Vrbnik Impression

On the Adriatic sea Vrbnik writes its story. Vrbnik on the island Krk is located directly opposite the Novi Vinodolski. Island Krk is arid on one side, the other side beautiful green with pine forests and ideal conditions for growing vines.That is why Vrbnik is known for its winery.

Krk island

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It will also attract people interested in languages.It was in Vrbnik that the local Slavic language was still recorded in the Glagolitic alphabet until the 12th century, and until the 19th century Dalmatian language was spoken here - a language that was a remnant of Romance influence and was similar to Italian.

It was during the evening walk around Novi Vinodolski when we were browsing our itinerary that raised one day we wanted to use for a trip. The island of Krk was looking at us wherever we were in the city. There were a lot of posters with izlet brodom mark around the city¹. So we headed to the trips seller with trips. We checked cjenik² and agreed to this idea. Trip seller gave us all instructions.

Our ship

The next day after lunch at the pier a small fairytale ship was waiting for us.After a while, a group of about 30 sprying tourists. After the experience from Plitvice, where the seller somehow forgot to tell us that the whole trip will be guided in German, it was not a great feeling not to understand anything again. So we got on our ship with a slight depression.

On board there were a typical holiday musicand beautiful weather. Captain´s statement 'Imamo rakiju' lifted everyone's mood slightly. In front of us there was a beautiful view of the surroundings.After about an hour our boat docked in a tiny port in Vrbnik. The city is located on a hill, so we have seen it from afar. We jumped out of the boat and boarded the tourist train, which brought us to the center.

Vrbnik

Vrnik - Belfry is a dominant of the town

The city center is located on the very top.The road there resembles small Slovak towns. It has a similar architecture and until you come to the center you don´t feel you are on holiday abroad. The train unloaded us at the center. Here, thankfully, our group was divided into Germans and the rest. We applauded from joy when the grim Ivan (in this part of the country we met so many Ivans that I felt that the Croatian calendar consists of one name) said "hrvatski jezik ovdje"³ and waived his hand. 

Around Ivan a small group of people was created. Ivan was „malo čudni dečko“⁴who, as a guide, refused to speak English. So he was rather strange because his group was composed of foreigners speaking other than German. It is really not good when English speaking tourists have to interpret another tourist because of the reluctance of the guide.

St. Antun church

Ivan generally had a problem with everything, which was reflected in his expression. Finally, no one knows how, he overwhelmed and set in motion. Road to the landmark of the city, which is St. Mary church⁵whose bell tower can be seen from afar, stretches along Kapelica⁶ sv. Martina and Kapelica sv.Ivanawhich are inscribed in Glagolitic..

Vrbnik - chapel with Glagolitic inscription

You will then get lost in a number of small narrow streets typical of the Mediterranean. The church we were planning to go to was eventually closed because of a wedding. So we were not very satisfied. There are many churches in Vrbnik eg. Crkva sv.Antuna and Crkva sv. Marije male.We looked at these churches. Museum Baćin dvor and Town museum were closed because we came already after the opening hours. Ivan still took us through the narrow street on the world Klančić⁷.

I think there are still a lot of such narrowest streets in the world, and each one is the narrowest. It was wide for one slim person to go through. Around the city are the city walls, behind which you will find small gardens separated by

stone walls. This is where gardening is a pleasure, no matter how long you are in it. Each has a view of the sea and surroundings.

The narrowest street in the world Klančić

We finished the tour of the town in konoba⁸ on at a local wine tasting. Vrbnik is known by them. After the tasting, we had free time⁹. We used it to buy souvenirs and to walk around the quiet center. In the evening we found a restaurant where we had dinner - jagneće meso sa šurljicama¹⁰ and local singer sang to the rhythm of pleasant evening. The lamb is a local specialty. I recommend tasting it. After dinner we were happy from the whole day waiting for our tourist train.

The train did not arrive and we did not see any German tourist around. "Nešto je loše"¹¹ we thought. So in panic we went to find the marina and the port. Along the way we met some tourists and asked them, "Oprostite. znate li gdje se nalazi luka?"¹². From their faces, we thought they would be other members of a German nation. We got the answer after half an hour of wandering and looking for someone who knows where the port is, from older lady, when we were just a short distance from port. All lucky that we didn't get lost, we ran to our boat. On board German tourists awaited us with “Braavvvoooo djevojke”¹³ and big applause. They were more happy than us we are alive and healthy. God knows what else would we experience if we missed the ship.

View from restaurant

It's a very quiet place,but not boring. You can swim on the beaches of Zgribnica and Potovošće.The organizer could plan the trip for another part of the day, because all the museums were closed early in the evening when we arrived. Taking these aspects into consideration, the price of the trip was high. We just paid for shipping by boat, which would cost less by Jadrolinia ships. Admission to churches was free of charge, as well as tasting.

Grape vine is a typical motive for whole island

I think this was an example of how to earn for minimal effort. Sadly, this habit also came to Croatia, and the reason why this country is preferred by tourists is slowly disappearing from there, because money is getting above all else. Maybe it is enough for those tourists who are not interested in getting to know and their holiday means only sweet doing nothing. Those who want to experience and know something more would be as disappointed as I am.

I hope this was a rare example of such an approach and that the Croats will remain Croats and certainly will not promote their country in negative way. Vrbnik does not deserve it. They have good wine, nice music, nice atmosphere and good food.. It is small and nice and it is the number one for linguists and all those interested in the history of the Croatian language.Certainly you do not regret when you travel on the island of Krk, at least an hour to stop here ... just for the view and the glass of prošek. Na zdravlje!

Vrbnik