For those arriving on Krk by land, this is the first town on the island; its position and the recent construction of the bridge have greatly favoured its touristic and industrial development. The splendid bay, the picturesque village, the green countryside and mild climate, maintaining itself between 10° during the winter and 25° during the summer, make Omisalj a prime tourist destination.
Omisalj is a town rich in history: the municipal territory too has been inhabited since ancient times: the Romans founded a large town. Fulfmum. on the peninsula of Ert. that was destroyed, probably in the fifth century. Omisalj arose around a castle: it was one of the first localities to be conquered by the Croats, who settled there and introduced their language, customs and traditions.
The territory further underwent a second migratory wave. when around the mid-fifteenth century Prince Ivan VII of Frangipane wanted to repopulate uninhabited areas: many villages were founded by these Croatian and Moriaccan immigrants. Today, the most important village in the municipal territory is Njivice. founded on the coast by the Venetians. Omisalj was of great strategic importance and during the fifteenth century its was fortified: of the wall the Tower still stands, that was used as a school, and later housed public offices. There are many churches, some of ancient origin, others more recent but no less fascinating. Outside the town walls, the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Nicholas has a special meaning for the Croats: the brothers, in fact. obtained from the Pope. in the Xlll° century, permission to use the local language during religious rites and this concession was a very important
recognition of the Croat language. The parish church, also called the Cathedral, is a treasure-chest of works of art: in its interior can be admired a splendid thirteenth or fourteenth-century altarpiece and a triptych by Jacobello del Fiore (XV° century).
Connected with the Assumption, to which the parish church is dedicated, is the picturesque feast of "Stomorina". held on 16 August: during the festivity very ancient songs, dances and gests of great folkloristic importance are repeated.

This village, founded on the sea by the Venetians, has undergone an enormous development duhng the past century due to the great interest the locality has for tourism.
Njivice was probably inhabited by man since ancient times, and it is cited in a 1474 document: a village composed of a few fishermen's, shepherds' and farmers' dwellings, reunited around a small church dedicated to Saint Mary of the Nativity.
Once a chapel of the Frangipanes, Njivice became famous in the society news because it was visited by the heir to the throne, the Archduke Rudolf of Hapsburg.
This visit took place at the end of the nineteenth century: the first tourists arrived immediately afterwards, all aristocrats or rich subjects of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.
The very green countryside is characterized by the presence of the lake of Jezero, a drink-water reservoir for Njivice and Malinska: the beaches are beautiful and very long, the sea very clean, the air salubrious and beneficial.

 

 

A group of villages and farmhouse spread throughout a vast territory to the north-west of the island: this is Malinska, that each year is full of tourists and visitors attracted by the wonderful sea, the pleasant climate and the healthy air, which caused this locality to be given the nomination of Bathing Station at the end of the eighteenth century and early nineteenth century.
The most ancient villages known here were the two tiny villages of Gomilac and Miholjce, that for a long time were the only villages in this area once dominated by nearby Krk and the castle of Omisalj. Around the mid-fifteenth century. Ivan VII Frangipane, Count of Krk. had this uninhabited area settled by peasants from Romania and the eastern region of the
Balkans: thus new settlements were brought about, that developed and attracted more esidents. In this way the area became an autonomous Commune and remained as such even during the rule of the Serenissima. The population preserved the ancient ciakava dialect as well as numerous traditions that gave rise to typical events such as the "Sensa", the shepherds' race on 23 July, the Koleda songs at Christmas time. and other events, held during the summer months.
Of great interest is the church of Santa Maria Maddalena in Porat, opposite Malinska: founded by the Frangipanes, it was given by them to the brothers of the Third glagolitico Order. In the church one can admire the polyptych on the major altar, by Girolamo da Santacroce (1555): a Museum of Sacred Art, Folklore and Ethnography is located in the convent.

 

A very ancient village, Krk was described in an inscription on a fourth-century tombstone as "splendidissima Civitas Curictarum", the magnificent town of the Curicti: an Illyrian population alleged to have founded a fortified settlement here. that later developed as a fortified town. This centre is said to have come into contact with the Greeks, and to have then awakened the expansionist ambitions of the Romans, who conquered it and made it the rich main town of the beautiful island of Curicta.
After being converted to Christianity, the town of Curicta was a bishopric and had a Basilica, probably built on the foundations of an Illyrian temple subsequently re-consecrated by the Romans. Between the Vl° and VII" centuries the Croats arrived, penetrating initially only into the surrounding territory and only much later entering the town: Krk maintained a situation of effective bilingualism within the town walls; eveni today the presence of a consistent group of inhabitants of Italian origin keeps the "Veneto" dialect alive. Currently, the following are part of the municipality of Krk: Vrh, of ancient foundation, a few groups of buil dings in the western area erected during the times of the
arrival of Christian refugees from Bosnia, drawn here by tie Ottoman Empire's expansion, Kornic and some villa ges to the north-east, above Punat, today an autonomous
municipality. In the bay of Punat is the little island of Kosljun. where a Franciscan convent is to be found.
Island of Plavnik is also a part of the territory of Krk, 11 is deserted but hunters go there. Krk is the political, economic and cultural centre of the island: it is a very
interesting town for tourists, who can count on a vast assortment of lodging possibilities at hotels or camping sites; there are also many restaurants serving traditional
fish or lamb dishes. Services and places for entertainment or sports are also well-assorted. There are very many events, exhibitions, concerts and traditional feasts,
which animate the town especially during the summer months. Krk has a historic-artistic patrimony of incom mensurable value and is ideally connected with the nearby centres: moreover, tours are organized for tourists to Kosljun and the main island centres..

