Novi Vinodolski

Kvarner is a bay in the northern Adriatic, framed by Istria, the islands and the mountains of Gorski Kotar and Velebit. Novi Vinodolski sits on its mainland coast, so the island of Krk, Crikvenica, Rijeka and Senj with its Nehaj Fortress are all less than an hour's drive away, and from Novi you can also take a boat trip to Vrbnik.

Traces of life around Novi Vinodolski go back to prehistory, as finds from the Vlaška peć cave near Kozica show. By the sea, in Lišanj Bay, lie the remains of the late antique fortress of Lopar, which guarded the coastal road from Tarsatica, today's Rijeka, to Senj.

In the 13th century, the Princes of Krk, later known as the Frankopans and lords of Vinodol, built the castle and the fortified town of Novi. It was in this castle, on January 6, 1288, that the Vinodol Code was written, regulating relations between the princes and the nine Vinodol communes.
Written in Glagolitic script, it is one of the oldest legal documents written in the Croatian language.

At the end of the 15th century, the seat of the Diocese of Modruš moved to Novi, and the Church of St. Philip and St. James became a cathedral.
In the 19th century, the town turned to the sea: the first bathing establishment opened in the harbor in 1878, followed in 1894 by the first hotel, Lišanj.

In Novi Vinodolski, the sea and the hills meet on the plate too. Fish and Kvarner scampi come from the harbor, wine, prosciutto and cheese from Vinodol, and fuži pasta and fig cakes from old coastal kitchens. They are best enjoyed slowly, with a view of Krk and a glass of local wine. For dinner by the sea, choose the restaurants and konobas along the promenade and the harbor, and for a local atmosphere, head into the old town. In mid-September, the Novljanski gušti food festival on Ivan Mažuranić Square serves homemade dishes and wines at symbolic prices. For guests of Aminess Vival Lišanj Family Hotel, Oliveto restaurant offers a spacious terrace and a small playground for children, and AMI Loyalty members get up to 10% off in Aminess restaurants and bars.

Culture in Novi Vinodolski is not confined to museums. It lives in the circle dance that turns in front of the castle every winter, in klapa singing in the old town and in the vineyards of Vinodol, where a Ružica is chosen every August. When you want a break from the beach, here are five places and customs that make Novi special.

Novi Vinodolski and its riviera have a beach for every mood: Lišanj, the well-kept town beach with a sandy entry into the sea, pebble and rock beaches in Povile and Klenovica, and quiet coves towards Smokvica. The sea is clean, and facilities for families and water sports are close at hand.

Novi Vinodolski has a mild Mediterranean climate, with warm summers and mild winters. From June to September, daytime temperatures can climb above 30 °C and the sea is 20 to 25 °C. The swimming season runs from May to October, while spring and autumn are ideal for walks, excursions and sightseeing with fewer crowds.

Winters are quiet, with daytime temperatures of 8 °C to 15 °C, and the Novi Carnival (Novljanski mesopust) brightens up the season.

Novi Vinodolski celebrates all year round, from the Novi Carnival (Novljanski mesopust), a protected element of intangible cultural heritage, to the summer evenings of Okolotorno and Fešta od kilometra, Ružica Vinodola in August and the festive Advent season.