Restaurants on the island

On the island of Rab there are many very good restaurants. They offer local and international kitchen.

Nearby apartments are three restaurants: Skiper, Dupin ADN koD bUJOLA

In walking distance of 20 minutes there are also Beach bar & restaurant Mel, D&D, Del Mar. Very popular restaurants Gonar, More and Marenda are in walking distance of 20 to 30 minutes by the sea.


Here are also other very popular restaurants on the island:

Restaurant Nada, Palit
https://restaurantguru.com/Nada-Rab
https://www.facebook.com/Restaurant-NADA-1560938124149361/

Restaurant Šanpjer, Rab town
www.tripadvisor.com

Restaurant Perla, Banjol
www.perla-rab.com

Restaurant Kamenjak
https://restaurantguru.com/Kamenjak-Rab

Restaurant Gonar, Supetarska Draga-Gonar
www.gonar.hr

Restoraurant Leut, Barbat
www.leut-rab.com
https://restaurantguru.com/Leut-Barbat

Restaurant Ana, Palit
https://restaurantguru.com/Restoran-Ana-Rab

Konoba Rab
https://restaurantguru.com/Konoba-Rab-Rab-2

Restaurant More, Supetarska Draga-Gonar
www.more-rab.net

Restaurant Gožinka, Kampor
http://restaurant-gozinka.com

Restoran Aco, Barbat
aco-rab.hr

Restoran Vista, Supetarska Draga
vistarab.hr

Popular fast food bar Buža in Rab town
https://restaurantguru.com/Buza-Rab

Restaurant Velum, Palit
https://restaurantguru.com/Velum-Rab

Catrin Bach: Zwei Pilger und (k)ein Esel

Catrin enjoyed spending the winter in Villa Trlika and in this peaceful setting she wrote the book “Zwei Pilger & (k)ein Esel”. She also left the little red library in apartment Ruza for you to enjoy as well as many other books in English and German language which are now on disposal to all guests.
Now you can read her eBook.
Please click here. Catrin Bach – Payhip


Catrin hat den Inselwinter in der Villa Trlika genossen. An diesem friedlichen Ort hat sie das Buch “Zwei Pilger & (k)ein Esel” geschrieben. Sie liebt “little librarys” und von ihr ist die kleine rote Bücherei im Apartment Ruza.
Hier geht es zu ihrem deutschen ebook. Catrin Bach – Payhip

Das neue Inselbuch von Catrin Bach: Blaubeer Pudding und Eisberg Bier

Die Insel Neufundland (NL) ist mein neues Zuhause.
Ich  bin vor drei Jahren auf die fast menschenleere Insel mitten im Atlantik gezogen.
Dies ist die Geschichte von meinen ersten Jahren auf der Insel NL, ein Ort, welchen ich schon lange aus Büchern kannte und nun lebe ich selbst hier. Zwischen Leuchttürmen, Eisbergen und Blaubeeren. Ein Inselbuch für alle Menschen die Inseln lieben. Mit dem Kauf von Blaubeer Pudding & Eisberg Bier unterstützen wir gemeinsam “The Gathering Place” in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Ein Ort voll Wärme und Würde.
1 Buch = 1 warme kostenlose Mahlzeit für einen Menschen in Not.

Mehr dazu in meinem Inselbuch

Catrin Bach: Blaubeer Pudding und Eisberg Bier

Kris Alexander – Almost Blonde 

Kris spent a long and productive winter in Villa Trlika, the perfect place for writing his book “Almost Blonde”. Far from the madding crowd yet just around the corner from the café, the harbor and the little store that has all you need , this location is a writer’s paradise. When writer’s block struck, Kris went on long walks along the shore, through the Dundo forest and along the beach picking up beach plastic.

Now you can read Almost Blonde by Kris Alexander.
Please click here. Kris Alexander – Payhip

Almost Blonde by Kris Alexander


Four bell towers

Awarded many times as the best tourist destination in the Adriatic, the town of Rab sits on a narrow sliver of land protruding towards the mainland, bounded by ancient city walls and recognizable by four church towers that form the familiar outline, depicting Rab as a ship with four masts: bell tower of the church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – the cathedral, the bell tower of the church of St. John the Evangelist (located near the ruins of the Church), the belfry of the church of St. Andrew the Apostle and the bell tower of the church of St. Justine. Further inland from the old town is a beautiful park called Komrčar, whose numerous paths wind around wooded hills all the way down to the beaches of Rab.