 

Not far from Krk is Punat, the most recent of the island's municipalities because it only became autonomousjust over a hundred years ago: this municipality consists of the homonymous main town and the village of Stara Baska. Traces of man's presence here date back to prehistoric times: to the first inhabitants were added the Illyrians, who founded a fortified settlement. Later the Greeks came. and finally the Romans, who called the village "Pons(Pontis)": from this term, with the Croat pronunciation, come the present name Punat. The first documents testifying to the existence of Punat date bak to the Xlll° century; other, fifteenth-century, documents mention the village of Kanajt ("Cannetum"?). that arose on the northern side of the bay and had a chapel dedicated to Saint Peter, while it
is known that a chapel dedicated to Saint Dionysus was to be found in the locality Poduniza. There are numerous old churches and chapels spread throughout, the territory: it seems, however, that the most ancient settlement arose at some distance from the sea. on the hill called Glavicica. For centuries the main activities of Punat's inhabitants were agricultural, wood-cutting and pasturage: subsequently, navigation was added to these activities and, at the end of the XIX° century the shipbuilding docks were constructed, today still specialized in wooden boats; moreover, in the early twentieth century a Society for Steamboat Navigation was constituted. After the Second World War industry developed
and during the sixties the largest yacht Marina on the entire eastern Adriatic coast was opened at Punat.

 

To the south-east of the island of Krk. Baska is a pretty town much liked by tourists because of its beautiful sand beaches, the longest of the Adriatic, that descend gradually into the sea. Baska lies in an ample and deep inlet: opposite it are the islands of Prvic and Zecevo; behind Baska the countryside, the homonymous valley crossed by the river Vela Rika. is dominated by Mount Treskavac. the peak of which. Obzova. is the highest on the island. The municipality of Baska includes the villages of Bascanska Draga. Batomalj and Jurandvor. The valley has been inhabited since ancient times. The coasts and countryside were colonized by the Croats; the latter were converted to Christianity thanks also to the presence of the Benedictines, who founded an Abbey at Jurandvor. Inside the church, dedicated to Saint Lucia, the "Baska Tombstone" was discovered. It dates back to the Xl° century and is the first written testimony concerning the Croatian language. On the ancient belfry of the church of St. Lucia the "chessboard" is engraved, the oldest known reproduction of Croatia's coat of arms. The Benedictines stayed in the Abbey of Jurandvor until the fifteenth century, during that period the main town on the hill of Bag, was attacked and destroyed by the Venetians. The survivors moved to the bay. and founded Baska Nova there.
Today, visitors arriving at Baska by car or by ferry can choose among many hotels, historic or very recently designed, or else decide to rent a room from a private person or make use of one of the car-camping sites.
Among the many events that each year make a stay here so pleasant for tourists, we would recall the characteristic "Fishermen's Days".

 

Vrbnk is a large borough on the eastern coast of the island: it is in a marvellous panoramic position on the top of a steep rock above the sea. The historic centre, that grew during the Middle Ages around an ancient castle, is 50 metres above sea level and, with its beautiful churches, austere buildings and old houses leaning on each other, on narrow and well-protected passages, it is extremely picturesque. Man was present here in prehistoric times: the first Illyrian settlements had contact with Greek populations, and were later conquered by the Romans. Conquered by the Slavs in the course of the first colonization of the island, around the VI/VII0 century AD, Vrbnk became a fortified village and acquired some importance. The first Croatian colonizers were followed in the course of centuries by people from other parts of the island and the nearby mainland. The village still has its fortified-village aspect, with still visible walls complete with towers and two gates; as in the past the inhabitants of vrbnk are still farmers and produce in particular the famous "zlahtina" white wine.
Many of the numerous churches and chapels in the territory are still visible: we would recall the parish church with its splendid Gothic chapel of the Rosary and the fourteenth-century chapel dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. Patron of Vrbnk. The parish
church also contains a real treasure consisting in antique manuscripts and Glagolitic documents. Also interesting is the documentation in the splendid Vitezic library, donated to Vrbnk by the local illustrious lawyer, historian and publicist, Dinko Vitezic.

 

 

This village is in a vast territory extending for about 555 square km., dotted with villages and farmhouses: it is on the north-eastern part of the island, in front of the village of Crikvenica. on the mainland, with which it was connected during the fifties thanks to a ferry service. Dobrinj is a pretty town. that grew from a small borough around a castle of the Frangipane counts.
Archaeological finds confirm, however, that the first settlements in the area were prehistoric, and linked to the arrival of Illyrian populations of Liburnica extraction, followed later by the Greeks. The area was colonized by the Romans; the Croats arrived in
the late sixth and early seventh centuries, and settled in the area, gradually assimilating with the pre-existent population and converting to Christianity. Towards the mid-fifteenth century many Moriaccan families arrived and settled here. There are very many villas and holiday homes in the municipal territory: the wonderful sea and very green countryside make
this area a real paradise. For tourists, a marina for pleasure boats has been built at Klimno. and various bays and inlets allow for a peaceful stop and a nice swim. Guests can find in the countryside many interesting places to visit: a lot of the villages still
have their ancient and typical rustic buildings: there are many churches too with works of art worth a visit, such as the Art Gallery now housed in the church of Saint Anne or the precious fourteenth-century painting by Paolo Veneziano, in the church of Saint Stephen. In the area. one can also visit the Biserujka. a prehistoric grotto. Among the many traditionally recurrent fairs and feasts the Stipanja, or feast of Saint Stephen, is well-known, that takes place at the beginning of August.

 

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