Cres, Town and island in Croatia
Cres is both a town and an island on the Croatian coast, in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County. The town sits on a hillside with old stone buildings and narrow streets, while the island stretches from dense forests in the north to dry, rocky land in the south.
The island of Cres was settled in ancient times by Illyrians and then by Romans, who dug a canal that split what had been one large island into two. During the medieval period it passed through several rulers and spent a long time under Venetian control, a legacy still visible in the coats of arms carved on building facades in the old town.
The old center of the town of Cres is easy to walk, as many lanes are closed to cars. To reach the more remote villages and bays scattered across the island, having your own vehicle makes things much easier.
The island is home to one of the last wild griffon vulture colonies in Croatia, and the village of Beli has a care center that looks after injured birds. The vultures nest on the steep cliffs and can sometimes be spotted from the shore on calm days.
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