The secret beach behind the rocky passage at Vrbnik.The big picture
The Croatian island of Krk in the Adriatic Sea near Italy, famed for its Roman architectures and breathtaking coastlines, is the perfect place to visit when you simply want to get away from it all.
The town of Krk (yes, there’s a Krk in Krk – not confusing at all) is full of must-see Roman architecture, a holdover from when they were under Roman rule. Sights to see include the Frankopan Castle, which was raised by Croatian noble family of Frankopan, and the remains of the wall that once surrounded the town, which was built by the Republic of Venice when they ruled the island.
The island also lays claim to the narrowest street in the world in the picturesque town of Vrbnik. The narrowest part of the street is only 43cm wide, which means it’s a wiggle to get in and out of for even the most slender of people. Even without this street, there’s a lot to see here, with its beautiful buildings, winding paths, and overall chilled out vibe. Make sure to check out a little hidden beach behind Vrbnik’s pier before you leave – look for a tiny entrance hidden in the rocks which leads to Pod Kova beach.
It’s not just Pod Kova that’s worth visiting if you’re after a beach holiday either, as the island boasts some of the best beaches in the world. No, really – the Croatian government developed a flag system where only the beaches with the highest water quality are allowed to hoist a blue flag. There are 15 blue flags that fly over the island of Krk. However, be warned: it’s not all golden sand on Krk, as most of the beaches are rocky ones.
If you’ve done as much sunbathing and swimming as you can handle, take a trip to the town of Klimno and wander over to the locality of Meline. The mud in Meline is famed for its soothing properties and is perfect for calming sunburned skin – if you can get past the, er, distinctive smell, which can linger for days.
Allow yourself at least three days to fully explore all that Krk has to offer – you’ll need at least that amount of time to visit all of the beaches and towns on the island.
How to get there
Krk doesn’t have its own airport, so people who want to visit the island must do so via the bridge that connects the island to the Croatian mainland (a bus goes straight from the airport in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, to Krk). To travel around the island, go by boat. There are plenty of them going from pier to pier all day long. If that’s not really your thing, then stick to the many buses that also travel between the towns.
Today’s specialty
Seafood, seafood, and seafood is what you should be eating on Krk. Sure, the restaurants on the island also serve prosciutto (Italian ham) and Paski sir (a famous Croatian cheese), but that’s not what Krk is famed for. Restaurants here serve up deep-fried sardines drenched in olive oil, prawns, and all sorts of dried and preserved fish.
Top photo spot
Want an epic shot worthy of Instagram? Take one in the town of Krk when you’re standing next to the Frankopan Castle. A panoramic photo here will capture the stunning coastlines that surround the ancient building. Need a selfie? Take it on the rocks of Pod Kova and caption it #inparadise – because you might as well be when you’re in Krk.
Edited by Ginny Wong