Saint Patron of Rab, St. Cristophor supposedly saved the island from attackers, earning the right to have his skull preserved in a reliquiary within the Rab Cathedral.

If you like, you could visit a large collection of sacral art at the Franciscan Monastery of St. Bernardin with two churches (St. Euphemia and St. Bernardin) where you can find pictures, valuable old books, ecclesiastical art, ethnographic collection, coin collection and a lot of other things.

The bell tower of St. Mary, close to the church of St. Mary’s ascension, ex-Cathedral. It is the largest of the four towers, and open to the public but not at all times. It is possible to get by stairs and levels to the very top, and even above the tower bells.

The most beautiful building of its kind on the Croatian coast, this bell tower was built in the Romanesque style sometime in the 13th century. 26 meters high original four-dome was destroyed by a lightning and later reconstructed as a six-sided pyramid.  Tower had it’s top changed due to being struck by lightning and destroyed in 15th century. The new top has eight sides instead of four, and many inscriptions with the names of saints, like St. Barbara, protector from storms. Close to the tower is the Romanesque church of St. Mary’s, the most elaborate and beautiful of the churches on Rab, having a status of cathedral until 1828. Church was canonized in 1175 by pope Alexander III, while on his path from Zadar to Venice. Croatian typical elements like braiding are found on the church as well.

Tower of the church of St. John the Evangelist (Crkva Sv. Ivana Evanđelista). It has been built in Pre-Christian period and renovated but later in 19th century turned to ruins. At the place of the old church you will also find large stone plates with Roman inscriptions beside the original church columns.


Tower by the Church of St. Justina. This church has been closed in 1808 but has very recently been renovated and now has a museum that exhibits sacral art. Ornaments such as the skull of St. Christopher -saint protector of island Rab.

The tower by the Monastery of St. Andreas (Samostan Sv. Andrije). It is the oldest of the four bell towers, being built back in the early 11th century.

Rab Archaeological (T)races

3 educational trails and bike paths

About 30 archaeological localities

footprint-mosaic-2

The project Rab Archaeological (T)races was developed on the idea of an open-air museum, presenting about 30 archaeological sites in the area of the island of Rab. They are connected by three educational trails spreading on the area of Kampor, Lopar and Supetarska Draga. Follow the traces hidden in the wonderful landscapes with the help of informational and educational panels and the interactive mobile application to learn about the cultural treasures of the island.

EPARIO TRAIL
 10 km 179 m  3 h

Epario trail spreads along the coast of Lopar and is suitable for recreationists and families with children. Alongside numerous archaeological sites that indicate this area having been intensely used in the past, especially in prehistoric times and the Antiquity, the trail reveals breath-taking geologic structures.

CAPO FRONTE TRAIL
 22,5 km 363 m  6 h

Capo fronte trail spreads along the most forested area on the island – Dundo, a special reserve of forest vegetation, and Kalifront peninsula covered in oak forest. Besides remains of medieval churches, dry-stone walls, lime kilns, bauxite quarries, and other sites indicating the area having been extensively used in the past, this area stands out for the most well-preserved oak forest in the Mediterranean…

FRUX TRAIL
 6,5 km 122 m  2,5 h

Frux trail connects Lopar and Supetarska Draga both ways and is suitable for hikers and MTB cyclists. It is a part of a path known as Premužić’s trail, a masterpiece of dry-stone wall building…


Read more and download application on

Rabarchaeologicaltraces

Naturism on Rab

Austrian naturalist Camillo Morgan visited Rab in 1889, 1904 and 1909 and writes, “…the sea in ten or so beautiful bays has a special colour which becomes an emerald-green colour.  If the coasts of Italy and France deserve the name Côte d’Azur then this should be called the Côte d’Emerald.”

The island of Rab is rightly referred to as the pioneer of naturism on the Adriatic. The month of August 1936 is frequently mentioned as the official beginning of naturism in Rab, i.e. when the English king Edward VIII stayed there and the Rab authorities allowed him and his wife to take a nude swim in the bay of Kandarola. However it is certain that naturism on the island started long before that. The article “Trade in nakedness”, published in the Austrian economic journal “Trend” no. 11/83 reports that the naturist beach in Rab was officially opened as early as at the transition to this century and that 50 beds in the hotels were reserved for naturists.

The same article mentions that the first naturist beach in Rab was opened personally by Richard Ehrman, the president of the International Naturist Federation from Vienna in 1934. Naturism in Rab is also mentioned in the article of the Czech Josef Herman, in 1907 and of professor Günther in 1912, which proves that the Rab people had understood long ago the bright prospects of this movement which, at that time, was a very bold attitude. The possibility to swim without clothes attracts for a lot of tourists, so that many of them choose to spend their holidays in Rab. While nudists used to be very rare earlier, there are thousands of them nowadays.


