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Croatia is a country of a thousand islands. To be precise, 1244, of which only 67 are inhabited. Each island is a world in itself, and traveling from island to island is a special experience.
We decided to travel by scooter from the island of Krk to the island of Pag via the "blue highway". "Island hopping" (Inselhupfen) is a well-known tourist product – a multi-day arrangement in which you travel from island to island by boat and around the islands by bicycle. Can this very popular way of traveling be organized as an individual trip? In addition to cycling, can you travel in a similar way on a moped for two people? It's best to check it out for yourself.
We left the ferry port "Valbiska" on the ferry "Jadrolinija" at 7,45 to Lopar on Rab. The ticket price per person is 37,00 kn and for a moped 72,00 kn. We arrive in Lopar after an hour and forty minutes of pleasant ride. After a short stop with refreshments, we continue our journey to the other end of the island to the port of Mišnjak. The ride takes about 45 minutes and the good thing about traveling by moped is that you always have priority on the ferry, there is no waiting in line so we literally enter at the last minute, filling in the small remaining gaps between the cars at the end of the garage. The employees of "Rapska plovidba" arrange the vehicles in the ferry garage like "Lego bricks", everything goes quickly and efficiently. 20 minutes of sailing and here we are in Stinica.
From the port of Stinica to the port of Prizna we travel along the Adriatic Highway for about half an hour and, overtaking the kilometer-long line, we arrive with a couple of other motorcyclists at the "head of the line" for boarding. We board the "Jadrolinija" ferry to Žigljen on Pag. The ferry price is the same as the one between Mišnjak and Stinica. 15 minutes of sailing and we arrive on the island of Pag. It takes us about twenty minutes to drive from Žigljen to Novalja.
We contacted the tourist agency "Papaya travel" through which we had previously booked accommodation in Novalja. The friendly staff of the agency accommodated us in an apartment for six people consisting of two double rooms and a living room and kitchen with a sofa bed, bathroom, and balcony. The price is a reflection of the demand and the willingness of the guest to pay what is asked of him due to a strong motive for coming. This is the shortest explanation of the special status of Novalja's accommodation offer in the summer months. We are lucky that in the peak season, on the weekend before the Assumption, we managed to find accommodation that was affordable for the local conditions and in a good location.
Lun and the mythical olives
As Boduli from Krk, we don't like to have unused time for money, so we head towards Lun. Our goal is the Lun Olive Gardens. The already well-known ancient wild olive trees are worth admiring and enjoying the almost unreal appearance of each tree, which looks more like an incredible sculpture in space. A lot has been done in recent years to preserve and present the Lun Olive Trees, perhaps even at the last minute. Of course, there is room for improvement in the organization itself, but a particularly large space has marketing potential.
Everything could "revolve" around olives, Lun olives can truly brand the entire area up to Novalja: architecturally, gastronomically, culturally... these unique beauties can be introduced through many themes. The story that can be told is simply too strong not to live.
Traveling and sightseeing in the sun quickly depletes energy reserves, so getting a table at the famous Lun restaurant "Tovarnele" is like winning the lottery. The Makarun family prepares dishes with love, which are woven into the restaurant's long tradition. Whatever you choose from their menu, you won't go wrong. Everything is simply delicious - from appetizers, to main courses, to fantastic desserts.
Lunch at Luna, dinner in the "golden triangle"
Between Kolan, Mandra and Šimuni, somewhere in that "triangle" is OPG Prtorić. This place is away from the summer crowds in coastal tourist resorts. Somehow, here, one returns to the origins of Pag and what this island is still best known for – the Pag sheep, the breadwinner of the islanders. Thanks to our friend David Peranić, a table was reserved for us at a time that could not be said for our arrival. We were late from lunch to dinner, from Luno to Šimuni. Fortunately, David and his dear family are understanding as true hosts accustomed to various misdeeds of their guests. Excellent ambiance, friendly staff and specialties of the Pag interior with a magnificent view of Šimuni, truly magnificent.
