Evening Light at Gradina Ledenice
Most visitors to Novi Vinodolski stay down by the sea, yet only a few kilometres inland lies one of the most atmospheric places on the riviera: the Gradina above Ledenice. On a rocky ridge stand the remains of a fortified settlement that was inhabited until the early 19th century. You can see stretches of wall, ruins of more than 70 houses, the remains of St Stephen’s church, which collapsed in 1988, and the circular cemetery of St George.
Ledenice was once considered the key to Vinodol and is mentioned as early as 1288 at the signing of the Vinodol Code. From the viewpoint you look over Povile and Klenovica to the sea, and the spot is said to have inspired August Šenoa.
Our tip: drive or hike up in the late afternoon when the heat eases and the light softens. Sturdy shoes are a good idea as the ground is stony, and take water. Cyclists can also reach the Gradina on trekking route 304 from Crikvenica.
If you have time, visit the church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Ledenice village, whose main altar dates from 1715. Then head back to the coast and end the evening at a tavern in Klenovica or Povile.