Following the shepherd’s trail to the highest point of the island

‘The Shepherd’s Tale’ is a challenging route for experienced hikers in good physical condition. If you decide to hike this 16.7 km circular trail from Punat to the highest point on the island of Krk, you will be rewarded with magnificent views that will stay in your memory for a long time.

Start your adventure in Punat, once a farming and fishing village and now one of the largest settlements on the island. Head south along the well-maintained promenade stretching along the campsite and beaches. When you pass the chapel of St Nicholas, turn left towards the exit of the settlement, where a gentle climb through olive groves and coniferous forest begins towards the highest part of the island. The vegetation will become sparser and the surface more rugged and rocky. The whole plateau transforms before your eyes into a work of art, with drystone walls, terraces and other similar structures.

Look around, take a deep breath and take in the peaks, islands and blue sea stretching beneath you. There is certainly no better view of the island than from the top. Obzova (569 m above sea level) is the highest peak and will reveal to you all the beauty and diversity of the island. After a well-deserved rest, plenty of photos and greetings from the wandering sheep, head north along the slightly lower peaks of Brestovica (558 m) and Veli vrh (542 m). The path descends gently towards Punat, with views of Puntarska draga and the islet of Košljun.

Plan your next stop at Tri Križi. This well-kept viewpoint with benches under three magnificent stone crosses is the last stop on the Way of the Cross, which the people of Punat have been following for over a hundred years during the Easter holidays. Continue along the local bypass road to the Punat’s historic centre. Explore the narrow, winding alleys lined with rows of stone houses. Some of them, in Galija Street, were built by the ‘galioti’, rowers from Venetian galleys. End your hiking adventure in the coastal park with a visit to the Toš Gallery, housed in a former oil mill. Enjoy a refreshing drink or some local specialities in one of the waterfront restaurants with a view of the green Prniba peninsula and the boats moored in the harbour