King Edward VIII (1894 – 1972) and Wallis Simpson (1896 – 1986) on the island of Rab, during a holiday cruise on the Dalmatian coast, August 1936.

Wald Dundo

Category of protection: Special forest vegetation reserve
Year proclaimed: 1949
Area: 101 ha
Location: Town of Rab (island of Rab)
Altitude: 0 – 80 m

The Dundo Forest can be listed among the most beautiful and well-preserved holm-oak forests of the Mediterranean. This area has probably the longest tradition in the protection and conservation of forests among the most deforested islands of the Adriatic. We hope this special reserve of forest vegetation will continue to be a site of study for many future generations of foresters and natural scientists, and a site where nature lovers can come to enjoy the primordial world of Mediterranean forests.


Flora:
– holm oak / hrast crnika (Quercus ilex),
– manna ash or South European flowering ash / crni jasen (Fraxinus ornus),
– green olive tree or mock privet / zelenika (Phillyrea latifolia),
– tree heath / veliki vrijes (Erica arborea),
– mastic tree / tršlja (Pistacia lentiscus),
– strawberry tree / planika (Arbutus unedo),
.- common myrtle / mirta (Myrtus communis),
– laurustinus / lemprika (Viburnum tinus),
– spring sowbread / primorska ciklama (Cyclamen repandum),
– mediterranean smilax / povijuše – tetivika (Smilax aspera),
– rambling or evergreen Rose / vazdazelena ruža (Rosa sempervirens),
– wild asparagus / šparuga (Asparagus acutifolius)
– black bryony / bljušt (Tamus communis).

Fauna:
– the little owl / ćuk (Athene noctua),
– yellow-necked field mouse / šumski miš (Apodemus flavicollis)


The most common mushrooms are:
– jack-o’-lantern mushroom / zavodnica (Omphalotus olearius),
– Chanterelle mushroom/ lisičica (Cantharellus cibarius var.),
– krasnice i mliječnice (Russulaceae),
– boletus/ vrganjevke (Boletaceae).

Kalifront Peninsula

It is located in the northwest of the island. Kalifront Peninsula is characterized by karst relief and coastline with many beautiful large and small bays. The length of the peninsula is 9 km. The width of the bay is 3 km. 
The forests of the peninsula Kalifront are ideal for relaxing hiking. Hilly areas and trails are not strenuous, so the elderly can enjoy too. Kalifront Peninsula is famous for its holm oak that stands out in a beautiful forest Dundo. Dundo is one of the few surviving forests in the Mediterranean and the most important forest on the island of Rab. Holm oak (Quercus ilex) is an evergreen oak that can reach the age of a thousand years. A few impressive specimens are preserved in the forest.

Another green wonder of the island is Komrčar park, planted and designed by a forester Pravdoje Belija in 1883.

PUBLIC INSTITUTION PRIRODA for protected area management
CROATIAN FORESTRY SOCIETY
BRITANNICA

Delphinen

The Blue World Institute’s “Adopt a dolphin” is a platform to sustain the Adriatic Dolphin Project, the longest-running conservation research project in our region. Your generous support allows us to maintain our research and conservation activities for bottlenose dolphins – and other dolphin species – and to increase public awareness at local and national levels. It also supports the Dolphin Day, educational programs, and promoting overall protection of the Adriatic marine environment.
https://www.blue-world.org/get-involved/adopt-a-dolphin/

Adriatic Dolphin Project

The Adriatic Dolphin Project is the longest ongoing study of a single resident bottlenose dolphin community in the Mediterranean Sea that started in 1987. The aim of this project is to research the population ecology and conservation biology of bottlenose dolphins and other Cetacean species in the Adriatic Sea using genetics, population, and habitat modeling and disturbance factors. Since the outset, the project has been an example of best practice in the successful integration of scientific research with practical conservation resulting in the declaration of six Natura 2000 sites for bottlenose dolphins. The science undertaken by the Adriatic Dolphin Project aims to provide information to the public and relevant authorities and promote the protection of the dolphins and their habitat.

Bottlenose dolphins are protected under Croatian law and are placed in the National Red List, categorized as “Endangered”, but without evaluated trends. Their research and conservation have been listed as a priority in Croatian and European nature protection. As such, our research can aid in developing appropriate conservation strategies in the Adriatic Sea and help in the implementation of the Natura 2000 priority actions for marine biodiversity.

