HR-B-06 Island of Krk

Along the island of Cres, the island of Krk is the largest island of the Adriatic. This karst island occupies a central spot in the wide Kvarner Bay between the Istrian peninsula to the west and the area of the Croatian Littoral to the east. The northern part of the island is a plateau approximately 60 meters above sea level, with degraded vegetation and predominantly bare terrain due to limestone surface and frequent strong gusts of bora wind. The central and the southern parts of the island are generally more rich in vegetation, and more interesting overall. In the southern part of the island, the key features are two mountain ridges closing the wide field of Bašćansko polje in between. The highest peak of the island called Obzova rises from a ridge southwest of the field. On the northeastern ridge, below Diviška, we can see Target – the narrowest ravine in Croatia. Fields in between provide a strong contrast, given the green color of their vegetation. Particularly lush vegetation can be seen around the settlements of Bašćanska Draga and Jurandvor (site of the cultural monument Bašćanska ploča – the Baška Tablet).

In addition to Obzova as the highest peak, the island has many other interesting hiking destinations, and there are diverse hiking excursions on offer to visitors, both easy and hard. It is worth pointing out that the island of Krk, in addition to trails marked by standard hiking trail markings, also has some old trails that are marked by tourist markings and signposts in various colors (similarly to the so-called "Czech model"). The island of Krk is rich in cultural heritage, and thus an interesting destination of culture enthusiasts.

The Blue Line of Via Dinarica reaches the island of Krk across the bridge Krčki most – the longest bridge in Croatia. Proceeding southwards, the route follows the western coast of the island, passing through Malinska and Njivice. The route then continues by road to Valbiska – a ferry port with ferry lines to the island of Cres (port of Merag) and to the island of Rab (port of Lopar). Finally, the Via Dinarica route proceeds from the island of Krk to the island of Rab via the regular ferry line Valbiska - Lopar. There are also occasional excursion boat transfers between the islands of Krk and Rab in the summer months.

Hikers planning a tour of the island of Krk should take sufficient water supplies and good footwear. Hiking in windy weather should be avoided. Since the route predominantly follows the existing roads, the Krk section of Via Dinarica is best explored by bicycle.