Cres Island Holiday in Croatia – Beaches & Things to Do

Cres is one of many islands in Croatia and is a nice place for a self-catering holiday. It has all the ingredients for a wonderful and relaxing time. Cres offers beautiful scenery, seafood restaurants, and beaches, allowing visitors to enjoy the sea.

The local food, beer and wines certainly add to the experience of holidaying in Cres. A highlight for me was strolling along the coast and taking the occasional paddle in the water at the beach.

Getting to Cres Island in Croatia

The best way to get to Cres is to take the Jadrolinija ferry from Rijeka, which runs daily. The ferry trip takes just over an hour.

To get to Rijeka, you can arrive at the city’s airport or by train from elsewhere, including Zagreb and Ljubljana. You can also drive to the island; however, this requires you to take a different ferry with the car.

Visit Cres Town & Island in Croatia

Cres town is small; however, it’s lovely to explore on foot. There are also many local walking paths, including coastal paths. The town has many restaurants serving fresh fish, caught daily in the Adriatic Sea. Many of these restaurants are dog-friendly, and more often than not, people are out with their pets.

A short walk along the coast from the town are some beaches, ideal for some relaxation on your holiday. Cres town lives up to its marketing mantra: ‘No Stress in Cres’.

Things to Do on Cres Island in Croatia

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There are many things to do while on a holiday on the island. This includes many seaside activities, such as hiking, sightseeing, or boat trips.

Relax on Various Beaches

Most of the town’s beaches are on the north side of the bay. These are pretty small and made of shale. They are great for sitting around or going for a swim. The area has some places for refreshments, including street food and bars. The water is clear and ideal for swimming; however, don’t expect sandy beaches.

Another nice beach to spend time on in Cres is Plaža Nova. It’s a beach ideal for paddling, with coarse sand. They also have a beachside shower to rinse off afterwards.

Visit Cres Tower

A distinctive sight on the town’s skyline is Cres Tower, a 16th-century fortification which they built at the highest point of the city walls. There were originally five towers to defend the town. However, this is the last one standing. You can visit the inside and climb to the top. The inside also has some historical information, including old maps.

City Gates

Another remnant of Cres’s medieval fortifications is the city gate. Both are standalone gates these days, as the fortifications are long gone. They are both on a tree-lined promenade with decorative features and sometimes art on display. They built Porta Bragadina in 1581 and Porta Marcella in 1588.

The most prominent gate is now part of the town’s clock tower. This one is in the town’s heart and overlooks the harbour. There is a small market near the entrance selling local produce.

The old town between the gates is perfect to explore with lots of narrow streets. Mostly made up of residential buildings, it is an area where most visitors end up staying. It’s a good area to peruse, and as a bonus, the shade is welcome on a hot day.

Water Sports

There are many opportunities to take part in water sports in the area, and you can easily find these walking along the seafront and beaches.

You can take part in sea kayaking, SUP or sailing. The sea is calm most of the time, especially when the sun is out, making it a perfect place for beginners.

Hiking & Walking

There are many places to hike or walk on Cres Island in Croatia. You have trails for both inland and coastal walking. Route suggestions can be found on the Komoot website, including some circular routes. The island has some varied terrain, from rocky coastal paths to some steep hills through olive groves.

I found hiking on the island to be hard on my trainers and recommend boots with good soles. For an easier stroll, heading north along the coast towards the lighthouse is pretty flat, easy underfoot and has refreshment stops on the way.

Visit Cres Museum

If you want to learn more about Cres’s history, you might want to visit the town’s museum. They are in a decorative building on a narrow side street near the harbour. Outside the museum is a statue and a small town square.

The museum is small and features a variety of exhibits, including an archaeological collection from the island. You can also learn about coin and postcard exhibits, and there is an ethnographic section. This is fascinating and covers historic methods of fishing and agriculture used on the island. You can find out about opening times and prices on their website.

