Krk is the largest island in the Adriatic, covering 157 square miles (405.78 square km). It is also one of the most populous with 17,000 inhabitants. Krk maintains the characteristics of an Adriatic island: jagged coasts rich of bays and inlets, a lot of little islands, beaches with rocks, pebbles and sand, a great cookery based on fresh fishes. It is also well developed and very busy with tourists as it is connected by a bridge to the mainland. Rijeka Airport is also located on the island of Krk.

There are numerous tourist facilities which make it very popular. The main tourist resorts are Baska, Malinska, Omisalj, Vrbnik, Punat and Krk Town.

Kras is a small scattered village situated in the central part of the island. Kras is the highest settlment on the island of Krk, 266 meters above sea level. The highest point on the island (Kruševica - 311 meters above sea level) is located near Kras.

The main road passing through Kras is actually a junction of roads leading to the towns of Krk, Malinska and Šilo, so the distance to those towns from Kras are similar - about ten kilometers. 

Today, Kras attracts thousands of visitors that want to experience a European destination that has not suffered from over development of mass tourism.

 

Private Accommodation in Kras:

HOUSE KRAS Kras 165, Kras - House (4 bedrooms, 10 persons, 75-130€)

Krk is the main settlement of the island of Krk. It is located on the southwest coast of the island and is seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Krk. The town is among the oldest in the Adriatic. It has been continuously inhabited since Roman times and was once part of the Byzantian Theme Dalmatia after the western empire had fallen to the barbarians. Roman ruins can be seen today in some parts of the town, for example mosaics in the houses.

The old part of the city today, is encircled by walls that, together with the city door and the forts, define the inner city layout. The preserved defense forts are the Frankopan Castle at Kamplin Square, the Tower by the sea and the City Hall at the main city square. The ambiance-filled Frankopan Castle at Kamplin Square, completed at the end of the 13th century, is used today as a venue for various cultural events. The multi-angular Tower by the sea, with an inscription from the 15th century, embellishes the Krk waterfront, the favorite gathering place during the summer season with a rich offer of restaurants, cafes and tourist boats offering attractive excursions. The old City Hall, embellished by coats of arms and a very interesting and unique clock, has been dominating the main city square since the end of the 16th century. The main city street with numerous small stores, jewelry shops, galleries and candy stores runs from the main square.

The prerequisites for the development of tourism in the city of Krk were the climate, the sun and the sea. Bathing-places and beaches in the city of Krk have been improved since the beginning of the twentieth century, while some beaches were developed several years ago. One of the newest pebble beaches stretches from the town harbor along the breakwater toward Ježevac, the camp bathing-place partly made of concrete continues further on and after that, several more developed beaches. Further down the coast lie little pebble and rocky beaches accessible to those who made the extra effort and walked a few kilometers down the coast. On the other side of the exit from the old part of the city of Krk, there are several coves underneath the hotels Koralj and Dražica where the first bathing-places were constructed.

 

The waterfront made of concrete and the sandy seabed in coves attract many swimmers during the summer, and on the first beach you can relax with a view of the ancient walls of Krk. Dražica is another cove surrounded with pine groves and hotels, and further on, small beaches and a smaller cove stretch all the way to the naturist camp Politin, followed by the Prniba peninsula. On the beaches of Krk you can refresh yourself in the sea or in catering facilities by the sea. Maintained city beaches offer entertainment for all ages, from boat and pedal boat rentals, to sand volleyball, children's playgrounds, tennis courts... The „blue flags“ are the evidence of the sea cleanliness and each year, after the testing down the entire Adriatic coast, these flags are granted to those beaches that deserve them. On the area of the city of Krk there are five such beaches.

The green Prniba peninsula is the ideal place for an active holiday. You can make a tour of it by taking a walk or riding a bike on a non-asphalted road that is several kilometers long.

Baska is the best known tourist resort on the island of Krk The population of the municipality is 1,554 (2001), with 901 residents of Baška itself and the rest in three other villages (Batomalj, Draga Bascanska and Jurandvor).

The town is located in a gentle valley and in a bay surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and flowering broom, with a picturesque background of the rocky mountains of Velebit and the islet of Prvic, which seem to shelter its unique 1800 m long pebbly beach, justly said to be one of the loveliest in the Adriatic.

