CRES & LOšINJ

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Island of Cres (Valun)

The Cres and Lošinj archipelago, partly crossed by the 45º latitude, lies in the middle of the northern hemisphere.A greater part of the archipelago is situated within the subtropical zone of the southern half of the northern hemisphere, which influences the climate and the life-style of the people.
The islands of this archipelago form the natural bridge between Istria and Dalmatia.

The whole coastline abounds in attractive bays and coves, ideal for swimming and sunbathing.

The island of Cres, by size the first island in the Adriatic, is located in the northern part of the Bay of Kvarner. Its southern part, i.e. the town of Osor, is linked to the island of Lošinj by a trestle bridge. Cres is a hilly island, 66 km long and ranging in width from 2 to 12 km. The island's coastline , 248 km long, is indented; its western and southern part have a plenty of bays and pebbly beaches while the northern and eastern part are characterized with steep and rough rocks.

The highest tops of the island - Gorice (648m) and Sis (638) - offer a unique view of the Bay of Kvarner which will not leave anyone indifferent. The fresh water lake of Vrana, which covers the area of 5. 75 square kilometres , deserves attention as an unusual natural phenomenon.

The level of the lake is above the level of the surrounding sea, and its bottom is beneath the sea level only at the depth of 74 m. The landscape of Cres owes its attractivity to a sharp contrast between the northern submediterranean part covered with high and thick woods of oak medunac (Quercus lanuginosa) , hornbeam, elm, and chestnut trees, and the middle and southern parts which are covered with bare grazing lands and dense macchia. A great richness of the botanical and animal world, which boasts more than 1300 species and an exceptional number of edemic species, is a genuine challenge to all nature lovers.

Cres is also one of the last habitats of a rare bird species - griffon vulture.
The island of Cres was first inhabited in the New Stone Age. The continuity of life on the island has created an exceptionally rich cultural and historical heritage: from a number of Liburnian ruins, the remains of Antique towns, early Catholic curches scattered around the island, monasteries and remains of towns from the period of the Republic of Venice to the monuments of the contemporary period.


Valun is situated in the southern part of the Bay of Valun between two beautiful pebbly beaches. Valun was founded as a port of the old village of Bucev, the remains of which were found in the vicinity of the Church of St. Mark, whose inhabitants established a new settlement when they got oriented to the sea.Today Valun is a picturesque seaside village, situated around a small harbour, whose economy is based on camping and family tourism. Apart from the Church of St. Mark and "Valun's table" from the 11th century it is interesting to see Glagolitic collection of stone monuments situated on the terrace of a restaurant where copies of the oldest inscriptions in Glagolitic alphabet from Istria, Kvarner and Dalmatia are displayed. Lubenice, a 4000 years old settlement built on the rock 387 metres above the sea is one of the oldest settlements on the island. This picturesque town with a square, a bell-tower and the Gothic churc of St Anthony the Hermit from the 15th century is a real pearl of rural architecture whose primordial beauty is difficult to describe in words, it must simply be seen. In summer Lubenice Musical Evenings, an event presenting a distinguished repertoire of classical music performed by world-renown musicians, takes place in Lubenice.
 

(source: Cres Tourist Bord)