Local Churches

You can find some fascinating churches in the town and beyond as you explore the island. This includes a variety in Cres Town.

The monastery and church of St Francis are just outside the town centre. You can visit inside and have a mooch around. The cloisters beside the main church and tower were a highlight.

Out the front of the church is a decorative egg, which seems a popular sight. The church dates to the 13th century, and the bell tower was built in the 17th century.

They also have a museum about the monastery at the site. Monks use one dormitory, but apparently travellers can stay in the other.

Other churches in the town centre include the Church of St Isidore, the Labourer, and Crkva sv. Marija. They periodically open these so you could pop in for a look. However, they always make exploring the old town’s side streets fun.

Taxi Boat Helena

An option to see Cres from the sea and explore nearby villages on the island is to take a trip on the taxi boat Helena. This includes trips to Valun, a popular village in a picturesque bay. There are other options for boat trips from the harbour; many of these advertise on billboards.

Visit Cres Arch

On the harbourside in Cres is the Visit Cres Arch, a perfect spot for photos of the colourful town. This has a bench and is all decorated up to get that perfect travel photo. It can get busy, but it’s mostly a chilled-out place away from the main action in the town.

Enjoy Bars & Restaurants

There are many bars and restaurants in Cres, many of which serve seafood and the local speciality, Cres lamb. It also has many bars and cafes for a drink and to watch the world go by. We enjoyed drinking and eating at many of the town’s establishments, most of which are dog-friendly.

Okusi For Wine & Cheese

If you like local food and wines when on holiday, then head to the Okusi shop. They stock a range of local foods, including cheeses and cured meats. Okusi also stocks locally produced olive oil, which is ideal for cooking or dressing salads during a self-catering holiday.

Okusi has a range of wines produced on the island and, from my observations, was the best-value wine locally and much cheaper than at supermarkets. The owner is a friendly lady who knows her food and drink.

Ribarnica Trljica

When near the coast, I find the local fish market an excellent place to visit. Fresh seafood is ideal for barbecues or for cooking in self-catering holiday homes. The local fish market, Ribarnica Trljica, is rather small compared to markets in larger places. I enjoyed fresh prawns, squid and sardines from the fish market while visiting. The seafood was freshly caught, and the market was centrally located and reasonably priced. They are open daily, only in the mornings. Directions…

Voćarna KIVI

Voćarna KIVI is primarily a greengrocer’s shop on the waterfront. They sell fruit, vegetables, and other food items. This includes some local olive oil, preserves, and honey.

Piazza Bakery

The local bakery is usually a cheap option for a snack, brunch or lunch. Piazza Bakery on the island was no different and had some great food. First, the fresh bread daily was a real treat, and they had a wonderful variety to choose from.

They also had savoury pastries, which are ideal for hiking or a meal on the beach. Finally, their cakes are delicious, including some traditional Croatian desserts.

As a bonus, many bars and cafes that don’t serve food allow you to eat baked goods with a beer or coffee.

Explore The Side Streets

Cres Town in Croatia has loads of pretty side streets to wander in. These have some pleasant buildings and colourful flowers, and it’s a great way to get some shade. I also found a few shops and places for drinks while off the main routes in the town.

Holiday Accommodation in Cres Island

Cres offers holiday accommodation options, including hotels and apartments. There were many choices for places to stay on Booking.com. We opted to stay in an apartment in the town centre. We chose Apartment Mato.

Apartment Mato was in the cute, narrow streets and had great facilities. It was perfect for a self-catering holiday on the island in Croatia

Along the coast, just out of town, is a campsite near the beaches. The campsite had both campervans and tents.

Is Cres Island Worth Visiting?

We found Cres in Croatia to be a fantastic place for a self-catering holiday. First, there were plenty of self-catering apartments available, with a variety of kitchen sizes. Second, the town has a variety of supermarkets to purchase staples. Local food producers enhance meals when you are cooking for yourself. Overall, Cres is a pleasant place to spend time on any type of seaside holiday.