The old town of Rab is surrounded by ancient city walls and recognised by its four bell towers. This silhouette leads to an island whose cultural heritage can be discovered in different ways: at a medieval festival, among historic sacred buildings and in a virtual museum dedicated to maritime history. Outdoors, forest trails, karst and coastal paths alternate. For planning your trip, you can choose between set event dates and routes of very different lengths.

Festival Traditions and Maritime Heritage

One special event is Rabska Fjera, Croatia’s oldest and largest medieval summer festival. Its tradition began on 21 July 1364; the festival takes place every year from 25 to 27 July. During Rabska Fjera, craft workshops offer insights into traditional production, such as belts and fragrant pomades. Check the event programme for the year of your trip.

JUXTA MARE is a virtual museum about the history and culture of boatbuilding, seafaring and fishing on the island of Rab. It features 13 discovery points along the promenade from Banjol to Barbat. Videos, photographs, texts and augmented reality present the content in different ways. Visitors can scan the QR code on a sign beside each of the 13 points to access JUXTA MARE.

Buildings, too, tell stories of different eras. The Monastery of Saint Euphemia in Kampor was founded in 1444; part of the monastery has been converted into the Ethnographic Museum of the town of Rab. In Supetarska Draga stands the Church of Saint Peter, built in 1059. It is widely regarded as one of the best-preserved Romanesque buildings on the Adriatic coast. Its Gothic bell tower is considered one of the oldest on the Croatian Adriatic coast.

Forests, Landscapes and Trails

Kamenjak reaches a summit elevation of 408 metres and is the island of Rab’s highest and largest limestone mountain massif. It protects the island from cold northerly influences. In Komrčar Park, numerous trails wind over wooded hills down to the beaches of Rab. The island therefore offers landscapes ranging from ridges and forests to the coast.

Rab Archeological (T)races connects 34 information points via educational trails with a total length of about 40 kilometres. The trails run through Kampor, Lopar and Supetarska Draga and also include protected landscape areas. The accompanying app works offline and is intended for walkers, cyclists, hikers and anyone interested in nature and cultural heritage.

The forests of the Kalifront Peninsula are suitable for relaxed walks; the hilly areas and trails are not demanding and are therefore also suitable for older visitors. Conditions may vary. Depending on the route chosen, the Rab-Maman Trail is about 14 kilometres long. Much of it follows wide paths and coastal trails that are also suitable for cyclists.

Other routes offer different highlights: the 12-kilometre trekking route from Mišnjak to Lopar is described as suitable for Škraping, or walking over rocky terrain. The Premuziceva-1 geological trail is 8 kilometres long and crosses the island’s main ridge and the hidden Fruga Valley. There are no rest areas or drinking water along the way; check trail conditions locally. The Rab MTB 1 mountain bike route leads to Dundo Forest, follows the southern Premužić Trail and continues to the Kalifront Peninsula. Check current trail conditions here, too.

Island Flavours and Getting There

The Rab cake has been part of the island’s culinary tradition for more than 800 years. The ferry connection from Stinica to Mišnjak on Rab’s southern side is described as operating year-round; the crossing takes 15 minutes. A passenger-only catamaran service from Rijeka to the port of the town of Rab is also listed as operating year-round. One daily departure is specified, with a journey time of one hour and 45 minutes. Check the timetables before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Rab, Osijek-Baranja County, Molat, Zadar County, Bjelovar-Bilogora, Hvar, Virovitica-Podravina, Šibenik-Knin County.

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