puntar bay

Punat

Punat is a small town situated on the east coast of Puntarska draga (Puntar Bay), on the south coast of the Island of Krk, only 8 km from the Town of Krk.

Signs of inhabitation have been observed since the prehistoric times, including Illyric, Greek and Roman eras. It is believed that the name Punat originates from the Latin word Pons, meaning bridge, because a bridge once possibly existed here, connecting the narrow passage into Puntarska draga from the south. The name itself was first mentioned in written documents in 1377.

The economic base once comprised agriculture, olive growing, fishing, sheep breeding and shipbuilding, especially with wood; presently, the prevailing activity is tourism, especially nautical tourism, in addition to trade. The former activities that survived are fishing and sheep breeding, and almost each family is engaged in olive growing.

In front of the town, in the central part of the shallow bay, lies the woody islet of Košljun. Punat – once a renowned shipyard for wooden boats and headquarters to a powerful steamship company – is now a popular tourist destination, thanks to the appreciation of the excursion/tourist values of the islet of Košljun and one of the largest and best-equipped tourist marinas on the east coast of the Adriatic.

Thanks to the marina’s year-round operation and events such as the Croatia Cup regatta and Olive Days, Punat receives foreign visitors even after the end of the season. Improved beaches and parks, rich vegetation, hotels, guesthouses, holiday houses, the Punat Marina – home port to all those enjoying the beauties of the Croatian sea and islands - sports and recreation options (sailing, diving, skiing, windsurfing, tennis, aqua park, miniature golf, hiking, boccie), homemade food offered in numerous taverns and restaurants, and the cultural offer (especially on the islet of Košljun) make Punat a highly visited tourist center.

Franciscan Monastery Košljun

Only 750 meters from Punat lies the islet of Košljun. It is known for the Franciscan monastery where the monks have collected and preserved numerous valuable items for centuries. The islet has a museum with an ethnographic collection containing numerous items produced by Krk fishermen and farmers, as well as folk costumes from across the Island of Krk.

The monastery also owns a rich zoological collection consisting of a large seashell collection and unique animal specimens, such as the one-eyed lamb. The monastery also has a rich library with around 30,000 titles. It includes the Ptolemy’s atlas printed in Venice in 1511 (one of the three preserved copies). The monastery is a zero category monument. There are two churches on the islet – the Church of Blessed Virgin Mary’s Annunciation and the Church of St. Bernard.

It takes around two hours to see the whole islet, but there are no catering facilities there.