Natural
wealth
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The
sun and the sea
Beaches
- swimming and sunbathing
Numerous
natural pebbly beaches
are Baška's greatest asset. Way back in 1908,
the beaches prompted the
development of tourism in Baška. Baška is considered
a seaside and health resort. Besides
swimming in crystal clear sea-water and sunbathing, the air is fresh and
healthy, saturated with sea-salt, and refreshed occasionally by the north wind
(bura) blowing from Velebit. The colour of
the sea gives a special charm to Baška's beaches. It is a mesmerizing colour
difficult to determine, sometimes greenish blue, sometimes a deep blue.
Among
approximately thirty beaches in the Baška area, the biggest
and the longest one is “Vela
plaža“.
It is a natural pebbly beach, with a sea bottom made of
fine sand which doesn't make the water muddy, but leaves it sparkling
and clear. It is 2 km long, of a
semi-circular shape and in the
center of Baška. It is suitable for families with children and for poor
swimmers. Numerous caf?s, restaurants, establishments and other facilities for
a carefree stay are in the immediate vicinity.
Sunloungers,
sunshades, canoes, surf boards and similar can be rented on the beach.
This
beach was awarded the Blue Flag in 1999,
and has been flying it ever since as
proof of a clear sea, high standard of beach facilities and a well-kept, safe
and pleasant environment.
For
those who would like to avoid the numerous swimmers on Vela Plaža, Baška has
gorgeous smaller and secluded pebbly beaches
in and around the bay. The water is also crystal clear and clean. You cannot
reach these beaches by car or by bike, but only on foot or by boat. The essence
of their attractiveness lies in their
seclusion, peace and romance.
All
information and maps with marked
walking paths that lead to these beaches and bays, can be obtained in any
tourist agency.
Here
are some of these secluded localities:
Bunculuka, Jablanova, Storišće, Vrženica, Vela luka, Mala luka, Stražica,
Smokva, etc.
Baška
Valley
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As
you approach Baška, you will enter a gentle green valley that stretches all the
way to the sea, making the very last kilometers of your journey more enjoyable.
The picturesque scenery of the valley is emphasized by a sequence of
rocky ridges. A little blue stream called
Vela Rika (Big
River) flows through the valley towards the sea, joining it at the
public beach.
It
was this river, as well as other numerous springs, that gave life to this rocky
karst area and led to the growth and development of its settlements
over the course of time: Draga Baška,
Jurandvor, Batomalj and
Baška. Water provided life to this area and induced the development of
different crafts and trades, such as
the miller's trade and the production of woollen fabric. According to
chronicles from 1770, there were 8 water-mills along this river, 4 of which
were in Draga Bašćanska.
This
beautiful, fertile valley provided the growth of agriculture and sheep-farming.
In
order to experience the beauties of the valley, we suggest
you take a walk along hiking trail no.4: the Baška-Batomalj crossing-the
Shrine of Our Lady of Gorica. You can get maps of marked hiking trails in
Baška's Tourist Information Center and local travel agencies. If you want to
see the valley from above, you should climb one of the many hill-tops, with
commanding views of the valley.
Baška's
vistas
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If
you desire an active holiday and true contact with nature,
if you want to feel the spirit of nature, inhale the scents of
Mediterranean herbs, explore and visit less known areas, if you love
heights and enjoy breathtaking views, maybe the best way to discover nature's
infinite beauties would be by walking along some of the many clearly
marked hiking trails, which follow the old shepherds' paths.
There
are 16 marked trails, whose total length is over 80 km.
Maps
can be obtained in every travel agency.
The
tall ridges on each side of the valley, 150-570 meters high, offer the
opportunity to hike, walk and enjoy the rocky landscape with the flora and
fauna typical of this karst, rocky area. The hill-top views of the green valley
or the deep blue open sea, or
the rocky mountain, will certainly take your breath away.
The
winding paths entirely comprise the karst area, which is speckled by drystone
walls, which enclose green oases serving as pastures for the sheep.
Tourists
from urban areas of our global world will definitely be thrilled by the
numerous examples of rural architecture,
which reflect the harsh realities of a past life. The most recognizable
examples are: drystone walls, sheepfolds,
shepherds' wells, and drystone shelters.
Many
important cultural and historic monuments are on these routes: the Baška
Tablet, little churches and chapels. For a moment you'll find yourself in a
different, more peaceful and natural world, away from your hectic and stressful
everday life, where your problems, too, will seem smaller and trivial.
Walks
in the fresh clean air will contribute to your
health and fitness, and the
beautiful things you've encountered on your walks will fill you with
satisfaction.
