Krk is Croatia's largest island in the Kvarner Gulf, linked to the mainland by a bridge, so it can be reached by car from the Czech Republic without a ferry. On the island are Rijeka airport and four main resorts: Krk, Baška, Malinska and Punat, and historic towns such as Vrbnik on a cliff. The beaches are pebbly, the water clean and calm in the coves, and Baška has a long pebble beach that is busy with children and pensioners alike. The island offers vineyards, the Biserujka cave, a monastery on the islet of Košljun and the Baška Tablet, the oldest Croatian written monument. Krk is popular with Czechs and Slovaks because it lies roughly nine hundred kilometres from Prague and in season is reachable by coach and plane. The best time is June and September, when it is warm and less crowded. In July and August the island is full, prices rise and parking in Baška is hard. Families find cheap apartments and safe beaches, couples calm in the coves in the east.
The places worth your time in Krk, and what to expect at each
Krk town
The island's main town, small and well preserved, with walls, a cathedral and the Frankopan castle by the harbour. The old lanes can be walked in an hour and yachts moor in the harbour. It is the best place for an evening stroll and for buying souvenirs.
Tip: It is worth going in the morning, before the coaches, or in the evening when it lights up. Cafés on the promenade cost more than in the lanes behind the cathedral.
Krk town
A cathedral from the twelfth century mixing Romanesque and Gothic styles. It stands on the site of a Roman temple and beside it is a sixteenth-century bell tower. Inside are Renaissance altars and paintings.
Tip: The cathedral is usually open in the morning; entry is free. During services do not enter in swimwear.
Baška
A resort in the south of the island with the two-and-a-half-kilometre pebble beach of Vela Plaža in a bay below rocky hills. The water is clean and gradual, and the promenade is lined with shops and restaurants. It is the island's most popular beach.
Tip: The beach is calmest in the morning; a lounger costs about fifteen euros. Bring water shoes and try a kayak or paddleboard.
Jurandvor
A stone slab from the turn of the eleventh and twelfth centuries with text in Glagolitic, the oldest Croatian document. The original is in Zagreb and a replica stands in the church of St Lucy at Jurandvor above Baška. It is a monument of national importance.
Tip: Jurandvor is five kilometres from Baška; check the church's opening hours. You can walk there in an hour.
northeast of the island
A town on a cliff above the sea, home of the white wine Žlahtina. Narrow lanes are full of restaurants and wine shops, and the street Klančić is among the narrowest in Europe. From the lookout there is a view of the sea.
Tip: Taste Žlahtina at a winemaker's for a few euros. Traffic is heavy in season, so park at the car park outside town.
Rudine
A karst cave near Rudine with stalactites, discovered by a local in 1893 and open with a guide. The tour takes about twenty-five minutes and costs a few euros. Inside it is cool at around ten degrees.
Tip: Bring a jacket and book a group in advance. Come in the morning, before the afternoon groups.
Punat
A small islet in Punat bay with a fifteenth-century Franciscan monastery, a church and a library. Boats run to the islet from Punat and the visit takes an hour. It is a calm place where you must not be noisy.
Tip: In season boats run from Punat every half hour; the visit includes the monastery and a museum. Keep quiet.
north of the island
A town in the north of the island above the sea with walls, Roman excavations and white houses. It lies by the airport and the bridge, so it is a good first stop. The surroundings offer pebbly beaches and trails.
Tip: Omišalj is calmer than Krk and suits a night before a flight. A bus to Rijeka takes half an hour.
Malinska
A coastal resort on the west of the island with a promenade, beaches and hotels, popular with Czechs and Slovaks. The water here is calm and gradual and the surroundings wooded. It is a good choice for families.
Tip: Beaches are pebbly, so bring water shoes. A bus from Krk runs every hour and costs a few euros.
Photos: Krk Town — Arne Müseler (CC BY-SA 3.0 de) · Krk Cathedral — Falk2 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Baška and Vela Plaža — Ruta Badina (CC BY-SA 3.0) · The Baška Tablet — Hrvatska enciklopedija (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Vrbnik — Arne Müseler (CC BY-SA 3.0 de) · Biserujka Cave — Usien (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Košljun Island and Monastery — pollobarca (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Omišalj — Wakowlk (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Malinska — Arne Müseler (CC BY-SA 3.0 de)
Areas and districts, matched to the kind of trip you are taking
Best for: monuments and evening life
The main town with walls, restaurants and hotels. It has the widest range of services, but also noise. Suits a first visit and those without a car.
Best for: a beach for families
A resort with the island's longest beach, apartments and hotels. In season it is full, but the beach is gradual. A good choice for families with children.
Best for: calm in the northwest
Resorts with pines, beaches and smaller hotels. It is calmer and prices are lower than in Baška. Suits a longer stay.
