The Croatian Islands of Cres and Losinj
Wanting to find some sun and escape a very wet autumn in Slovenia, we decided on a last-minute trip to Cres because Google assured us that it is easy to get to, has great hiking and is joined to Losinj by a narrow bridge. Two birds with one stone and all that.
There’s no stress on Cres!
The Croatian island of Losinj (pronounced something like Lojeen with a soft ‘j’) had been on our bucket list for many years, but we had never heard of Cres (roughly pronounced Stress). So off we set, swapping our waterproofs for shorts, and excited to explore somewhere new – especially somewhere with a beautiful coastline that promises ‘no stress on Cres!’
How to drive to Cres and Losinj
Cres and Lošinj Archipelago, Kvarner Bay in the Croatian Adriatic.
If you’re driving, the easiest way to get to Cres (and it’s very easy) is by Jadrolinija car ferry from Brestova, on the Istrian peninsula, sailing to Porozina, in the north of Cres.
The journey takes just 20 minutes and is a very stress-free experience indeed. In 2024 it cost us 29 euros each way for two of us and the car – you can book your ticket online at Jadrolinija Ferries and it’s valid for any sailing on the specified day. Note that it’s not a guarantee of getting on a certain ferry – they’re run on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.
Alternatively, you can buy your ticket at the port when you arrive – in high season there’s a ticket booth part way down the queue.
Ferries run approximately every 1.5 hours. They’re definitely not full during low season (we only arrived 20 minutes before the departure time and got on very quickly) but we’d imagine that they probably are full at peak times. There’s a café at each port to while away any spare time.
Alternatively, you could get the Jadrolinija car ferry from Valbiska on Krk, which docks at Merag on Cres. Again, it’s a short 25 minutes crossing with frequent departures. Krk is connected to the mainland via a bridge, so is easy to get to.
If you’re on foot or bike, you could get the catamaran from Rijeka to either Cres or Martinščica or you could get various ferries and catamarans to Mali Losinj – further information can be found at Croatia Ferries.
The road snakes its way around the mountains above precipitous drops down to the turquoise Adriatic, with far-reaching views to the other Croatian islands
Where to stay in Cres and Lohinj?
When choosing where to stay, bear in mind that both Cres and Losinj are long and narrow, so depending on what you want to see/do, it might take longer to drive than you expect. We stayed in Miholaščica, near the larger village of Martinščica and 20 minutes south of the main town of Cres. For us, the location was perfect, being only 20 minutes from the north coast of Losinj. That said, it was still an hour’s drive from where the ferry docked at Porozina, and 45 minutes south to Mali and Veli Losinj – so check your drive times!
Nothing can prepare you for the drive from Porozina down through Cres. It’s absolutely incredible; the road snakes its way around the mountains above precipitous drops down to the turquoise Adriatic, with far-reaching views to the other Croatian islands and to the Croatia mainland with the misty peaks of the Velebit mountains. It’s worth going to Cres just for that drive! There are just a couple of spots where you can pull in, take in the glorious views and breathe in the fragrant air, scented with wild sage and thyme. Indescribable.
Towns and Villages on Cres and Losinj
Driving (in low season!) around Cres and Losinj is an absolute delight – that glorious, snaking road high above the Adriatic is completely empty unless it’s close to ‘ferry time’, and delivers phenomenal views at every bend, which makes every journey pass far too quickly. There’s basically only the one main road on both islands, with a few minor roads branching off it to reach the coastal villages.
The most ‘touristy’ town that we visited (and it really wasn't touristy compared with many other places we’ve been to) was Mali Losinj, where the harbour is fringed with lots of cafes, bars and restaurants.
Veli Losinj is much smaller and cuter, whilst the town of Cres feels more ‘local’, or at least did when we visited right at the end of the tourist season. The small harbour (‘mandrac’) is right at the centre of the town and integral to it – in ancient times the only entrance to the town was by sea, with the natural harbour providing a safe refuge. There are several places you can buy the famous (apparently!) Cres olive oil.
