An impressive itinerary for a sailing cruise of about 138 miles across the Kvarner, located halfway between the Istrian peninsula and the northern Dalmatian region: an exciting territory full of beaches, hidden bays, historic towns and fishing villages.

Located between the Istrian peninsula and the Dalmatian region, Kvarner encompasses a great variety of fascinating features of the Croatian coast, from the hills and coastal mountains rich in Mediterranean scrub, to the idyllic beaches overlooking crystal clear water to the lively fishing villages that seem to be out of this time. The wide range of gravel and rocky coves, the many shelters as well as some of the most beautiful beaches of the Adriatic Sea certainly make the Kvarner Gulf one of the most desired destinations by sea lovers and certainly one of the most popular sailing cruise destinations.

We therefore propose a 7-day cruise in this splendid part of the Croatia with many things to be experienced every day in port or at anchor and pleasant, short and relaxing navigation stages for a total of 138 miles.

Day 1, boarding at Krk

Our cruise starts from Krk, where the best mooring option is Marina Punat, located on the north coast of the island and approximately one mile from the town of Krk. Other mooring options include the small ports of Malinska, Njvice, Omisalj, Vrbnik and Baska. If you depart from the Punat marina, try to anchor in St. Juraj, about an hour away. A bit more hidden is Oprna beach, located in a beautiful bay in front of Stara Baska. Other secluded, lesser-known but equally beautiful beaches can be found in Vrbnik, including Nuluk Beach, Pod Kovac, Kozica and Potovosce. The island of Krk also offers many beaches with therapeutic mud, most of them are located in the Soline bay in Dobrinje. Also worth a visit is Vrbnik, one of the most famous cities in Croatia situated on a rocky coastal hill overlooking the blue sea. Cruise passengers visit Vrbnik for its beauty, but also for its renowned Zlahtina white wine which can only be found in the region. Two famous attractions in the old town of Krk are the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary and Frankopan Castle, both were built in the 12th century and tell many stories of the island’s heritage.

Day 2, Krk – Cres, 36 miles

From Krk on the second day of the cruise, with a short navigation of 36 miles the island of Cres can be reached. ACI Marina Cres is the only marina on the island, offering 473 berths and is located in Cres town. Other mooring options include the small ports of Valun, Martinscica, Osor or anchorages at the south east end of the island. The island of Cres offers a long and varied coastline, with many charming coves and bays on one side and beautiful cliffs plunging into the sea on the other. Among all, Saint Ivan is probably the most beautiful beach on the island. Located at the foot of a hill covered in Mediterranean vegetation, it is an isolated paradise where you can swim undisturbed in the crystal clear waters. For a bit of adventure you can also visit the Blue Grotto, hidden and with a large blue lagoon inside. Another noteworthy beach is Mali Bok, located in Orlec. This pebble beach is sheltered by high cliffs that offer visitors a relaxing shade, perfect for hot summer days. The vegetation of Cres is very diverse, with around 1,100 plant species, 939 of which are indigenous. The northern part of the island is home to red oak, hornbeam, elm and chestnut, while the southern part is covered by pastures and thick scrub. It can be said that Cres is most famous for being the last habitat of the griffon vulture, a rare type of eagle.

One of the main attractions of the city of Cres is the Venetian round tower, which is the only tower left on the island, built in the 15th century. Once in the city, do not forget to visit the preserved Roman bridge from the entrance of the city over the canyon and the remains of the city walls of Cres, dating back to the Middle Ages. Other places to visit are Beli and the historic village of Lubenice, famous for its excellent location on a 378 meter high cliff which offers a breathtaking view of the Istrian coast.

Day 3, Cres – Losinj, 24 miles

Set the bow towards Losinj for the third day of sailing where we can take advantage of 3 marinas for mooring: Marina Losinj, Mali Losinj Marina and Yacht Club Marina. The first two marinas are located on the east side of the Mali Losinj bay and offer 200 berths for boats up to 18 meters and depths of up to 8 meters. Yacht Club Marina, on the other hand, is located at the beginning of the bay and offers 110 berths for boats up to 30 meters. This island is the farthest from the Croatian coast and offers many beautiful bays. For example in the north there is a beautiful bay called Plaža Plieski, with incredible water colors. But on the west coast there is the island of Koludarc that also hides many beautiful places to swim and anchor. If you are fond of dolphins, we recommend that you go to Kvarneric, on the west coast of Lošinj, which is the natural habitat of around 120 of these protected species. Those interested in ancient Greek sculptures will enjoy the Apoxymenos Museum, where the history of Apoxyomenos is presented in an innovative and accessible way. The Lošinj Aromatic Garden is another place worth visiting: it offers a great variety of local handicrafts, from liqueur, aromatic sea salt, scented sachets and tea.