Best for: harbour and boatyards
A town with the island's largest harbour, restaurants and boats to Košljun. It is calm and green. Suits those who like boating.
On the island is Rijeka airport (RJK), one of the nearest to the Czech Republic, with flights from several European cities in season. By car it is about nine hundred kilometres from Prague through Austria and Slovenia to the bridge to Krk. From Zagreb it is two and a half hours. Coaches run overnight from Prague and Brno.
Rijeka – airport on Krk (RJK) · 15 km
Zagreb Airport (ZAG) · 190 km
On Krk you can get by without a car only between towns, as buses run sparsely. Lines run between Krk, Baška and Malinska several times a day. A car suits farther coves. Parking in Baška and Krk is often hard in season. Boats run from Punat to Košljun.
Useful apps: Google Maps, Bolt, Maps.me, Jadrolinija
Krk has a Mediterranean climate with a warm summer and a mild winter. In July and August it is around twenty-eight degrees and the sea twenty-five. The best months are June and September. Winter is rainy and the bora wind can halt ferries.
Best time
June and September
What to avoid
November to February (rain, bora)
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | 8° | 9° | 12° | 16° | 21° | 25° | 28° | 28° | 23° | 18° | 13° | 9° |
| Night | 2° | 2° | 5° | 9° | 13° | 17° | 20° | 20° | 16° | 12° | 8° | 4° |
| Rainy days | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 10 |
| Sea | 11° | 11° | 12° | 15° | 19° | 23° | 25° | 25° | 23° | 19° | 16° | 13° |
Krk cooking is Kvarner: fish, grilled meat, sheep cheeses and Žlahtina wine. The speciality is šurlice, hand-made pasta with a game or meat sauce. Lunch in a konoba costs fifteen to thirty euros.
Šurlice
Hand-made pasta in the shape of tiny rolls, served with a chicken or beef sauce. The island's most typical dish.
Krk prosciutto
Dry-cured pork ham from the island, smoked and dried by the bora wind. Served with cheese and olives.
Grilled fish
Fresh Kvarner fish, grilled with olive oil and garlic. The price is by weight.
Scampi buzara
Kvarner scampi stewed with wine, garlic and breadcrumbs. Deserves bread for dipping.
Žlahtina
White wine from the Žlahtina grape, which grows only on Krk. Fresh and light, it suits fish.
Sheep's cheese
Matured cheese from the milk of local sheep, with spices and olive oil. Sold at markets and in konobas.
Fritule
Small fried doughnuts with raisins, dusted with sugar. A dessert sold at festivals.
Espresso
€1.5–2
Lunch in a konoba
€15–30
Šurlice
€15–22
A beer
€3–4
Biserujka cave
€12
Košljun
€7
3★ apartment (night)
€70–150
Lounger (day)
€12–18
Indicative prices that change over time — treat them as a guide, not a price list.
1 day
2 days
3 days
Rijeka
40 km · 45 min by car
Croatia's third-largest city with a harbour, a market and Trsat castle. It is lively and cheaper than the coast and suits half a day.
Opatija
60 km · 1 hr by car
An elegant Habsburg resort with the Lungomare promenade and villas. It suits an afternoon.
Rab
50 km · 1 hr 30 min by ferry and car
An island with a historic town of four bell towers and sandy beaches. A ferry runs from Baška to Lopar.
Yes, the beaches are pebbly but gradual and clean, hotels have kids' clubs and prices are lower than in the south. Baška and Malinska are best for children. For the youngest, water shoes help.
By car it is about nine hundred kilometres through Austria and Slovenia, nine to ten hours; a bridge leads to the island with no ferry. You need a Slovenian vignette. In season coaches and flights run to Rijeka airport.
June and September, when it is warm and less crowded. July and August are full and pricey. Out of season some businesses are closed.
Krk is calmer and more family-oriented, with historic towns; Pag is drier and younger, with parties at Zrće. For families and calm Krk is better.
Usually twelve to eighteen euros a day. On public beaches free space is available. In July and August it is pricier.
Yes, it is a pleasant programme for the morning, especially with children, and it is cool inside. The tour takes about twenty-five minutes and costs around twelve euros.
For the coves and Vrbnik yes, as buses run sparsely. Between Krk and Baška a bus suffices. In season book parking.
Yes, Croatia adopted the euro in January 2023. Cards are accepted nearly everywhere, and cash is useful at markets and in smaller konobas.
Check the latest visa requirements for entering this country. Some nationalities may need to apply for a visa or e-visa before travel.
Check visa requirementsLanguage
Croatian
Currency
EUR
Timezone
Europe/Zagreb
Dial Code
+385
Population
3.9M
Area
56,594 km²
Voltage
230V / 50Hz
Driving Side
Right