Baska has one of the most beautiful beaches in Croatia and on the Adriatic coast. Many sea shells and marine life are vibrant in this city.
Baška is surrounded with around thirty pebble beaches that are accessible to swimmers from all generations. These beaches can be reached either on foot or by boat. The biggest and most beautiful one is Baska's Vela Plaza, the Big Beach, right in the centre of town, backed by bars, restaurants, pizzerias, cafés, hotels, private apartments and other tourist facilties. The “Vela plaza” is a natural pebbly beach, 1800 m long, which can take several thousand swimmers with ease. It's particularly suitable for children and non-swimmers.

 

Since 1999, the European Blue Flag has flown on Baska's Big Beach and has become a trademark of Baska, as proof of the high quality of beach standards.The Blue Flag is awarded by the Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe, and symbolises a well-preserved, safe and pleasant surrounding, clean sea and coast, and a beach that is well maintained, with a well developed system for management of the area. On the beach you can hire pedal boats, windsurfer boards, parasols, beach chairs and other things to help you spend an enjoyable and carefree time on the beach. In fact it was the beaches that stimulated the development of Baska’s tourism in long ago 1908 when the first bathing area was officially opened on the Island of Krk. Today, the beaches are used as they were in the previous century. The only difference being that nowadays the accompanying facilities ensure that all visitors can have a safe and worry free stay.

 

Malinska is situated at the northwest coast bay of island Krk, in a spacious basin, within 15 km from the bridge that connects Krk to the mainland. The municipality of Malinska-Dubašnica has 2,726 inhabitants and the settlement itself has 999 (2001 census).

Once famous for its piers and ships as a safe harbour, today it is a tourist destination that keeps it's fishermen and naval heritage. It offers choices for everyone's taste, wheather it's a sun bathing under the beautiful sky or resting in shades of pine trees. Traditional folklore, numerous cultural and sporting events, water sports, fishing, horse riding, night life, teraces, taverns, restaurants...all of this and much more is offered in Malinska.

Omisalj is one of the oldest towns on Krk, dating from the 3rd century, when it was built by the Romans and named Fulfinium. The town was built on the cliff overlooking the bay of Kvarner, some 80 meters above sea level. It is the site of an early Christian basilica. The town was referred to in the 12th century as "Castri musculi": this is from the Latin Ad musculi meaning "the place of shells".

Omisalj is located in the north-west of the island of Krk. The population of the town itself is 1,790 (2001), while the Omišalj municipality also includes the nearby settlemnet of Njivice, bringing the total up to 2,998 people. It is the first town that you enter when crossing over to Krk from the mainland by bridge and it is where the Rijeka Airport is located.

Punat is a small town situated on the east coast of Puntarska draga (Puntar Bay), on the south coast of the Island of Krk, only 8 km from the Town of Krk. Signs of inhabitation have been observed since the prehistoric times, including Illyric, Greek and Roman eras. It is believed that the name Punat originates from the Latin word Pons, meaning bridge, because a bridge once possibly existed here, connecting the narrow passage into Puntarska draga from the south. The name itself was first mentioned in written documents in 1377.

The economic base once comprised agriculture, olive growing, fishing, sheep breeding and shipbuilding, especially with wood; presently, the prevailing activity is tourism, especially nautical tourism, in addition to trade. The former activities that survived are fishing and sheep breeding, and almost each family is engaged in olive growing. In front of the town, in the central part of the shallow bay, lies the woody islet of Košljun. Punat – once a renowned shipyard for wooden boats and headquarters to a powerful steamship company – is now a popular tourist destination, thanks to the appreciation of the excursion/tourist values of the islet of Košljun and one of the largest and best-equipped tourist marinas on the east coast of the Adriatic. Thanks to the marina's year-round operation and events such as the Croatia Cup regatta and Olive Days, Punat receives foreign visitors even after the end of the season. Improved beaches and parks, rich vegetation, hotels, guesthouses, holiday houses, the Punat Marina – home port to all those enjoying the beauties of the Croatian sea and islands - sports and recreation options (sailing, diving, skiing, windsurfing, tennis, aqua park, miniature golf, hiking, boccie), homemade food offered in numerous taverns and restaurants, and the cultural offer (especially on the islet of Košljun) make Punat a highly visited tourist center.