mostly nudist beaches and a rocky sea bottom, perfect for spearfishing. It is also a well-known place for navigators.
Opposite Split is the island Solta with poor vegetation, a steep and well-indented coast with Maslenica - the main harbor and anchorage for small boats.
Far from the mainland and its worries is the island Vis, rich in palm trees, known for its fishermen, sailors, beautiful nature and diverse tourist offer. The Vis archipelago includes the islands Svetac (Sveti Andrija), Jabuka, Brusnik and the islands of Palagruza.
Southwest is the island Bisevo, of an area of 6 square kilometers. There are many caves in 'chiseled' into the steep coasts,among which 'Modra spilja' stands out with an above-sea level and below-sea level entrance. When the sea is calm the light rays that shine in the cave break in such a way against the cave walls that the objects and people inside it are covered in blue and those in the water a silvery color.
Although it's formally known as a peninsula, Peljesac is indeed like an island, separated from Korcula by a narrow channel.
Ston and Mali Ston are picturesque towns that were after Dubrovnik in the Dubrovnik republic the most important towns. Oysters and wines: Postup and Dingac from the Mali Ston bay are famous all over these parts.
They say that Korcula is an island with the most legends and monuments and along with Lokrum and Mljet the Croatian island most covered with forests. As the legend say Korcula was discovered by famous traveler Marco Polo.
Far away out in the open sea is the island Lastovo of an area of 50 square kilometers, with an indented pebble coast with sandy beaches and a few islands on the west and east coast.
Alongside Peljesac is the woodsy island of Mljet of an area of 100 square kilometers. Because of its thick alpin and stone pine, Karst caves, two picturesque lakes connected by the sea, many sandy and pebble beaches, many fishing-grounds rich in fish and lobsters, the western part of the island has been proclaimed a national park.
Out of the 1246 islands and cliffs, one is definitely your cup of tea. Come and choose it.