All
this can be experienced in the off-season, too. The most ideal months are:
April, May, June, September, October and November.
Cultural
and historical heritage
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Prehistoric
findings, ancient and medieval remains bear witness to a
rich and turbulent past. Remnants of the ancient settlement Bosar were
found by the sea at the site called Mala Luka. Above the settlement, between
Velika and Mala Luka, ruins of the fortified town of Corinthia and a church
from the early Byzantine age, were discovered.
A
medieval settlement grew on a hilltop above Baška, around the church of St.John
(built around 1100), the bell-tower and cemetery. It was burnt down by the
Venetians in 1380, after which a new settlement gradually
developed by the sea, at the site of contemporary Baška. Rows of houses
lined the waterfront, just as they do today. The parish church of the Holy
Trinity was erected in 1772.
Remains
of a Roman settlement were found on an open space by the sea, near St. Mark's
chapel, (mosaics, tombs, stone fragments).
Baška
also has an interesting folk
museum.
The
Romanesque churches of the Holy
Spirit, St. Euphemia, St. Juraj and St.Mihovil are interesting and worth
visiting. The church of Our Lady of Gorica, mentioned as early as 1100, with
altar paintings of Celestin Medović, a renowned Croatian painter, is
located in Batomalj, 2km from Baška.
The
Baška
Tablet
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The
early Romanesque church of St.Lucy is located in
Jurandvor, 1 km from Baška. The church lies on the remains of a
country villa and early Byzantine church from the 6th century.
It
was in this church that the Baška Tablet,
which dates from the year 1100, was found. This is one of the oldest
inscribed stone slabs written
in old Croatian . It has a great scientific, cultural and national importance
for the Croatian nation.
The
thirteen-line glagolitic text refers to the
construction of a church, mentioning king Zvonimir's donation of a piece of
land to the church as well as witnesses to his deed. The Baška Tablet is called
the Birth Certificate of the Croatian people
as this was the first instance
when the name of a Croatian ruler was mentioned in the Croatian language. It
also bears evidence that the island Krk was part of Croatia at the time.
Rural
architecture Photo
Album >>>
Rural
island architecture is a demonstration of the hard, laborious life of the
islanders whose survival was based on agriculture and sheep farming. It took
years of hard work and generations of people to cultivate the barren, infertile
and inaccessible land. Rocks had to be removed from the soil in order to create
small pieces of arable land. The ancient drystone
technique developed as stones were laid and no connective material
was used.
Drystone
constructions of various shapes and built for different purposes, have been
preserved until today and add to the picturesque beauty of the landscape. They
tell us a story of bygone times, the story of the islanders' hardship and
struggle to survive.
The
most prominent and impressive examples of drystone architecture are:
Drystone
walls
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Drystone
boundaries, these layers of stone laid without connective material, are the
result of arduous work.This is how people used to enclose smaller pieces of
cultivated land, in order to prevent the erosion of soil during rains, or to
protect their crops from animals. Pastures and boundaries of private property
were marked by drystone walls, only interrupted by the occasional wooden fence.
These
beautiful artefacts made of stone, represent an exceptional
visual experience.
Sheepfolds
Even
the rocky karst can have its
“gardens“: the flower-shaped stone
sheepfolds, called mrgari. These
huge drystone fences and workshops of sheep-farmers and shepherds, can receive
up to 1500 sheep. They serve to milk, sort and shear the sheep. Built away from
the settlements, they are the only adornment of a wild
landscape.
Shepherds'
wells
Rare,
but beautiful examples of shepherds' wells can be found in Draga Bašćanska.
They are built and mantained by shepherds and their purpose is to collect
rain-water for human consumption.
Stone
shelters
Built
away from the houses, on the rocky
plains, they served as shelters for farmers and shepherds.
Littoral
architecture (the old town nucleus in Baška)
The
original littoral architecture is preserved
within the old nucleus of Baška. The beauty of this exceptional and
interesting architecture blends perfectly into the landscape. The
formation and growth of Baška was conditioned by the configuration of the
terrain, which descends steeply into the sea. This resulted in a picturesque
town with rows of houses rising uphill from the seafront. The closely built
houses on different levels form a compact little town with narrow, stone-paved
little streets and taverns.
Typical
architectural elements are stone steps, tiny windows and stone door frames,
roofs covered with red half-round tiles and many different, imaginatively
designed chimneys. A picture of the old town is reflected in the sea, an
impressive sight creating a wonderful,
typically Mediterranean atmosphere.
The
18th-century Holy Trinity church
is located in the town centre. The local Folk Museum is in its immediate
vicinity.