Fužine, Croatia: Things to Do, Where to Eat & Where to Stay

Fužine in Croatia is a small mountain village known for Lake Bajer, Vrelo Cave, water sports, and countryside walks. It is an ideal place for a quiet short break, especially if you enjoy hiking and local food.

The village is rural and surrounded by countryside with some beautiful country lanes to explore. The village’s rural character shows in its restaurants, most of which offer game options on their menus.

Things To Do In Fužine

One of Fužine’s major attractions is the beautiful nearby countryside. You can explore lakes and hike in the mountains. It’s an ideal village for unplugging and slowing down.

Circular Walk or Cycle Around Lake Bajer

A circular walk around Lake Bajer is pleasant, and views across the lake are fantastic. Forest mostly surrounds the lake and is a haven for wildlife. The lake is man-made and was built in the 50s; as a result, it has had time to become a wildlife habitat.

A few bars are along the route, ideal for rest stops or hydration. The route is mostly flat with footpaths; however, towards the road bridge on the west bank, it gets a bit hilly. You can access Lake Lepenica from this part of the trail.

At the north end of Lake Bajer, it gets wilder, with reeds and wildflowers. A small river also makes for good paddling on a hot day.

Watch The Sunset With Lakes & Mountains in the Foreground

The hills to the east of Lake Bajer are a good spot to see the sunset. The road bridge across the lake lights up nicely.

Luckily for us, our apartment had this view, so we could watch it every evening.

Visit Špilja vrelo – Caves

Špilja Vrelo is an interesting attraction to visit while on a walk in the area. The caves are about an hour’s walk from the town and are well worth visiting. They do a tour every hour during the day, and as a bonus, they allow dogs.

Špilja Vrelo caves are accessible via wide walkways, making them suitable for most people. The accessible part is 300 meters long, but there is a lot to see, including stalactites and stalagmites. The tour guide gives tours in Croatian, English, and German, leaving time to take in the rock formations and underground rivers.

The caves, like the nearby Roswell Cowboy Village, were used as a film set. The caves are a nice place to cool down on a summer day; however, in winter they do the opposite and are warmer than outside.

Water Sports & Fishing

The lake offers water sports options, including swimming and SUP. You can also enjoy a relaxing fishing trip from the lake’s banks. For fishing, you need to find out about rules and visitor licences, which you can organise before visiting.

For swimming in the lake, you must use only the designated beaches or swimming areas. For kayaking, SUP, and windsurfing, people seemed to bring their own gear and head off.

Birdwatching

The nearby countryside, including areas near the lake, is perfect for birdwatching. The woodlands nearby are mixed beech forests. There are various types of birds to see, including jays, orioles, crests and goshawks, to name a few. Information boards at the lakes provide details on local birdlife.

Ride The “Fuzine Express” Tourist Train

If you are short on time or unable to walk long distances, the tourist train is a way to see the lakes and sights. These depart from the town centre and do a circular route. You can find out about the route and times on their website.

Crkva sv. Antun Padovanski

Visit Crkva sv. Antun Padovanski, the local church in Fužine. They have a few nice paintings, including The Last Supper above the altar. The church spire is visible from the lake and dominates the village’s skyline.

Where to Eat in Fužine

The village has a few restaurant options, all serving hearty Croatian cuisine. You’ll also find a few cafe-bars where you can enjoy a beer or coffee, including some by the lake.

Arnika a Restaurant near The Railway Station

Arnika is a restaurant near the train station, so it’s handy if you’re waiting to travel. It is also a pleasant place to walk through the nearby country lanes, or for a beer or a meal. Arnika has outdoor seating in their garden, which reminded me a bit of beer gardens back home in the UK.

They also have interesting decor and a children’s play area. As a bonus, they are pet-friendly and are popular with dog walkers.

They serve a selection of Croatian beers and wines, and also do coffee. Their food menu has daily specials which are put on the food board at the entrance. This is tricky to translate, but the servers are happy to translate. We dined out here twice; on the first occasion, I enjoyed their venison goulash with dumplings. This was tasty and filling; I followed that with apple strudel.

On my second visit, I enjoyed their roast pork for Sunday lunch with roast potatoes, gravy, and salad. Since we were eating out early, they had some of their popular mixed-berry strudel left. This was absolutely fabulous.

Beach bar Čoka

On the banks of Lake Bajer is Beach Bar Čoka. Beach Bar Čoka is a handy spot for a drink when walking around the lake. They serve coffee, soft drinks and Croatian beers on their terrace.

They also host events at Beach Bar Čoka, including SUP competitions, which I had the chance to watch from its terrace.

Hotel Bitoraj

In the centre of town is Hotel Bitoraj, which is a nice place to visit for a drink on its terrace. Hotel Bitoraj is also a restaurant with an interesting menu. Their food menu includes local trout and game, including bear when in season.

Where to Stay in Fužine

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When looking into visiting Fuzine, there were pet-friendly accommodation options on Booking.com. These were mostly holiday rentals or self-contained apartments. We chose Apartmani Belvedere because it met our requirements and was the cheapest option that fit the bill.

Apartmani Belvedere

We needed cheap accommodation with plenty of space on our visit to Fuzine, and Apartmani Belvedere fit the bill. They are pet-friendly and near the centre of the village, with stunning lake views.

Good views usually mean steep climbs. The apartment was on a main road, uphill all the way from the village and the train station. Luckily, the host arranged lifts for us on arrival and departure.

The apartment had a bedroom, lounge and fully equipped kitchen, meaning we could spread out and get things done using the free Wi-Fi. They also had outdoor seating for barbecues.

As a bonus, the landlady let us use the washing machine in the basement, which was handy; the nearest laundrette was in Rijeka.

Shops

For the full Croatian village life experience, Fužine certainly fits the bill. The village has no mainstream retail stores. First, a general store supplies essentials, including meat, staples, and beer. It doesn’t have many options, but it keeps things simple.

Near the general store is a deli and butcher’s, which is rarely open, and a greengrocer’s shop. The greengrocer stocked mainly local produce, which is ideal for using authentic local ingredients while self-catering. We have enjoyed some local fruits, including peaches, damsons and blackcurrants.

How to Get to Fužine from Rijeka and Other Parts of Croatia

We first spotted the village and lake while on the rail replacement bus service between Ogulin and Rijeka. The coach drove through the village, so I bookmarked it on Google Maps for reference, as it looked like our sort of destination.

Anyway, we arrived again by rail, which was also a bus from Rijeka to Fužine. The journey took only an hour, and they dropped us in the village. Other bus options exist; however, they typically do not allow dogs on board.

Is Fužine in Croatia dog-friendly?

It is a dog-friendly town to visit in Croatia, including restaurants and café-bars. They all have bowls of water, and they have made Henry welcome in each one. Dog walking was fun in Fužine too, especially when you get off the main road, which is a bit hairy at times.

Is Fužine in Croatia Worth Visiting?

Fužine in Croatia is a lovely, laid-back village and a great place to disconnect and enjoy the mountains and countryside. The lake and hikes nearby are beautiful. The town also has countryside restaurants where you can enjoy meals.