Common Bottlenose Dolphin ( Cro: Dobri dupin)

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassMammalia
OrderCetacea
FamilyDelphinidae
GenusTursiops
Speciestruncatus
Species Authority(Montagu, 1821)

The common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) hereafter referred to as “the bottlenose dolphin” is possibly the best known and most widely distributed of all Delphinidae species. The basic biology of this species is well documented. It has a fusiform body shape (streamlined); body color varies from dark grey on the dorsal cape to pale grey on the side and white on the underside, which may have a pinkish glow when the summer water temperature is high. The bottlenose dolphin measures between 1.9 m to 4 m when an adult and weighs anything from 100 kg to 500 kg. In the Adriatic, animals usually reach up to 3 m in length and weigh about 200 kg. Dolphins must surface every few minutes to breathe. The single blowhole is located on the dorsal surface of the head and is covered by a muscular flap that provides an airtight seal when diving. Bottlenose dolphins remain submerged for 4 – 7 minutes when foraging for fish. Bottlenose dolphins feed mostly on benthic fish and small squids and therefore are often in direct competition with fishermen. They are famous for their curiosity and this makes them prone to entanglement, particularly in gillnets, which in turn is a major form of premature death for the species. Although there is no current worldwide estimation of their population, based on the aerial surveys we carried out, their number in the Adriatic is estimated at around 10,000 individuals. Pollution, overfishing and habitat destruction reduces the numbers of these dolphins and confines them to limited habitats.


Read more at http://www.blue-world.org/what-we-do/our-projects/adp/

Sea Turtle Rescue Centre

The Sea Turtle Rescue Centre was constructed as part of the ”Network for the Conservation of Cetaceans and Sea Turtles in the Adriatic (NETCET)” project funded by the European Union Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) Adriatic Cross-Border Cooperation (CBC) Programme. The centre is part of the network of rescue centres for conservation of sea turtles in the Adriatic Sea.

Sea turtles are an ancient group of animals, inhabiting Earth for millions of years. Today they face many threats that cause their numbers to decline. The loggerhead turtle inhabits the entire Adriatic Sea year-round. It nests on beaches in Greece, Turkey and Cyprus and the hatchlings reach the Adriatic Sea as they mature. In the northern Adriatic, they enter the benthic phase of their lifecycle when they feed on benthic crustaceans and mollusks. As the northern Adriatic is a shallow sea, it represents a key habitat for loggerhead turtles. Being cold-blooded animals, sea turtles spend the cold winter months ͚hibernating͛ on the bottom of the northern Adriatic Sea.

Read more at https://www.blue-world.org/science-education-losinj/marine-turtle-rescue-centre/

The Blue world institut
excursion-rab.com
dolphin-watching.com

Pelinkovac

It seems that many Central European nations have some sort of a bitter-tasting liqueur based on wormwood and a bunch of other herbs.

The Germans have Jägermeister, probably the most famous brand among them, there’s also Underberg, the Hungarians have Unicum, the Czechs have Becherovka, and so on. Croatia is no exception.
Here we have Pelinkovac. The name is pretty straight-explanatory, as it derives from the word pelin, for wormwood ( Lat. Artemisia Absinthium). Variations of it are also popular in the neighboring countries. All major Croatian distilleries have their own version. Most popular are made by Maraska and Badel Distillery, and as in football rivalry, there are those who like just Badel and those who like just Maraska Pelinkovac, although there are other “clubs”/distilleries which produce Pelinkovac; Dalmacijavino, Darna Distillery (Rovinjski Pelinkovac), Zvecevo…
The alcohol volume is from 28% in Marsaka’s Pelikovac to 32% in Dalmacijavino’s Pelin.

pelin maraska

Pelinkovac on the Adriatic coast is served pure, with ice and lemon, as an aperitif or digestif.
Some people like it with lemon juice made from 1/4 to 1/2 of fresh lemon, and it is called “Štrukani Pelinkovac”, The nickname for Pelinkovac is Pelin.

Pelinkovac is known as “stomach restorative”.
It can be bought in some shops out of Croatia.

The story of Badel’s Antique Pelinkovac

ANTIQUE PELINKOVAC is Badel’s oldest and most famous premium herbal liqueur and also one of the most intriguing Croatian drinks. The product dates back to the year 1862, the founding year of the company Badel 1862.

