Gornji Zagon lies near Novi Vinodolski and is considered a peaceful rural destination. Five historic hamlets, restored houses and estates, and the Chapel of St. Anthony give the destination a distinct cultural character. Road connections to Donji Zagon and Bribir provide practical orientation. Travelers wishing to take local history and the rural surroundings into account when planning their trip can consider Gornji Zagon as a possible place to stay.
Five Hamlets and Their History
Together, the five hamlets of Krasnica, Kal, Trbotinj, ValaÄŤ, and PluĹľnice bear the historic name Gornje Zagonje. The villages were settled in the 17th century and abandoned in the 1970s. According to oral tradition, 18 families founded the five settlements. The collective name refers to the historic group; each hamlet remains identifiable by its own place name. This brings together a chronological account and a locally handed-down founding story.
In 2022, the Zavičajna udruga Plužnice focused on restoring, cleaning, landscaping, and improving the five hamlets. Houses and estates were restored; the development of rural tourism is also a goal. The association’s work is devoted to caring for the hamlets, while rural tourism represents a planned development prospect.
The timeline runs from settlement in the 17th century and abandonment in the 1970s to the construction of the chapel in 2020/2021 and the association’s work in 2022. This makes it possible to consider the settlement’s history and later developments together.
The Chapel and Church of St. Anthony
The Chapel of St. Anthony stands in Plužnica, a hamlet within Gornji Zagon. It was built in 2020/2021 by descendants of the original residents. It was established as a legacy for future generations and is dedicated to the saint revered by the residents’ ancestors. Its foundation by descendants links the more recent building with the religious heritage of earlier generations.
The Church of St. Anthony in Gornji Zagon is considered a historic building. The same saint’s name thus refers to two buildings with different designations: the chapel built in 2020/2021 and the historic church.
Roads and Cycling
The through road in Gornji Zagon was fully paved in 2019. From Bater, the route passes through the historic hamlets of Krasnica, Kal, Trbotinj, Valač, and Plužnica. Regional road ŽC5093 connects Gornji Zagon with Donji Zagon. In the 2025 spatial plan, county road ŽC5219 is listed as a connection between Bribir and Gornji Zagon. The information distinguishes between the route through the hamlets and road connections to the named places. As road conditions can change, check the latest conditions before traveling.
The Rijeka–Bater section of EuroVelo 8 is 55 kilometers long and fully paved. This distance refers to the cycling stage; the road designations refer instead to the connections to Donji Zagon and Bribir. Accommodation in Gornji Zagon is among the overnight options along this section. Check specific availability before your trip.
Discover more destinations: Klenovica, Donji Zagon, Smokvica Krmpotska, Ledenice, Novi Vinodolski, Luka Krmpotska, Bribir, Povile
For the broader travel overview: Općina Novi Vinodolski.