The grain
On our way back from OPG Prtorić towards Novalja, we pass the famous Zrće. The "Croatian Ibiza", the best place in Croatia for young people to have fun, is within our reach, so even though we are no longer young, we cannot resist "taking a peek". Our Bodul mentality also plays into our hands that we came between two festivals, so there is no entrance fee. There is no fee for parking for mopeds either, in fact, it is the closest to the entrance to the world of entertainment. Who could resist such an opportunity? We enter this large "musical funfair": Aquarius, Papaya, Kalypso, Noa, Euphoria, Backstage beach Bar, Rocks Beach bar, Ice bar, Burra Beach House... something for everyone. We were, to our core, strange to ourselves in the ambiance resembling a mega prom party. The visitors we found were mostly between the ages of 16 and 18, almost all Italians. Nothing unusual for Ferragosto.
We are leaving at midnight, and then hundreds of young, already "warmed up" partygoers are just arriving, who have been preparing for the night's entertainment at small parties in their apartments all evening. On Zrće, one drink from a liter jug can be consumed for hours, and the prices are exorbitant. If you are not already "partying", warming up will cost you quite a bit. This is the current picture. Probably, with the arrival of big names from the world of electronic music, a different audience is also coming, those between 25 and 35 years old, who have more generous financial resources. In any case, one can have a good time if you like the musical repertoire of Zrće and without spending a lot of money on drinks. The organization is good, somehow everything has "fallen into place" after all these years, it seems.
Novalja by night
The Petar Krešimir IV waterfront in the evening hours is a real "heartbeat" of the entire island. Sitting somewhere, having a drink or eating ice cream and watching the "catwalk" - it is an exceptional experience. The inspired fashion creations chosen for a night out are a true work of art, the highlights of the eager, young men and women. It is not easy to get through the traffic jam, but it is a shame to miss the experience of Novalja by night. Otherwise, mobility on a moped is incomparably easier and the availability of parking spaces is extraordinary.
Overwhelmed by fatigue, we fall asleep at the first contact of our heads and pillows. The night is peaceful or we slept soundly. At some point at dawn, we are briefly awakened by the arrival of young guests from Zrće. Still aware that they are not alone and that they are no longer on Zrće, they quiet themselves, the dream continues.
Excellent breakfast
We're not really into making breakfast in the apartment, so we decided to go down to the waterfront and look for a place for morning refreshment. Novalja offers more choices here too. English, continental breakfast, Italian with coffee and croissant... whatever you like. Well-rested, we decide to continue our journey towards Pag with a swimming break in Šimuni.
Šimuni "center of the world"
We drive to Šimun again through that "golden triangle". In Kolan, we have the opportunity to visit the Gligora cheese factory. On Sundays, the tasting room is not open and there are no organized tours, but a boutique of cheese and other excellent Croatian products is open. Unfortunately, there are few products from Pag, which is usually a problem in other tourist destinations, but the selection of excellent products from the wider area is excellent, the staff is very friendly. After "investing in the local economy", we continue the drive to Šimun. There we found a small oasis for swimming somewhere at the end of a beautiful beach. An interesting beach facility, thick shade of an oak tree and a pleasant, refreshing sea temperature... What more could a person want?
Pag – the city of salt
After refreshments in Šimuni, we continue to Pag. In Pag, we refill the fuel tanks on our scooters. Our bills range from 50,00 to 70,00 kuna. Another advantage of traveling by scooter – very low fuel consumption. After refueling the moped, it is time for us to replenish our energy. Already quite hungry, we make a typical mistake of the average tourist – we go to a restaurant in the center of town, right next to the sea. We are aware of our mistake but we don't have the energy to explore. However, the result was not bad after all. We were refreshed enough for a short walk through the town of Pag.
From foot to foot to King Petar Krešimir IV Square, the Church of St. Mary and dessert in the form of coffee and ice cream. "Full and drunk" we rush across the "Pag Bridge", or rather the Katina Bridge to the permanent exhibition of salt making in the salt warehouses. As luck would have it, our host was one of the most passionate connoisseurs of salt making in Pag – Mislav, a physics student and summer guide through the history of salt making. The excellently guided tour of the exhibition enriched us with new knowledge about the history, technology of salt production and the characteristics of the flower of salt, coarse and crushed salt. A clean five! It was really worth coming to Pag for that alone.