It was created by Franjo Pokorny, a tradesman, and founder of the company Badel 1862. At that time Antique was sold solely in pharmacies with the recommendation “stomach restorative”. It was so successful that Franjo Pokorny became the supplier of this fantastic liqueur for the Viennese and French royal courts, and in accordance with records from that time, it was also exported to America. The recipe for the production of Badel Antique Pelinkovac is the oldest and most secret in Badel 1862 archives (…) and the original bottle in which the product is sold is exhibited in Zagreb City Museum.

Since the year 1862 Antique Pelinkovac is produced in the same, traditional manner, in accordance with the original recipe, from 100% natural ingredients. To those who understand the production technology of fine liqueurs, we shall reveal that selected aromatic herbs are first macerated in alcohol, and then the aged macerate is distilled in small series in coppers and after it is aged, it is manually bottled and thus it is a true Croatian craft product. Every bottle is marked with a unique serial number printed on the label at the back of the bottle. The flavor of this premium herbal liqueur is dominated by wormwood (Cro. Pelin), an aromatic herb characterized by its scent and bitter note, by which it is remembered and recognized due to the beneficial effect on the human body, thus making Pelinkovac the perfect digestive but also one of the best bases for traditional aperitif cocktails. (…)

maraska.hr
badel1862.hr
lovezagreb.hr
facebook.com/drustvo.stovatelja.maraskinog.pelinkovca/

Rab Torte

If sweets delicacies are one of your loves, sweeten your life with Croatian delight and taste a Rapska torta (Rab cake)

It is believed that this symbol of a superior dessert was served for the first time in 1177 to Pope Alexander III on the occasion of the blessing of the Rab Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary, while it is certain that the Rapska torta (Rab cake) was made as a specialty during the reign of the Venetians three hundred years ago in the houses of rich Rab patriarchs.

One hundred years ago this unique Rab dessert was made by nuns in the monastery of St. Anthony of Padua, while sometime later also in the Benedictine monastery of St. Andrew. The original and at the same time secret recipe with all details required to make this sweet delicacy was only know to a few of the Rab women who miserly passed it on so that even today it is only known to a few of them. They only make them on especially festive occasions. Once reserved only for dignitaries and rich citizens, the Rapska torta (Rab cake) has become the most original souvenir of the Island of Rab, which along with the special delight for the taste buds has also taken a breath of Rab tradition and history to many corners of the world.

Some places to buy Rapska torta on Rab are “The House of Rab cake” by Vilma and by Nuns in their shop. Both places are located in the Old Town of Rab. There are also more places to buy it or to order it as a dessert in some of the restaurants. The shop of the main producer “Vilma” is also nearby Shopping center Petra at Banjol 162.

Rapska torta

Za tijesto / Dough  :

500 g glatkog brašna / Flour 
50 g maslaca / Butter
2 jaja / Eggs
2 žlice šećera / 2 tablespoons of Sugar
prstohvat soli / Salt – pinch

Nadjev / Filling:

1000 g mljevenih badema / Almonds
900 g šećera / Sugar
3 vanilin šećera / Vanily Sugar
korica 2 limuna / Lemon zest
korica 3 naranče / Orange zest
6-8 razmućenih jaja / Eggas
oko 5 čepova maraschina / Maraschino Liquer

Beside Rab cake, I recommend you to try other traditional delicacies, Muštaćoni and Baškotioni. There you can find also An Almond in sugar, Pikantini (almonds combined with garlic, chili, cumin, pepper, ginger and salt), Rogačići (Carob) and Arancini.

rabskatorta.com 
Jutarnji.hr
www.croatiaweek.com/croatian-recipes-rapska-torta-rab-cake/
bake-street.com/en/rabska-torta-rab-cake/

Mittelalterliches Sommerfest RABSKA FJERA

The first and largest medieval summer fair in Croatia, Rabska fjera is based on a tradition started 21st of July 1364, when the City Council of Rab decided to celebrate and honor King Louis the Great who freed them from the Venetian rule, as well as a holiday honoring St. Christophor, patron saint of the town of Rab. Fjera used to last for 14 days to celebrate and praise the saint’s powers that supposedly saved the town from destruction. 

The entire island goes back in time during those days. Small artisan stores move to the streets, so you can have your belt or a perfumed pomade made in front of your eyes, while your hair is being braided with tiny flowers into a typical do from the medieval times. Freshly fried šulčići are served and at the beach, an entire fishermen village is built altogether with the traditional tools, machines and even toys for children. Air is filled with the song and music, while tuna, fritule, cheese, and wine are served to passers-by.