Our Trip
We spent two weeks on the island of Cres with my wife and our two daughters, aged 10 and 13. Cres is one of the largest islands in the Adriatic but it feels a world away from the busier Croatian destinations. Beautiful scenery, a calm vibe and genuinely friendly people everywhere you go.
Getting There
We took the car ferry from Brestova on the mainland to Porozina on the northern tip of Cres. The crossing only takes about 20 minutes and it could not be easier. Once you are off the ferry you drive south down the island to wherever you are staying. Having a car is pretty much essential on Cres as the island is big and you will want to explore.
Where We Stayed
My wife found our place on Airbnb. It was a small house with a garden in an area called Grabar, right on the edge of Cres town. The location was ideal. The beach was about five minutes away on foot, maybe less, and you could cycle into the town centre without breaking a sweat as the route is not too steep. It gave us the best of both worlds, close enough to everything but quiet enough to feel like we had our own space.
One thing worth knowing is that there are not a huge number of houses directly in Cres town that are close to the beach, so it is worth booking well in advance if you want a decent location. There is a big camping area on the other side of Cres if that is more your thing, but camping is not really for us so we did not explore that option.
Getting Around by Ebike, SUP and Kayak
This is the biggest tip I can give anyone going to Cres. If you have the possibility to bring an ebike, a SUP board or a kayak with you, do it. You can rent them in a few places on the island but having your own gear makes a massive difference.
The reason is that the best beaches on Cres are the remote ones, and getting to them with your own equipment means you can explore properly at your own pace. Imagine arriving at a quiet beach that barely anyone else has found and having a kayak or a SUP board to take out on the water. That was the highlight of the holiday for all of us.
The area around Cres town is perfect for ebikes specifically. There are loads of paths through the wilderness that take you out to remote beaches you would never find if you stuck to the main roads. For me this was really special. You are cycling through untouched countryside and then suddenly you come across a beautiful beach with hardly anyone on it.
One route I would particularly recommend is cycling from Cres town to the village of Valun. You can do the whole thing without using the main road, which was a big plus for us with the girls. The path takes you through quiet trails and it is a genuinely lovely ride with the beach at the end as the reward. For families with children who you do not want cycling on busy roads, this is ideal.
The Beaches
The two standout beaches for us were Mali Bok and Valun, and they could not be more different from each other.
Mali Bok is wild and natural. It feels completely untouched and is the kind of beach where you feel like you have the whole place to yourself. It is not the easiest to get to but that is part of what makes it special. If you want a raw, unspoiled beach experience then this is the one.
Valun has more going on and is better set up for families. It is easier to access, the water is calm and there is more around it in terms of facilities. The girls were very happy there and it suited a more relaxed family beach day perfectly.
Between the two of them you have whatever mood you are in covered. Wild and adventurous or easy and family-friendly.
We also did a boat trip which took us out to some of the more beautiful beaches that are hard to reach on foot. If you get the chance to do one, take it. The coastline from the water is stunning and there are beaches tucked into the cliffs that you simply cannot get to any other way.
Exploring Losinj
We also visited the neighbouring island of Losinj during our stay. We did not spend as much time there as we would have liked, but what we saw made an impression. It is well worth a visit if you are on Cres and next time we come back we want to explore it properly. There is definitely enough there for a few days at least.
Food and Drink
The food on Cres was good throughout. We ate at a few different places and honestly it did not matter too much where we went, the standard was consistently solid. Fresh seafood, simple local dishes, nothing fancy but everything well made. We never had a bad meal and the prices felt fair for what you get.
Would We Go Back
Absolutely. Cres has a calm, unhurried feel that is genuinely hard to find on the more popular Croatian islands. The beaches are beautiful, the cycling is fantastic, the people are friendly and the pace of life is exactly what a family holiday should feel like.
We barely scratched the surface of Losinj so that alone is reason enough to return. And there are still remote beaches on Cres that we did not get to, paths we did not cycle and coastline we did not see from the water.
If you are thinking about Cres, bring an ebike and a kayak if you can, book your accommodation early, and do not be afraid to explore off the beaten track. The best bits of this island are the ones you have to work a little to find.