Rab is an island and a town of the same name located just off the northern Croatian coast in the Adriatic Sea. The island is 22 km (14 mi) long, has an area of 93.6 km2 (36 sq mi) and 9,328 inhabitants. The highest peak is Kamenjak at 408 m. The northeastern side of the island is mostly barren, while the southwestern side is covered by one of the last oak forests of the Mediterranean. Ferries connect the island of Rab with the mainland port of Stinica and with the neighbouring islands of Krk and Pag. European Coastal Airlines offers multiple daily connections by seaplane from Rab to Zagreb and to Rijeka via Rijeka Airport in Omišalj on the neighboring island of Krk. read more…
Krk is the main settlement of the island of Krk. It is located on the southwest coast of the island and is the historical seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Krk. On the opposite side of the bay of Punat, the community of Punat with one of the most famous marinas in the northern Adriatic, the Punat Marina, is located. read more…
Opatija is a town in western Croatia, just southwest of Rijeka on the Adriatic coast. The town proper has a population of 8,000, with the municipality having a total of 13,000 inhabitants. Opatija is situated in the Gulf of Kvarner in a sheltered position at the foot of Učka mountain, with Vojak peak at 1401 m. Opatija is located 90 km from Trieste by rail and 82 km from Pula by road. The city is geographically on the Istrian peninsula, though it is not in Istria county, but Primorje-Gorski Kotar county. read more…
Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia (after Zagreb and Split). It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 129,000 inhabitants. Rijeka is the center of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County. The city’s economy largely depends on shipbuilding (shipyards “3. Maj” and “Viktor Lenac Shipyard“) and maritime transport. Rijeka hosts the Croatian National Theatre “Ivan pl. Zajc“, first built in 1765, as well as the University of Rijeka, founded in 1973 but with roots dating back to 1632. Apart from Croatian, the population also uses its own unique version of the Venetian language (Fiumano), with an estimated 20,000 speakers among the autochtone Croats and various minorities. Historically it served as a Lingua Franca for the many ethnicities inhabiting the multicultural port-town. read more…
Motovun is a village in central Istria. The population of the village itself is 500, with a total of 1,000 residents in the municipality. The Parenzana was a narrow gauge railroad that ran from Trieste to Poreč between 1902-1935, passed valley below the town. Motovun is a medieval town that grew up on the site of an ancient city called Kastelijer. It is situated on a hill 270 metres (886 feet) above sea level with houses scattered all over the hill. On the inner walls are several coats-of-arms of different Motovun ruling families and two gravestones of Roman inhabitants (dating from the 1st century). read more…
Umag is a coastal city in Istria. The city hosts a yearly ATP tennis tournament on clay courts. It is the westernmost city of Croatia, and the municipality includes Savudrija, the westernmost point of Croatia. In 1993 with the establishment of the new local rule Umag became an independent municipality (općina), and in 1997 was awarded the status of town or city (grad). read more…
Poreč is a town and municipality on the western coast of the Istrian peninsula. Its major landmark is the 6th century Euphrasian Basilica, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. Ever since the 1970s, the coast of Poreč has been the most visited tourist destination in Croatia. Poreč is almost 2,000 years old, and is set around a harbor protected from the sea by the small island of Saint Nicholas/San Nicolo (St. Nicholas). The town’s population of approximately 12,000 resides mostly on the outskirts, while the wider Poreč area has a population of approximately 17,000 inhabitants. The municipal area covers 142 square kilometres (55 sq mi), with the 37 kilometres (23 miles) long shoreline stretching from the Mirna River near Novigrad to Funtana and Vrsar in the south. read more…
Labin, with a town population of 7,000 and 12,000 in the greater municipality (which also includes the small towns of Rabac and Vinež, as well as a number of smaller villages), lies on the east coast of the Istrian Peninsula, halfway between Pula and Opatija. read more…