Croatia’s Idyllic Island of Losinj Remains off the Radar – Vogue.com

Those in the know find their way to the island of Losinj via yacht or private plane: a charter from Venice, a seaplane from Split, or an international flight to Zagreb followed by driving, a ferry, and more driving. Its not an easy spot to reach, which has enabled the island to maintain its sleepy, seductive nature. And a select, savvy group of travelers has been descending upon the island for generations.

The island was a wealthy enclave beginning in the early 19th century when shipbuilding was in its prime, a period that left its mark in the form of stunning villas that were once the summer homes of royals and European elite. Archduke Carl Stephan was one of the first royals to gravitate toward Losinj for its health benefits, and other members of the Habsburg dynastyEmperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and Crown Prince Rudolfalong with members of the imperial court and the bourgeoisie were quick to follow. Losinj is home to around 200 medicinal plants, like myrtle, laurel, and oregano. In addition, the mild, warm microclimate and unusually clean air made the area particularly attractive to 19th-century travelers looking to recover respiratory issues. In fact, the Austro-Hungarian Empire declared Losinj to be a climatic health resort in 1892.

More than a century later, the island still retains its calming, healing quality, and a new wave of travelers is arriving to relax in the villas turned boutique hotels and their state-of-the-art spas. The Hotel Alhambra has an indoor seawater pool, Finnish and Turkish saunas, and an impressive spa menu, including the Alhambra Dream, a 180-minute treatment that includes a facial with lavender and immortelle, a deep-tissue massage administered with four hands, and a full-body exfoliation with laurel and oranges. If youre craving more privacy, the hotel also offers luxury villas nearby including the Villa Hortensia with stunning views, a private concierge, a chef, and butler service.

The larger Hotel Bellevue has indoor and outdoor seawater pools, a private beach on Cikat Bay, and can organize taxi flights that accommodate as many as six from almost anywhere in Europe. Its expansive spa menu offers multiple massages, including LCM (Light Color Movement), which combines quantum medicine, color therapy, and sound frequency. The noninvasive Eximia HR77 is available exclusively in the spa and is said to work wonders on cellulite.

As health driven as the island is, it is equally focused on great food and wine. Sit down for a meal at the Alhambras restaurant, Alfred Keller; peruse the extensive wine list featuring some impressive Croatian bottles; and then enjoy a meal from Chef Melkior Basic. Foie gras on aged sheep-cheese risotto with black truffle, and warm Adriatic octopus with buffalo mozzarella are merely his starters. For poolside plates and pours, the Bellevues beach bar, Meridien 443150, is best and offers a great deck for sunsets and sparkling ross.

Hotel Bellevues indoor seawater pool Photo: Courtesy of Hotel Bellevue

There are a handful of small local bars and restaurants on the waterfront. Villa Dianas (Cikat 8, 51550, Mali Losinj) homemade breads and dry-aged steak pair well with a bottle of the local Plavac Mali wine. The more isolated Lanterna Grill (Cikat ul. 24, 51550, Mali Losinj) on the cape overlooking the water is known for its grilled meat and stunning sunsets. If youre heading into town, the Borik Mediterranean Bar (Ul. Suncana uvala 5, 51550, Mali Losinj) is right on the beach, with tables in the sand and seafood front and center on the menu. Punta (Sestavine 17, 51551, Veli Losinj) in Veli Losinj is a great place to linger and enjoy a glass or two of the 50 or so Croatian wines on the list. The chef cooks a mix of meats over an open hearth on a deck overlooking city and sea.

Visitors to the area often fill their days with long walks or bike rides along the water on Cikat Bay or with a bigger hike in Cikat Forest Park, where 80,000 wonderfully fragrant Aleppo pines were planted in the late 19th century. Diving is big in the region and history buffs should make a point of diving at the Historical Underwater Park , where replicas of centuries-old cannons, amphorae, and anchors are on display. Though they arent the real thing, the dive is still beautiful, and because its relatively shallow, non-licensed divers can also enjoy the experience with a coach in tow.

The port of Mali Losinj, which dates back to the 14th century, is on the south side of the island in Augusta bay. Its the more commercial part of the island and is a great spot to shop, people watch, and stroll through the brightly colored former sea captains homes, largely dating from the early 19th century. On the southeast side of the island in Veli Losinj, the architecture and character continue with brightly colored houses, churches, chapels, and towers. For art lovers, the Baroque Church of St. Anthony Abbot the Anchoret has a gallery of the paintings of Italian masters, and the Church of our Lady of the Angels, redesigned in the Baroque style, has a collection of Venetian masters paintings. One cant-miss is the statue of Apoxyomenos, dating back to the 2nd or 1st century BC. The bronze statue was found on the sea floor southeast of Losinj in the 1990s. It took two years to dig out, aboout six to restore, and is now on display at the Apoxyomenos Museum , formerly known as the Kvarner Palace.

If youre looking to venture a bit beyond the islands, on Losinj you are within a few hours sail to the nearby islands of Ilovik, Silba, Olib, Premuda, Unije, and the Kornati archipelago, of which there are 140 islands. Jadranka Yachting will take you out for the day on one of its sailing boats, or you can hop on Croatias ferry network to navigate your way around the diverse islands.

Cres, which was once connected to Losinj, is a nearby drive from Losinj. Many of the islands small, stunning villages have fewer than 10 residents. One such place is the 4,000-year-old fort town of Lubenice, perched up high on jagged cliffs, with a scattering of stone buildings. There are also countless quiet coves, bays, and pebbly beaches all over the island that you can surprisingly have all to yourself.

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Croatia's Idyllic Island of Losinj Remains off the Radar - Vogue.com