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The County of Primorje-Gorski kotar abounds in areas of preserved primordial landscapes and
natural wonders. The Kvarner hart tongue fern, Dalmatian knapweed, Rijeka thistle, Istrian
bellflower, Učka or Tommasini bellflower, Degenia velebitica, karst edelweiss, alpine salamander,
olm (Proteus), Horvath’s rock lizard, Eurasian griffon vulture, dolphin, otter, bear, wolf and
lynx are just a few of the botanical and faunistic peculiarities that inhabit this area where the
Mediterranean, continental Europe and the karstic Dinarides come together.
Some pearls are to be found in the immediate vicinity of human settlements, or even at the very
centre of some towns, like the wonderful parks in Opatija, the forest parks on the island of Lošinj,
or Komrčar forest park on the island of Rab.
The Priroda public institution that manages the county’s protected natural areas, together with
the Risnjak National Park and the Učka Nature Park public institutions, makes every effort to
publish various materials aimed at popularising natural heritage and educating readers about
it. The goal of these materials is to make our valuable natural areas more accessible to the wider
population and to spread the word about their beauty. One such publication is this booklet,
written primarily for tourists and visitors interested in learning more about the protected nature
of Kvarner and spending some memorable moments in it.
Walking in nature offers many possibilities for recreational activities, widening one’s knowledge
and enriching one’s own spiritual world through immediate contact with its valuable natural
areas. This booklet contains a selection of eighteen attractive walks through the protected nature
of the County of Primorje-Gorski kotar. Each area is illustrated with photographs which should
help readers to get a better idea about where they are planning to visit. Also included are basic data
about the protected areas, a description of how to get there, the starting point for the visit, and a
suggested tour. The tour is additionally explained by a graphic representation on the topographic
map and a visualisation of the elevation profile, which also gives the reader a clue about the
difficulty of the route and the amount of effort required to complete it.
It is important to emphasise that one of the basic tasks of public institutions for nature
conservation is the preservation of nature within the protected areas. This aim, however, cannot
be fully achieved without the support of visitors to these areas. Things that we know and love
we preserve more easily and conscientiously. For that reason, this booklet serves not only as an
invitation to get to know and explore the natural heritage of the County of Primorje-Gorski kotar,
but also to encourage every interested person to become more actively involved in protecting it.
Responsibility for taking care of and preserving this county’s valuable areas of nature does not
rest exclusively with the nature protection inspectors, rangers and members of the supervisory
services within the public institutions, or well-meaning local people: visitors too will need to play
an active role if we are ever to achieve an effective level of nature protection
Sonja Šišić,
Director
of the
Priroda
Public Institution