There comes a time every year when the island of Cres blossoms, making you feel like you found yourself in a living postcard. And we don’t mean just visually; it is more like witnessing an aftermath of a quiet explosion – the air starts smelling of sage and immortelle, the sun warms you just enough, and it feels like it would be a shame to spend the day just sitting around.

If your idea of a great holiday isn’t lying on a beach for seven hours (or at least not every day 😊), Cres in spring offers something truly special: an active getaway that recharges your batteries in a way no wellness retreat ever could.

You might have one of those moments when you realise you only set out for a ‘short stroll’… and three hours later you find yourself somewhere above the sea, with the breeze in your hair and wondering: how did we end up here? The answer is simple – the trails.

And not just any trails. Here, each one leads you just a little further than you planned. You set out for the view, press on for the tranquillity, and stay because you simply don’t want to leave.

‘Just one more bend!’

On the island of Cres, you don’t have to be a ‘hardcore’ hiker to enjoy yourself. All you need are trainers and a bit of good will.

Near the Kovačine Camp, there is an entire network of trails that wind through unspoilt nature, leap over dry-stone walls, briefly lead you down olive groves, only to lift you up again high above a sea of the deepest blue. And just when you think, ‘OK, now we’re heading back’ – another bend appears, looking like it leads to something even better. And of course, you have to go check it out.

Whether you’re more of an ‘easy stroll with a view’ type of person or a ‘let’s conquer these hills’ type of person, here you will find a trail to suit your taste. Cyclists, trekkers, hikers – everyone will find something for themselves.

And the best part? Most of the time, you won’t see a soul. Except perhaps for some sheep giving you the side-eye.

Tramuntana Forest, northern part of the island of Cres

Bonus level: scents that work better than coffee

If you’ve never walked through fields of sage and immortelle before, be prepared to want to stop every now and then to breathe deeply, as if you were at a wellness workshop.

It’s not just a walk, it’s a proper aromatherapy session – but natural, and outdoors. And, get this, there’s a real possibility you’ll completely forget to check your phone because you’ll be too busy simply breathing.

And if you do bring your phone (we know you will), then just make sure you have enough storage on it. Here, even ‘ordinary’ trails look like they’re straight off a magazine cover.

Cycling through Cres – an adventure on two wheels

If you enjoy faster rides, Cres is streaked with inviting cycling routes – offering everything from easy rides along the coast to more challenging terrain for the more experienced.

Cycling is more than a sport – it’s the perfect way to experience the island from a different perspective, so much so that you will wonder who arranged it all to look so good. The terrain isn’t flat and the routes aren’t always easy, but they’re just challenging enough to make you feel a sense of accomplishment (as well as to feel like you’ve rightfully earned that hearty dinner which, by the way, always tastes better after a bike ride – it’s science 😉).

Hiking and cycling trails, island of Cres

Top 3 trekking & MTB routes you will never forget

If you don’t know where to start (and here you are really spoilt for choice), below are three tried-and-tested options for every mood (and note that all of them start from the Kovačine Camp):

1. Cres – Lubenice (for that ‘wow’ effect)

This is the trail that will have you stopping more times than you planned – not because you’re tired, but because you want one more photo. The trail leads to the village of Lubenice, perched high above the sea and overlooking one of the most beautiful beaches on the island.

• Difficulty: moderate
• Perfect for: hikers and those who love being rewarded with a spectacular view
• Bonus: the feeling of having discovered something special

St. Ivan Beach, Lubenice, island of Cres

2. Valun – Cres (a gentle and fragrant walk)

This trail is perfect for days when you want to be active (but without breaking a sweat or too much planning). The trail connects the charming village of Valun with the town of Cres, and winds through olive groves, along the sea and amid the scents of the Mediterranean.

• Difficulty: easy
• Perfect for: walks, light trekking, and even a family day out
• Bonus: you can stop for a swim

Valun, a small fishing village on the island of Cres

3. Cres – Predošćica

The trail to Predošćica takes you to one of those parts of the island where nature takes centre stage.

Along the way, you will find stone and gravel under your feet and open vistas before your eyes, and as you go on there will be fewer signs of civilisation and more of that feeling of being truly ‘out there’, far from any kind of stress.

Ovdje negdje prolazi i 45. paralela, tiha granica između sjevera i juga, pa kako idete dalje, krajolik se mijenja pred očima – od surovijeg kamena prema zelenilu i maslinicima, koji oko Cresa slažu onaj prepoznatljiv, ljudskom rukom oblikovan pejzaž.

All around you are open pastures and ancient traces of life, places where sheep grazed a long time ago, giving the entire trail a quiet, forgotten rhythm where time seems to move more slowly.

And the best part? The view opens up towards the island of Krk, and it is the kind of view that makes you automatically slow down, whether you’re walking or cycling.

• Difficulty: moderate
• Bonus: sprawling view of Krk and complete serenity

Predošćica, island of Cres

The cherry on top: Kovačine Camp

After getting lost in the best possible way, you come back a little dusty, a bit tired, and very pleased with yourself.

And that’s the moment you realise just how much it means to have a base that you can always come back to. Kovačine Camp is precisely that – it has everything you need when you return from a day you’ve really made the most of.

The sea is just a few steps away, there’s a perfect spot in the shade waiting for you, and there’s a good chance that the dinner afterwards will be the best meal you’ve ever had – even if it’s just a simple pot of pasta.

You sit down, stretch your legs, and think about all the places you’ve visited. On the beach, watching a golden sunset from beneath an olive tree and dipping your feet in the sea with a glass of local wine in hand, you deserved to raise a toast to yourself – you’ve done a lot of good for yourself today.

Because at the Kovačine Camp, you somehow always become the best version of yourself.
And, let’s be real, you are thinking of doing it again tomorrow.

Campsite Kovačine, island of Cres