If you dream about a relaxing holiday we suggest you plan a stay at the island of Cres, more specifically, the village of Lubenice.

You can reach Cres by ferry from Brestova located on the east coast of Istria which will bring you to Porozina or by travelling from Valbinska on the island of Krk to Merag. It takes 45 minutes by car from Porozina to Lubenice or from Merag you can reach Lubenice in 25 mins. When driving on state road D100 you need to make a right turn after the village of Krčina and after about a 15 minutes drive on this road full of twists and turns, you need to turn left on a tiny road where only at some places two cars can pass. It is completely normal to see sheep all around the road. There are many signs on the road and it should not be hard for you to find it.

Photo by: Milenka Tatalović

Driving down the tiny road, one of the first villages you encounter is Podol, we definitely recommend for you to have a short stay and visit the locals who are welcoming and typically will offer you a fresh drink. In some of the houses, people are manufacturing their own products like for instance bespoke shopping bags.

Photo collage by: Irena Trkulja

Finally, we arrive at Lubenice where during high season you need to pay for parking which is a token amount only. Since the village is situated on a cliff 378 meters high an amazing view of Kvarner Bay unfolds in front of your eyes and on a sunny and clear day you can even see as far as the most south part of Istria. Using the tourist telescope will bring you even closer to the breathtaking beach of St. John. To reach it you need to walk for about 45 minutes, but it's worth it as it is one of the most beautiful beaches on the Adriatic sea. Later on, in order to go back, there is one hour and a half of hiking waiting for you. We believe the best would be to visit the beach by boat which will save you a lot of time and effort. During summer, the temperature can reach up to 40 °C.

Photo collage by: Irena Trkulja

You can walk around the village in 20 mins and you will enjoy soaking up the energy of this medieval village. In the Middle Ages Lubenice was an important centre of the archipelago because of its geostrategic significance. Almost every man in the village used to be a sailor. This is why there are so many chapels in the village - loyal wives were praying for their brave husbands sailing in wild waters far away from home.

Photo collage by: Irena Trkulja

Today only four old grannies live here, isolated from the rest of the world. All of them are older than 80 but their spirit is still young, they love to chit chat with travellers. We were surprised seeing so many people visiting Lubenice so we assume that the old grannies are not always bored. Probably in 20 years, this astonishing village will be abandoned during the winter season.

Photo collage by: Milenka Tatalović

We definitely suggest you visit the island of Cres and its lovely village Lubenice!

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