Island Hopping

Croatia Stage 13 – Mon 1st Jun 2015 – Rab Island to Krk Island to Cres Island (30 Km + 2 ferries)

Route PhotosTown PhotosOSM MapTrip Maps
 

On this first day of summer the sun was shining brightly and the 13 Km route from Rab to Lopar ferry port took me through scenic countryside and some delightful little seaside villages. The sign into the town boasted that Lopar was “the best rated place for nudist in the world 2011”. However, I didn’t notice anybody with their clothes off and I certainly had no intention of removing mine, even though the day was getting quite warm. There was a group of about 20 cyclists at the jetty who had just disembarked from one of those polished-wood, cruise-ride, boats that are so popular in Croatia, but they were all well-clad in their lycra and colourful cycling jerseys.

The ninety minute cruise to Valbiska on the island of Krk was so silent and smooth I had to keep looking out to check that we were still moving. We were gliding on smooth, ripple-free, blue water with bare, grass-less, hills surrounding us on both sides. It occurred to me that I have never been more at peace with the world than right here and now.

Krk looks an interesting island, but my stay there is limited to one hour while waiting for the next ferry. Unlike the other islands I have seen recently Krk is covered by vegetation, mainly wierd, dark-green coloured trees that from the ferry look like they have been daubed on canvas.

Including my one hour stop-over in Krk, I am transiting three totally different islands in one day … Rab, Krk, and Cres.

From Merag the ride to Cres town where I am staying tonight is only 16 Km, but what it lacks in distance it makes up for in altitude. The road climbs continuously for 8 Km from the Merag ferry port, rising to an altitude of about 400 m, so all I could do was keep powering away and keep my eyes focussed on a spot about two metres ahead of my front wheel, rather than the false summits that keep appearing up ahead like a mirage to a parched person in the desert. Once I reached the actual summit the road levelled out then treated me to an exhilarating descent into Cres town, blowing away the sweat from my body.

Cres is an island in the Kvarner archipelago, wild and unspoiled with its virgin woods and clean-smelling pine forests. The closer I got to Cres town the more luxuriant the vegetation became, with colourful wild flowers (mauve, yellow, white, and red) on the roadside as well as many different types of shrubs and trees, including jasmine, wild rose, fig trees, pines and conifers, and of course the ubiquitous olives. How can the world consume so many olives and olive products?

I have now checked in at the beautiful, ultra-modern, Hotel Kimen just a few minutes away from the town of Cres, above a beautiful beach and amidst a luxuriant Mediterranean garden which is a haven to many types of birds … mainly swallows darting around in every direction. I know one swallow doesn’t make a summer, but there were enough of them to announce that summer started officially today.

Cres (pronounced something like “tsres”) has an interesting history, being ruled by the Greeks, Romans, Slavs, Venetians, Croats, Hungarians, Venetians (again), Austrians, French, Austrians (again), Italians (at the end of World War I), Yugoslavia (1945), and Croatia (since 1991). Originally Cres was known for its agriculture, but this has declined in recent years and many former agricultural areas have become overgrown with local vegetation.

Tourism has become an increasingly important industry in Cres and one can understand why, because the island has so much natural beauty and Cres town is so amazing with its lovely harbour and picture-perfect, medieval “old town”. I have been through many idyllic towns in the last couple of weeks but Cres ranks with the best of them (I think you will agree when you check out the photos).

I enjoyed a nice meal in town tonight and was then entertained by an acapella choir performing on stage at the village square.

Tomorrow I have a 28 Km ride to Porozina in the north of Cres island, a 5 Km ferry ride from there to Brestova (in Istria), then a further 23 Km ride to Rabac where I am staying tomorrow night. My journey is coming to an end too soon!