The tiny village of Valun deserves special mention as it is absolutely stunning and has a couple of great harbourside restaurants where you can while away a couple of hours enjoying the food, the views and being in what must be one of the loveliest spots on earth. We had a fantastic fish platter at Gostionica San Marco and there’s also Restoran Na Moru, which seems to be more upmarket.
Another special mention goes to the fortified (originally Roman) village of Lubenice – perched up high above the sea and an absolutely magical spot from which to watch the sunset. It only has six permanent residents, but we did see a few apartments to rent and it really is both atmospheric and beautiful.
All the harbour towns and villages on Cres and Losinj feature ancient houses painted in pastel colours that reflect their natural surroundings – they date back centuries to Venetian times and the overall scenes can’t have changed much since then, other than the type of boats bobbing in the respective harbours. There are still some traditional Cres ‘pasara’ moored in the harbours – these simple boats were originally built in the local shipyards from the remains of materials used to build larger vessels – mariners’ remnants and a fine early example of eco-consciousness! The pasara were used not only for fishing, but also for general transport of goods, produce and animals.
Walking/Hiking on Cres and Losinj
Our main goal was to explore the islands on foot, and so the day after we arrived (and despite a fairly dismal weather forecast) we set off into the mountains – choosing this walk on Komoot. And what a hike it was! The narrow limestone track first climbed gradually past drifts of flowering wild thyme and sage, spikey juniper bushes, strawberry trees with their jewel-coloured fruit, and gnarled olive and pine trees. The hike gave us tantalising glimpses of turquoise seas, skirted crumbling ruins and revealed evidence of huge numbers of wild boar rooting around. Thankfully not doing so while were there! After reaching the summit cross that offered tremendous views even on a cloudy day, the path took us along the rocky mountain tops on ancient trails between stone walls, with gates that reflect the true meaning of ‘rustic’. The route followed the Via Apsyrtides for quite a way, which must be an absolutely stunning long-distance hike. We were treated to a fly-past of four Griffon vultures which was really magical – there’s a Griffon Vulture rescue centre in the north of Cres at Beli.
We’d also thoroughly recommend walking along the coastal path from Mali Losinj – it is enticingly called ‘The Dolphin Way’. You can park for free here and then just wander along as far as you want – the initial concrete path soon gives way to a narrow natural track meandering through pine trees, fringing the impossibly blue Adriatic Sea and passing numerous coves that, in October, were deserted and the perfect place for a dip. It may well, however, be a different story in July and August! The walk is sensational, and we were sad to turn around but were running short of water. Alternatively, you could drive to the furthest point south on Losinj and walk back towards Mali Losinj along the same path. Despite constantly scanning the sea for signs of the ‘promised’ dolphins, we didn't see any at all, but do think we saw dolphins and/or whales whilst perched up high on the rock climbing crag near Lubenice – the dark shapes swimming close to and sometimes breaking the surface were fantastically exciting to see, but sadly I didn't have my binoculars to confirm whether or not we were imagining things. Apparently the best time to see dolphins off Cres is May-September.
The coastal path from Veli Losinj is also beautiful – honestly, you can’t go wrong with coastal walks on Cres and Losinj!
What we wouldn't particularly recommend though is hiking in the old oak and chestnut forests (the Traumuntana) near Beli. They’re beautiful, with lots of wildlife and no humans (which we normally would love) BUT route finding is very difficult – without Maps.Me we would’ve definitely got lost. There’s only very patchy phone signal and few waymarks, so be careful if you do go, and set off early in the morning. You really wouldn't want to be lost in the forest as night falls.
Is Cres in Croatia worth visiting?
So, would we recommend Cres for a holiday? Most definitely, if you’re looking for an authentic, completely unspoilt, wild, natural, beautiful island holiday. In our minds both Cres and Losinj would be hard to beat and they’ve inspired us to explore Croatia further, so watch this space!