The island of Cres is located in the northern part of the Bay of Kvarner and it is the first island in the Adriatic by size. The coastline is about 250 km long, very indented with a plenty of bays and pebbly beaches in western and southern part while the northern and eastern part are characterized with steep and rough rocks..jpg)
The island of Cres was inhabited in the new stone age and has been an important point for large number of civilzation from Liburnian to the period of the Republic of Venice and all of them left many sights like old towns, many ruines, Catholic curches scattered around the island, monasteries and remains of towns, the monuments etc...
The fresh water lake of Vrana is famous as an unusual natural phenomenon that have the level of the lake above the level of the surrounding sea.. The landscape of Cres has a sharp contrast between the northern submediterranean part which is covered with high and thick woods of oak medunac, hornbeam, elm, and chestnut trees, and the middle and southern parts which are covered with bare grazing lands and dense macchia.
Cres has rich botanical and animal world, with more than 1300 species and an exceptional number of edemic species and it is also one of the last habitats of a rare bird species - griffon vulture.
Prehistoric heritage testimony that the first inhabitants came on this spaces very early. First were Liburnians, and after them came Greeks, Romans and Byzantines. Trough the 6th and 7th century the Croats colonized the island. Cres was in the constitution of Croatia 'til 15th century, when got under the reign of Venice. In 19th century the rule of France and Austian-Hungarian Monarchy rotated, and after the World War I becomes a part of Italy, and after Warld War II a part of Germany and after of Yugoslavia. In the 20th century finaly become a part of Independent State of Croatia.
On the island you can find the remains of an ancient towns, early-Chatolic churches and monasteries and lefts of Venetian architecture.
There are few galleries on the island: the gallery Solis, gallery Motiv...
Musical Evening in Osor is a traditional cultural festival that is held since 1976. There are also a Musical Evenings in Lubenice and Martinšćica.
The museum in the city of Cres is placed in the building Arsan. In the parterre is placed a collection of amphorae and lapidary from 2nd and 3rd century. The museum keeps a collection of archeological object from the past and the collection of books.
The museum in the city Osor is placed in the building where it used to be a city hall. In the parterre is placed the lapidary from the old-Christian time. It also keeps a collection of a historical archeological objects.
This island is perfect place for having fun but also it is perfect for a romantic holidays. If you are a fan of all-night going out's then you can go to the disco club Štala and to the bar Timun. On the beach St. Blaž you can find beach parties.
On the island you can have an active kind of holidays. You can go swimming, diving, fishing, you can rent a boat, cycling, hi k ing, trekking, sailing and all other kinds of sea activities. There are also fields for tennis, volleyball, football, miny-golf, basketball...
The island can be reached by personal vehicle or by bus from any part of Europe by boarding on a ferry Valbiske (Island of Krk) or Brestova (Istria); by plane you can get to the island of Krk and from there continue to Cres; by boat you can anchor in one of marinas.