The question remains about better use of the salt brand thanks to which the town of Pag was created and survives. Finally, the famous Pag lace, with its structure, irresistibly reminds us of salt crystals, of the lightness, finesse, and preciousness of the salt flower... A lengthy article could be written about Pag and salt, but let's leave that for another occasion.
As a vow of gratitude for all the good things on the way, we visited the old town of Pag and the church of St. Mary, from which a traditional pilgrimage is made on the feast of the Assumption to the church of St. Mary in the new town of Pag. This votive procession has its origins in 1852, when cholera was ravaging Pag. The view of the town of Pag and the Pag bay from the viewpoint on the road to Šimuni is breathtaking. We enjoyed Pag "until the last ray of sunshine" and headed back to the center, you guessed it - to Šimuni.
Grandfather's house
At the beginning of the week, five days before our trip, we reserved a table at Didova kuća in Šimuni. It was almost too late, we managed to get a table in the "second round". But it was worth it. The very ambiance of Didova kuća, run by Mrs. Gordana Fabijanić, lets you know that you are in a special place. Didova kuća celebrates family tradition in a special, memorable way.
Handmade dishes, fantastic homemade bread, a rhapsody of island flavors through an imaginatively designed cold appetizer and then a homemade main course, freshly combined from the sea and the land, and finally a sweet treat that you simply cannot resist... Be sure to go and experience it for yourself.
Perhaps the hardest part followed – after the gastronomic delights, you had to get on your motorbike and ride 20 kilometres in the dark without stopping at Zrće… But we managed to do that too. We consumed alcohol in minimal quantities – as a thin drink with excellent fish dishes.
It's time to start.
As always, we arrive "home" at a decent hour. In the neighboring apartments, young guests are just warming up for the world of entertainment on Zrće. Tickets are free until midnight, so the well-organized taxi network suddenly becomes active from 23:00 PM to 24:00 AM and drives like hardworking ants between Novalja and Zrće. There is also public bus transportation, a wide sidewalk for pedestrians and cyclists, and you can rent various vehicles from scooters, to buggies, quads, cars, mopeds... And so we drift off to sleep while "the rest of the party" "gets on with life." Early in the morning, we set off on our journey and the party returns home in the evening. The coexistence of different generations with different interests and biorhythms.
Povratak
A brief overview of the apartment and the return of the deposit, then back "in the saddle" and on our way. In a well-coordinated manner, we board the ferry between Žigljen and Prizna, as well as the one between Stinica and Mišnjak. Coffee on the ferry is literally worth its weight in gold. For those who were up early, coffee was offered in the town of Rab, before the Holy Mass in honor of the Virgin Mary. The Rab Cathedral - the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was the ideal place to celebrate this great Croatian holiday. After the mass, we had ice cream and then went swimming under the city walls. This place has become close to our hearts and we can hardly imagine a summer trip to Rab without refreshing ourselves in the sea and resting in the shade of dense pine trees.
All good things are short-lived, so we have to take the ferry to Valbiska from Lopar. The comfortable lounge of the Jadrolinija ferry provides an opportunity for a "pižulot", a half-sleep, or meditation with closed eyes, some would say. After an hour and forty minutes of sailing, we arrive in Valbiska. Here I must emphasize that the port of Valbiska, compared to the other ports we passed through: Lopar, Mišnjak, Stinica, Prizna, Žigljen, is the best equipped, best organized port with the most facilities that passengers need. Valbiska is the "benchmark", or the standard of comparison for all ferry ports.
It's beautiful everywhere...
The end is the end of the story, and so our three-day journey ends on our doorstep in the tavern - pizzeria "Ivinčić". Here we summarize our three-day journey to the three Kvarner islands (let the people of Pag not be angry that we adopted them, they are partly ours) and conclude that we have only opened the door a crack to the wonderful world of the KVARNER ISLANDS. We are returning safely to Pag, we have only just begun to discover it.
Author Nedo Pinezić, nedopinezic.com
