克尔克岛

Summer is the main season. The sea is warm enough for swimming from June to September, and most hotels, restaurants and boat trips are open. July and August are the busiest months.

May, June and September are good for sightseeing and hiking. Many seasonal businesses close from late autumn to spring.

Vrbnik hosts food and wine weekends in July and August, including the Žlahtina Festival.

• Krčka katedrala stands above the harbour in Krk town. It is mostly Romanesque, from the 11th and 12th centuries, and was built over an early Christian basilica.
• Frankopanski kaštel is a medieval fortress at the edge of Krk's old town. It recalls the Frankopan nobles, who ruled the island in the Middle Ages.
• Church of St Dunat is a small domed church at the head of Punat Bay. It is one of the oldest churches on the island.
• Košljun Franciscan Monastery sits on a tiny island in Punat Bay. Franciscan friars live there. Take a boat from Punat to see the church, a small museum and the monastery library.
• Klančić is an extremely narrow lane in Vrbnik. Vrbnik itself stands on a cliff above the sea and is the home of Žlahtina wine.
• Crkva svete Lucije in Jurandvor is where the Baška tablet was found. The tablet is a stone text from around 1100 in Glagolitic script, one of the oldest texts in Croatian. A replica is in the church. The original is in Zagreb.
• Plaža Baška is a long pebble beach in Baška, about 1.8 km. Hills rise behind it, which makes it one of the island's best-known beaches.
• Špilja Biserujka is a stalactite cave near Dobrinj. Visits are by guided tour. It is cool inside, so bring a light jacket.

Many local events follow the seasons. Some happen only once a year.

• Join the food and wine weekends in Vrbnik in July and August. Šurlice (hand-rolled pasta) and Žlahtina wine have their own days.
• Watch Razgon in Vrbnik, a shepherds' custom held in early July.
• Go to the Evening of Ancient Cuisine in mid-July at Roman Forum at Fulfinum, Mirine, the Roman site near Omišalj.
• Try the cheese days in Malinska around 15 August.
• Watch the Šilo–Crikvenica swimming marathon on 15 August.
• Walk Baška's hiking trails in spring or autumn. The area has 16 trails.

Krk is a base for short trips to the mainland and to nearby islands. Ferries leave from Valbiska on the west coast. Drive times are from Krk town.

• Rab: take the ferry from Valbiska to Lopar. Rab has a historic old town.
• Cres: take the ferry from Valbiska to Merag, about 25 minutes. Cres has a small harbour town.
• Crikvenica: a seaside resort on the mainland, about 1 hour by car over the bridge. It has a long promenade and beaches.
• Rijeka: Croatia's third-largest city, about 1 hour by car, 1 hour 20 minutes by bus. It is a working port with a historic centre.
• Opatija: a historic seaside resort, about 1 hour 15 minutes by car.

Places linked to Krk:

• Općina Omišalj in the north of the island has the Roman site of Fulfinum and is close to Rijeka Airport.
• Prvic is an uninhabited island southeast of Krk. It is a nature reserve.
• Kvarner Gulf is the wider sea area around Krk, with Cres, Rab and Lošinj.

• By air: Rijeka Airport is on Krk itself, near Omišalj in the north. Flights are mostly seasonal, to cities in Germany and elsewhere in Europe. Krk town is about 30 minutes by car, so a rental car or taxi is the usual transfer. Bigger airports are in Zagreb (about 3 hours by car), Pula (about 2 hours) and Trieste in Italy (about 2 hours).
• By car: the Krk Bridge links the island to the mainland. It is 1,430 m long and free to cross. Strong bora wind can close it to some vehicles, and sometimes to all traffic.
• By bus: buses run from Rijeka to Krk town, Malinska and Baška.
• By ferry: ferries leave from Valbiska on the west coast. They go to Merag on Cres and to Lopar on Rab. Check timetables on Jadrolinija.

More planning help is on the Island of Krk Tourist Board site.

• Car: the easiest way to see the island. Distances are short, about 20 km from Krk town to Baška.
• Bus: local buses link the main towns.
• Boat: small boats run from Punat to Košljun.
• On foot and by bike: the old centres of Krk town and Baška are compact. Roads between villages are hilly. Baška has many marked hiking trails.

• Is a car worth it? Yes. A car is the best way to reach villages, beaches and the cave.
• Parking: car parks sit at the edge of the old centres of Krk town, Baška and Vrbnik. In July and August, arrive early.
• Bridge and wind: check the status of the Krk Bridge before you travel in strong bora wind.
• Old towns: streets in Vrbnik and the old centres are narrow, so leave the car outside.

Look for local lamb, hand-rolled šurlice pasta, olive oil and cheese. Vrbnik is the home of Žlahtina, a dry white wine.

For a meal, walk the harbour front and lanes of Krk town. Baška has restaurants along its beach and harbour. Vrbnik has small konobas (family taverns) in the old town above the sea.

Krk is very safe for visitors. Petty crime is rare. Lock your car and keep valuables out of sight at beach car parks.

• Sea: sea urchins live on rocky shores. Water shoes help.
• Sun: summer sun is strong. Bring shade and water for hikes.
• Wind: strong bora wind can close the bridge and cancel ferries.
• Health care: Krk town has a tourist clinic in summer. For serious problems, call 112. The nearest hospital is in Rijeka.

People have lived on Krk since ancient times. Romans built a town called Fulfinum in the north, and the ruins of its forum, Roman Forum at Fulfinum, Mirine, can still be seen. In Krk town, the cathedral was built over an early Christian basilica.

In the Middle Ages the Frankopan family ruled the island. Their fortress in Krk town is Frankopanski kaštel. Venice took control later. Around 1100, the Baška tablet was carved in Glagolitic script. It was found at Crkva svete Lucije. Vrbnik became a Glagolitic and administrative centre, with its own statute in 1388.

In 1980 the Krk Bridge opened and replaced the old ferry from the mainland. Tourism grew fast after that.

Quick practical facts for Croatia at a glance: