The Krk Camino

From the castle, continue along the town promenade. In its western section, pass by the Bor campsite before heading toward the village of Vrh through a landscape dotted with olive groves. After visiting the remains of St Mary’s Church, continue to the next pilgrimage point, Salatići Castle. From there, the trail crosses the fields of Kimpi and Kaštel before reaching Vrh, a village crowned by the Church of St Michael the Archangel.

The route then continues toward the nearby villages of Skrbčići and Pinezići. Passing through Šotovento — a fertile and heavily forested area surrounding St Fusca Cove — continue onward until reaching the remains of the settlement of Kambun.

The day concludes with a visit to Vela Jana Cove and the village of Brzac, where you will find a small number of accommodation options (it is advisable to book in advance) as well as several restaurants. Those wishing to camp can continue approximately one kilometer farther toward the coast to the Glavotok campsite.

Leaving Brzac, the trail turns toward Glavotok, a small settlement first mentioned as the summer retreat of the Frankopan counts of Krk. In the 15th century, the chapel they built there was donated to the Franciscan order, which later added a monastery and eventually a church to the site.

The dense forests surrounding Glavotok lead to the Church of St. Chrysogonus above Čavlena Cove, a true jewel of Romanesque architecture on the island. Along the way, you will pass the island’s largest and oldest oak tree.

From here, continue along a trail winding between beaches and beautiful secluded coves. Choose whichever looks most inviting and stop for a swim — but beware of sea urchins, as water shoes are essential.

Part of the route passes through shaded forest before reaching the viewpoint near Fumak, then continues onward to the village of Porat, which developed around its Franciscan monastery. The monastery complex includes a museum, an old olive press known locally as a “toš,” and a collection of artworks and religious exhibits reflecting the spiritual, cultural, and economic heritage of the Third Order of Franciscans in Porat.

Within the monastery grounds lies the Glagolitic Lapidarium, where replicas of ancient and important Glagolitic inscriptions from across Croatia are preserved. The Glagolitic script is the oldest known Slavic alphabet: the letters Ⱎ and Ⱋ correspond to the “sh” sound, while Ⱌ represents the sound “ts.”

Continuing through the Dubasnica region, you will pass the old cemetery of St. Apollinaire, distinguished by its impressive stone bell tower. From there, the trail crosses several villages, including Sveti Anton, Milovčići, and Kremenići, where you will find the Chapel of St. Andrew, the oldest preserved chapel in the area.

The day ends in the town of Malinska, which offers a wide range of accommodation options, restaurants, and a campsite.

From the heart of Malinska, today’s walk leads all the way to the northern tip of the island, passing west of Kijac and through Njivice before ending in the town of Omišalj.

To reach Kijac Bay, follow the beautiful coastal promenade known as the Paradise Trail. Upon arriving in Njivice, take time to visit the impressively named Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built at the beginning of the 20th century on the foundations of older churches.

In ancient times, before the fall of the Roman Empire, this peaceful area known as Poje formed part of a large agricultural estate, where an early Christian church was later constructed. The trail continues northward to the site of Mohorov, where the remains of another structure from the late antiquity period can still be seen.

Continuing toward Sepen Cove, southwest of Omišalj, you will reach the ruins of the Roman city of Fulfinum, dating from the first half of the 1st century CE, along with an early Christian church built in the shape of a cross. This monumental and historically valuable structure belongs to the late antiquity necropolis at the site of Mirine, constructed in the early 5th century CE.

The trail then passes through forest to an elevated point above Omišalj Bay, where you arrive at Fortičina. Here, remains of a medieval castle and a late antiquity fortress with a water cistern have been discovered. Descending toward the shoreline near Pesja Cove brings you to Dubec Park, a landscaped garden site dating from the first half of the 20th century.

From the entrance to Omišalj, continue toward the picturesque Church of St Helen and the Romanesque parish Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Omišalj offers several hotels and guesthouses, but hikers wishing to camp will need to continue approximately one and a half kilometers north of town toward the coastal area farther along the route.

Today’s route begins at the viewpoint in Dubec Park, the natural jewel of Omišalj, located beside a Romanesque church dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua. From here, continue on a pleasant walk toward the northern tip of the island, following the coastline past villages whose houses are scattered among the coves of Večja, Martinj, and Lučica.

South of the Omišalj campsite, the trail reaches a junction leading toward Rijeka Airport, then climbs through sparse vegetation in the direction of Krk Bridge, which lies close to the barren island of Sveti Marko.

From here, descend toward Voz Cove and the Vošćica Peninsula, where you can still see the foundations of an ancient structure alongside Maltempo Fort, built by the Venetians to monitor maritime traffic through the Tihi Channel. The fort stands on a plateau known as Kapelica, situated between Voz and Peškera coves.

Between Cape Bejavec and the Tihi Channel, you will encounter a lookout tower and the remains of an elongated building with a side entrance. The trail also passes near a field of a medicinal plant known in Russian as “bessmertnik” (“immortelle”). According to local tradition, infusions made from its yellow flowers help prevent kidney stones.

The route then continues along the rocky northeastern coastline of the island beside the Vinodol Channel, eventually leading to Slivanjska Cove, considered the most beautiful sandy beach on the island.

Between the cove and the village of Rudine lies the impressive Biserujka Cave, a stalactite cave open to visitors for a modest entrance fee of approximately 6 euros.

From here, the trail continues mostly through forested terrain until reaching the village of Čižići. The final section of the day includes a visit to the remains of St. Peter’s Church.

In Čižići, you will find several accommodation options, restaurants, and a grocery store for supplies. Those wishing to camp should continue onward to Soline, where a campsite is located.

A seaside promenade connects Čižići with the nearby village of Soline, both situated around the shallow and warm waters of Soline Bay. Between them lies Meline, a beach famous for its black healing mud. On the hill above Soline  - one of the oldest settlements in the Dobrinj region -  stands a Romanesque church dedicated to Saints Philip and James.

From here, the trail climbs through dense forest toward Dobrinj and St Steven’s Parish Church. Both the church and the village are first mentioned in the oldest known Croatian document written in Glagolitic script: the Donation Charter of the nobleman Dragoslav from the year 1100. Near the church rises a prominent Baroque bell tower, as well as the Church of the Holy Trinity beside the old cemetery.

After visiting Dobrinj, continue toward the neighboring village of Sv. Vid Dobrinjski, where you will find a church dedicated to St Vitus. The church is notable for its massive stone bell tower, constructed later opposite the main entrance.

Further along the route, you will encounter the remains of the abandoned village of Dolovo (also known as Dolova), located between Kras and Gostinjac. Continue southeast toward Gradec, a hidden castle deep within the forest, also known as Fort Rovoznik. This fortress once served as the first estate of the noble Frankopan family of Krk.

From the pleasant village of Risika, descend once again toward the coastline. In the middle of the small peninsula at St Marek’s Cove stand the remains of St Mark’s Church. From here, the trail follows the coast and passes through forest until reaching Vrbnik, perhaps the most picturesque settlement on the island, dramatically perched above the sea on a steep cliff.

Vrbnik holds great historical significance as one of the centers of Glagolitic culture. It was here, in the Glagolitic scriptorium of Vrbnik, that most surviving Glagolitic manuscripts were written. Dominating the old town is the Parish Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary with its iconic bell tower. The town also contains several other religious and historical sites worth visiting, including Klančić — reputedly the narrowest alley in the world — the Vitezić Family Library, and the remains of medieval walls, all reminders of the Frankopan family’s legacy in Vrbnik.

The town offers a wide variety of accommodation options, restaurants, and places to stock up on supplies.

Note: today’s route is relatively long and offers few water sources, so make sure to carry sufficient water, especially if hiking in late spring.

Today you will walk through the fields surrounding Vrbnik on the way toward Baška. For more than a century, this region has been renowned for producing particularly fine vineyards and wines. The trail then continues toward the source of the Vela Rika River and the nearby climbing sites of Portafortuna and Belove stene in the Baška area.

Throughout this landscape, you will notice countless dry-stone walls, known in Croatian as “gromača,” stretching upward toward the Moon Plateau — one of the island’s most extraordinary and iconic locations. Famous for its barren, treeless terrain, the plateau resembles a rocky desert or even the surface of the moon.

North of the Moon Plateau lies the Kuntrep Ornithological Reserve, extending from Cape Glavine to Mala Luka Bay. This is considered the oldest bird reserve in the world and serves as an important protected habitat for endangered vultures.

The Moon Plateau is connected to Baška by the aptly named “Path to the Moon.” The first section of the trail passes through forest before reaching the Church of St John the Baptist. From there, continue descending along the Moon Path toward the center of the village, where you will encounter three additional churches: the Parish Church of the Holy Trinity, the Church of St Anthony of Padua, and St Mark’s Chapel, beneath which lie the remains of a monumental early Christian basilica and baptistery.

Because the Glagolitic script is one of the defining cultural symbols of the Baška region, it is highly recommended to visit the “Baška Glagolitic Trail.” This unique route features 34 stone sculptures shaped like Glagolitic letters, placed at distinctive locations throughout Baška, Jurandvor, Batomalj, and Draga Bašćanska.

Baška offers a variety of accommodation options, including campsites, as well as restaurants and places to stock up on supplies.

The trail continues westward toward Batomalj, above which stands not only the largest diocesan pilgrimage site on the island, but also one of the oldest Croatian sacred places.

The next ascent toward the southwestern plateau leads to Lipica, an ancient and impressive dry-stone sheepfold (mrgar) built entirely without mortar. From here, continue along a narrow path bordered by sparse vegetation, leading toward Obzova and Veli vrh. From these high points, you can enjoy sweeping views over the small island of Košljun and the village of Kornic, both important pilgrimage stops along the route.

On the way to Punat, it is worth visiting the Toš Gallery and the Stari Toš Olive Growing Interpretation Centre, located near the Parish Church of the Holy Trinity and two additional churches dedicated to St Rocco, in the main square, and St Nicholas, in the Buka neighborhood.

In the center of the picturesque Puntarska draga Bay lies the tiny island of Košljun, reachable by boat. Hidden within a dense forest of centuries-old oak trees stands a Franciscan monastery and a magnificent Renaissance church dedicated to the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The monastery also contains a museum with rich ethnographic, archaeological, and religious collections, as well as a library housing more than 30,000 books.

The route concludes at Kamplin Square, where your journey in the town of Krk first began. The final pilgrimage stop is the Parish Church of St James the Apostle. From the square, walk once more along the promenade beside the pier to the central bus station, where you can catch a bus back to Zagreb.