Mali Losinj

Mali Lošinj is the largest town on the island of Lošinj, in the Kvarner Gulf, and it sits in a deep harbour on the east side of the island, its pastel houses climbing the slopes above the bay. The town grew rich in the 19th century on shipbuilding and seafaring, and it has kept a graceful Austro-Hungarian seafront and the atmosphere of a proper working port.

Lošinj is the greener and more southerly of the Lošinj-Cres island pair, and it has been a climatic health resort since the 19th century, when the mild winters and the pinewood air were promoted for respiratory health. The island is also known for its resident population of bottlenose dolphins, and the Blue World institute on the island has studied them for decades; boat trips to watch the dolphins, with care, are a summer activity.

Mali Lošinj is the natural base for the island, with the harbour, the beaches at Sunčana Uvala and Čikat, and the boat connections to the smaller islands. The Lošinj marine education centre explains the local sea life, including the dolphin project.

For photographers, the pastel harbour at dusk and the Čikat pine promenade are the shots. Go in June or September for the best balance of warmth and quiet, and take the ferries via Cres.

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