Hiking in Tramuntana
The north of Cres looks completely different from the barren south. Tramuntana is covered in oak and chestnut woods, the stones are mossy, and summers are noticeably cooler than elsewhere on the island. With luck you may spot deer, wild boar or mouflon.
According to the tourist board there are seven mountain trails, seven hiking trails and three bike routes here. Many follow old paths that once linked the now abandoned hamlets.
Our favourites:
• Trail 305 Porozina - Tramuntana - Beli - Ivanje - Porozina, about 19 km, the big loop
• The colour-coded theme trails 301 to 304 (yellow, green, blue, purple), all rated easy and between 2.8 and 7.4 km long. Yellow trail 301 is titled “Exhibition of History and Art in Nature”.
Along the way you will find five meadow labyrinths modelled on ancient designs and dedicated to nature deities such as Vesna and Lada, old sheep ponds and ruins of former villages.
Insider tip: get the trail map in advance (online or printed at the Cres tourist office) and start in Beli, where you can visit the griffon vulture centre afterwards. Bring water, as there are hardly any places to stop for refreshments.