Islands of Croatia

Color of the Adriatic Sea is hard to determine, it is sometimes deep blue, and sometimes green-blue. It is the fact that it, depending on time of day and the angle of sun rays, reflects in thousand of nuances. From total of 1185 islands, isles and reefs on this beautiful sea you will certainly find the one that is right for you. Each island is different; each is story of its own. Many are inhabited, but each is unique, has its story and the fate

Story about islands we will begin from the north of Croatian coast, from Brijuni These 14 islands are situated in the area seven kilometers long between Pula and Rovinj. Nature in that area created true little heaven; true harmony of plant and animal world, historical monuments and modern hotels. On Brijuni you can run away to shade of rich evergreen vegetation, while pheasants, deer and does freely roam around the island, and enjoy peace and quite under the treetops of holm oak and hundred years old olive groves.

Green Krk is and is not an island. It is island because of its idyllic nature and peace of oasis far away from everyday life, but it is not because of its traffic connections. Krk, which even has a small airport, is divided from the mainland by sea, but it is connected to it by the bridge. You make sure to visit island towns Baška, Malinska, Omišalj, Njivice, Krk and Punat that has the biggest marina in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea.

Cres and Lošinj a long time ago, during Roman period, were connected by a channel. Northern part of Cres hides bay of Rijeka, and it is exposed to hard blows of north wind so that its tops sometimes become white of sea fumes. Southern part is protected from gale and has very Mediterranean climate. Town Cres is the center of the island. You can enter its core through three doors, and you will encounter historical traces every step of the way. About people, their social positions and occupations testify family emblems on house doors or engravings of tools: blacksmith or carpenter on houses of craftsmen and fish on houses of fishermen.

Next is Kvarner island Rab. In year 1889 local council declared it to be swimming healing place. Rab is one of the islands richest in forests with over 300 water springs.

Pag is the island on which spread mythical olive groves, rich in sea salt and famous for its lace and cheese, well know world delicates.

Silba is the island of ship-owners and captains and their houses. It is simultaneously a harbor protected from blows of wind. It is the island of fishermen and sailors known amongst sailors as safe harbor from the storm.

Island Ugljan is "suburb" and garden of Zadar, and it got its name because of abundant production of oil. Namely, there is more than 100000 olive trees on this island.

Nearby island Pašman grew together with Ugljan, that is it is connected by a bridge. Iž is an island situated between Ugljan and Dugi otok. It is equally know by what it has and what it does not have: it has rich Mediterranean vegetation, and it has no cars.

On Dugi Otok you will be able to rest in a natural reservation of area 114 km2. Basin Telašćica is the biggest natural harbor amongst all the Adriatic islands, and on the island, besides it, there is natural park and moufflons habitat. Rich forest northwest coast is full of wide caves, and there is also a nice beach with a lighthouse 41 meters high.

Kornati is the labyrinth of sea passages and isles, the most indented group of islands on the Adriatic composed of 140 islands, isles and reefs. On the islands there are seasonally inhabited fishing places for the sea there is rich in fish and road is the target for sport fishing. Kornati is particularly interesting for sailors and hence there are two sailor centers: Žut and Piskera.

Murter is special amongst Adriatic islands because of its picturesque. It is connected to the mainland by a bridge just 12 m long. Murter is an island of fishermen, olive groves and ship builders. Biggest places on the island are Tisno, Hramina, Betina and Jezera.

Opposite to Split, full of historical and cultural values, with an airport and harbor, there is Island BraĨ, the highest and third in size island on the Adriatic Sea. It is covered in pine trees forest, vineyards and olive groves and world famous BraĨ's stone that was used for building many of important world buildings (like White House in Washington D.C.). A beautiful beach Zlatni rat is in the place Bol, the biggest tourist center on the southern part of the island. Beach is on the reef covered with gravel that moves depending on the wind and waves, giving impression that all the reef moves from one side to the other. You must admit that it is the only beach you heard of that changes its shape day after day.

South of BraĨ there is Hvar, the longest island on the Adriatic Sea. It is characterized by nice winter and summer resting places, mild climate and rich subtropical vegetation. It is the island of vineyards, olive groves and lavender. It is surrounded with crystal blue sea, many springs and it has the greatest average of sunny days in a year.

Far from the mainland and mainland problems there is Island Vis, rich in palms, known for its fish, sailors, beautiful nature and diverse tourist offer.

Southwest there is Island Biševo, and it encompasses area of 6 square kilometers. It has many caves, carved in steep shores. Amongst them special position occupies cave Modra, with its above sea and under sea openings. When the sea is calm, rays of light that illuminate the cave fracture in such a manner and bounce of the cave walls that the objects and persons above the water are covered in blue, and those under water in silver color.

Although officially peninsula, Pelješac is truly like an island. It is separated from KoruĨla by narrow channel. Places Ston and Mali Ston are picturesque little towns that were the most important towns in the Republic of Dubrovnik, right after Dubrovnik. Pelješac is known for oysters and vine: Postup and DingaĨ from bay of Mali Ston are famous vine sorts of this area.

Next to Pelješac there is green Mljet. This islands spans on the area of 100 square kilometers. Because of its thick pine tree forests, karst caves and two picturesque lakes connected to the sand and gravel and send beaches and fishing area rich in fish and lobsters, western part of the island has status of a national park.

It is said that KorĨula is an island with greatest number of legends and monuments, and with Lokrum and Mljet it is the island with most forests in Croatia. Near the end of 13 century near KorĨula there was naval battle between Venice and Genoa. Marko Polo, famous traveler and annalist who is believed to be born in KorĨula, fought on the side of Venetians. On this island there are many well known towns: KorĨula, Lumbarda and Vela Luka. From here comes knight dance "moreška" from the end of 15 century, well known stone carvers, sailors and ship builders.

Far out on the open sea there is island Lastovo with area of 50 square kilometers with indented gravel shore, sand beaches and few islands on the western and eastern sides.

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You can search out accommodation on Croatian islands at TravelAdriatic.NET

Author's Note: TrAD is a tourist guide of Adriatic coast (Croatia) and is also a copywriter who has worked for many sites describing many hotspots of Adriatic Sea.

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