Exploring Croatia's overlooked islands
Travels With Lonely Planet
By Jeanne Oliver
Vis' picturesque port evokes the Croatian island's pristine appeal. (Wayne Walton/Lonely Planet Images )
With 1,185 islands to choose from, you would think that visitors to Croatia might spread out a little. Instead, famous islands like Hvar, Korcula and Brac can sag under the summer crowds, while on other equally beautiful islands, Croatia's unique Mediterranean culture flourishes in peace. On three of my favorites - Vis, Pag and Cres islands - the calendar revolves around wine and olive harvests, sheepÂshearing, fishing and festivals. Built under Venetian rule, the centuries-old villages are enchanting, and you can laze away the day on a host of beaches.
Vis: Until 1989, a visit to Vis island was as desirable as a visit to boot camp. In fact, it was a visit to boot camp. Vis was an army base in former Yugoslavia and off-limits to civilians. When the army pulled out, Croatians discovered that the lack of tourism on their "forbidden island" had left the natural splendor intact. The low, rolling hills sprout vineyards, pines and a cornucopia of wild herbs. The pristine offshore waters teem with fish, attracting fishers, scuba divers and snorkelers. Pebbly beaches stretch out from the island's two port towns, Vis town and Komiza, which contain remnants of the island's fascinating history.
After exploring the Roman baths and Greek cemetery in Vis and the Venetian churches in Komiza, take a boat trip to the Blue Grotto on nearby Bisevo island. If you compare it to the Blue Grotto on Capri, islanders will quickly inform you that their grotto is bluer and better in every way.
Getting there: Fly to Zagreb and then connect with a flight or drive to the coastal city of Split. Daily car ferries connect Vis with Split (the trip takes two hours) all year, and there's a daily fast boat running between Split and Vis from June-October.
Where to stay: Hotel Paula (call 011-385-21-711-362; http:// www.paula-hotel.htnet.hr; doubles $100) in Vis town is a small, family-run hotel with artfully decorated rooms.
Where to eat: In Vis town, Villa Kaliopa (011-385-21-711-755) serves scrumptious local dishes in the verdant gardens of a 19th-century mansion. In Komiza, Konoba Jastozera (011-385-21-713-859) specializes in lobster, but all the seafood is superb.
Pag: Say "Pag island" to any Croatian, and the first response is likely to be "cheese" - as in the pungent, salty sheep cheese for which the island is renowned. Barren, rocky and nearly devoid of trees, Pag's landscape contrasts sharply with its festive and artistic culture. Along the white-stone streets of Pag town, black-clad women sit on stools, working the delicate "Pag lace" that is as prized as the cheese. On national holidays, Carnival or any other excuse for a party, everyone heads to the town square to dance the "kolo," sing old Pag tunes and drink the local Sutica wine. To the north, Novalja offers strictly 21st-century nightlife with a cluster of beach bars, cafés and discos that has become a magnet for young revelers. Quiet pleasures are also abundant. The coastline curves around two protected bays where shallow waters lap at nearly deserted sandy beaches.
To recuperate from the sun and fun, you can even arrange to immerse yourself in special healing mud just outside Pag town. Getting there: Fly to Zagreb and drive to the coastal city of Zadar. From there, it's an easy drive across the causeway connecting Pag with the mainland. Where to stay and eat: The Hotel Biser (call 011-385-23-611-333; http://www.hotel-biser .com; doubles $77) is across the bay from Pag town and only a short walk to the beach. Hotel Tony (011-385-23-611-370; http:// www.hotel-tony.com; doubles $60) is a homey hotel-restaurant on a quiet cove that serves delicious food.
Cres: The principal inhabitants of Cres (pronounced "Tsres”) island are sheep, the shepherds who tend them and the rare griffon vultures that feed on their carcasses. With a 10-foot wing span, these birds shouldn't be too hard to spot as they swoop down Cres' eastern cliffs. The west side of this 40-mile-long island has a wealth of hidden coves, most notably idyllic Valun at the bottom of towering hills. Pine and oak forests carpet the northern part of the island right up to the edge of Cres town, the island's capital. A scattering of Italian Renaissance structures recalls the days when this tranquil port was an important hub of the Venetian empire. Tiny Osor, with a population of 80, is a 15th-century jewel on the island's southern tip. Original sculpture adorns the restored streets, and Osor's summer Musical Evenings feature the finest classical musicians.
Getting there: In July and August you can fly to Venice and take the Saturday boat to Mali Losinj, the island immediately south of Cres. It's then an easy drive across the bridge to Cres. Otherwise, fly to Zagreb and drive to Brestova on the Istrian coast, where there are frequent car ferries to Porozina on Cres island.
Where to stay: There are more campgrounds on the island than hotels. In Cres town, the only hotel is the modest Hotel Kimen (call 011-385-51-571-161; http://www.hotel-kimen .com; doubles $113).
Where to eat: In addition to a full array of fish and seafood, look for highly prized Cres lamb on the menu at Belona Gostionica (011-385-51-571-203).
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Jeanne Oliver wrote the first three editions of Lonely Planet's Croatia guidebook. "Travels With Lonely Planet" is coordinated by Global Travel Editor Don George. E-mail him at
don.george@lonelyplanet.com .
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Jeanne Oliver's page is www.croatiatraveller.com
Her email is: jeanne@croatiatraveller.com
Shower her with compliments. She may become an honorary Croatian.
Nenad Bach