Day 4, Losinj – Silba, 22 miles

For the fourth day of our cruise there is a short 22 mile sailing that will take us to Silba, a beautiful island that has a significant number of small beaches and bays. The port of Silba is located on the east coast of the island, offers 30 berths for yachts with depths up to 4 meters. There are also 3 other anchorages on the island: Luka Silba berth east of the port of Silba, Luka Sv. Ante on the southwest coast and Luka Paranica on the west coast. The largest and probably the most popular bay on the island is Sotorisce beach on the west coast of the island. Otherwise there is Zalic which is also a large beach with crystal clear water where we can dive and admire the spectacle of huge schools of fish swimming along the outcropping rocks. The island’s most famous landmark is Toreta, a 30-meter-high tower with a long spiral staircase that offers great views of the Silba landscape.

 

Day 5, Silba – Pag, 20 miles

Time to leave and sail towards the famous Pag, reachable in just 20 miles. If you love parties and fun, we recommend you to go to Zrce, a cheerful and vibrant beach, full of young people and beautiful music. Otherwise, for a more peaceful atmosphere, you can sail to the small town of Lun and enjoy some privacy in one of its many beautiful and unspoiled coves. One of the most important historical attractions of Pag is the Talijanova buza, located in the town of Novalja. It is part of an Roman aqueduct which was built in the 1st century. Some noteworthy attractions are also the 15th century church of San Giorgio, which was once part of the defensive walls of the city, the Benedictine monastery of Santa Margherita, where you can learn to make lace, the 15th century Katina bridge , and the Gradac viewpoint, where you can have the best panoramic view of the region. The small town of Lun, located at the northernmost point of Pag, is an equally exciting destination. It is home to around 80,000 olive trees, some of which are around 2,000 years old.

The island is also famous for the local sheep’s cheese called “paski sir”. And Paski sir from Paskasirana, the oldest dairy on the island, has won several international awards for its cheese, so it’s definitely worth a try. For those who love adventure, it is highly recommended to go around Pag with a quad, especially the so-called “Pag Triangle” a part of the island characterized by rocky and inhospitable terrain that will surely guarantee you an exciting and refreshing experience.

 

Day 6, Pag – Rab, 14,5 miles

The last stop on our cruise is Rab. There are two marinas on the island, Marina Rab and Marina Supetarska Draga. Marina Rab is located in an old port of the city on the southwest side of the island. It offers 142 berths for yachts up to 20 meters and depths up to 5 meters. However, this marina only opens from mid-April to early November. Marina Supertarska Draga is located on the North West coast and offers 274 berths for yachts up to 25 meters. There are many splendid beaches in Rab, starting from Rajska Plaza, also known as “Paradise Beach”, which located in the northeast of Rab and after having received the Blue flag in 2003, was recently nominated by CNN as one of the 100 best beaches of the world. Going a little further north of Rajska Plaza, you will find Ciganka, a beautiful secluded beach famous for its unique sand pyramids and other natural formations. Banjol is also another beautiful part of the island, where the pebble sandy beaches called “Padua” are located, while Sahara Beach is an exciting choice if you are a fan of naturism: it offers a beautiful crescent-shaped shore, crystal clear water and a much smaller crowd than other beaches.

The historic center of Rab is undoubtedly worth visiting, with its numerous Gothic and Renaissance buildings, many churches and four famous bell towers. Among all, Santa Maria la Benedetta is the largest church on the island, it is a 13th century cathedral that also houses a small museum inside. Equally exciting is the Museum of Sacred Art, whose main attraction is the skull of St. Christopher contained in a gold-encrusted reliquary from 1,000 years ago.

Day 7, Rab – Krk, 21 miles

So our sailing cruise in splendid Kvarner has reached its end. 21 miles remain to go back to the base at Krk and just enough time to enjoy the memories of all the amazing places we’ve seen in this small corner of paradise in the Mediterranean.