Krk
Krk is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea.
Cities
Understand
The “golden island”, as the island of Krk has been called since ancient times, is the nearest island to western Europe. It's not considered an island so much anymore because it has been connected with the mainland since 1980 by a 1400m-long bridge made of reinforced concrete. Krk has approximately 16,500 year round inhabitants in seventy different settlements.
Krk is one of rare examples of successful integration of industry with tourism. On the northern part of the island is a petrochemical plant and natural gas storages, near the city of Omišalj, while the rest of the island is highly oriented on tourism. Strict environmental measures and a hidden location make industry on the island almost invisible to visitors. And besides, Krk has very clean sea and air.
Krk has many different landscapes. The north-east part of the island is almost bare because of the strong wind called bura, while the western part abounds with greenery and gentle bays. Inland, rocky hills alternate with fertile fields. This sort of relief favorably provides for the cultivation of grapes and the production of the well-known wine Vrbnička Žlahtina.
If you can't visit the island Krk during the summer, come in spring or autumn. If the weather is nice, you can have a swim in the sea in June, September and October. There are some brave souls who swim from April to November. Beside swimming, spring and autumn attracts many visitors interested in outdoor activities, since there are beautiful trekking and cycling paths all around the island, with some stunning views of surrounding islands and mountains.
Talk
Croatian is official, but many local people also speak Italian, English and German.
Get in
You can reach Krk by land, sea and by air because there is also an airport (Rijeka airport) which can handle large and small planes. The island doesn't have a railway. The nearest railway station is in Rijeka, only 30 km from Krk. There are daily trains to and from Slovenia with connections to Austria, Germany and Hungary. Rijeka also has daily coach lines which connects all European points such as Munich, Zürich, Trieste, etc. Island Krk has well-indented coast which attracts many sailors, due to many safe bays of the island accessible in your own boat. You can leave your boat during the winter in Marina Punat or in other marinas offering dry storage. For the sake of orientation, here are some rough distances for those who prefer coming by car:
München ~ 600 km, Wien ~ 500 km, Budapest ~ 600 km, Praha ~ 800 km, Bratislava ~ 600 km, Trieste ~ 100 km, Milano ~ 550 km, Ljubljana ~ 150 km, Zagreb ~ 200 km
Get around
By bus
There is a bus public transport mostly operated by Arriva Croatia. Connections are more frequent on western bound cities on the island: Omišalj, Malinska, Njivice and Town Krk. The best way to get around is by car. Krk is a diverse island and it is worth exploring. It is possible to hire a car, kayak, a scooter or a bicycle on the island.
Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking is very easy on island Krk, since most of the people on the island are hitchhiker friendly because of expensive bus ticket and bad connections within the cities. Just standing on the main road which is going trough the island with your thumb up probably will get you ride in no time.
By bike
Krk is completely covered by bicycle paths. Bikemap offers up to 273 different routes on Krk. Although there are official, marked cycling trails, bikers are welcome on asphalted and dirt roads for those who prefer driving off the road.
See
- In the woods, lovers of nature and hunting can come across the fox, roe-buck, wild cat and marten while there are also some birds like the snipe, wild duck, griffon vulture and several other types.
- On the island Krk there are several dozen marked tourist paths which lead through the woods and by the sea shore. There are printed guides available at any tourist office. The underwater world around the island of Krk is very interesting, and there are several local and international diving clubs. You can get a diving licence at the local harbor master's office. You need to present your passport, your diving qualification and pay a fee. To fill bottles you need to contact one of the diving clubs.
Do
- Of all the summer recreation sports, the most interesting ones are watersports. Those particularly attractive are kite-surfing, paragliding, waterskiing and jet skis.
Eat
Cheese, domestic prosciutto (pršut), seafood, barbecued lamb
Drink
Domestic wine "Vrbnička žlahtina"
Stay safe
Krk is very safe place. Besides occasional pick-pocketing, crimes are almost non-existent on the island. If you go inland, be aware of potentially poisonous snakes like viper. Higher boots are advisable.
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