About Lopar

Croatia House Accommodation Lopar, Rab From air

Lopar

Lopar is a peninsula on the island of Rab, widely known as the “sand paradise”. Thanks to its sandy beaches (Podšilo, Ciganka, Rajska, Livačina and Sahara) – which are otherwise quite rare to find – and many hidden coves, it is an ideal place for the most beautiful individual and family holidays in Croatia.

Lopar is surrounded by islands perfectly suitable for excursions (larger are Sveti Grgur and Goli Otok, smaller are Maman, Šailovac, Lukovac, Kaštelina, Stolac and Školjić – just to name a few), and the cave of Medova Buža is also alluring.

As a result of the mixed Mediterranean climate with continental influences the rich flora consists of various species of Mediterranean wild plants. Of the wild animals you can meet rabbits, pheasants, and some birds of prey. The island of Grgur gives home to the larger species of the wild animals (deer, roe deer), and bottlenose dolphins also live in the area’s sea. If you try and you are lucky, you may notice them while being on tour.

 

Cultural heritage of Rab and Lopar

Most of Croatia – counting the coast with islands – has been inhabited, conquered, and liberated throughout its fierce history and each generation has left a part of its significant identity as a legacy. Walls, buildings, cemeteries, and especially medieval buildings mark the special appearance of the island of Rab and other towns and villages.

The recognizable sight of the town of Rab makes the city walls with whom it is surrounded and the four characteristic towers. Getting acquainted with the cultural heritage of Rab can be an intriguing pastime for days with bad weather. You could go through the narrow streets to explore the coats of arms of famous Rab families, squares of Rab, churches of St. Marija, Sv. Andrew, St. John the Evangelist, the Monasteries of St. Anton, St. Euphemia, the Rector’s Palace, the City Lodges, the Dominis-Nimir Palace, etc.

The rich cultural and historical heritage of the town and the island dates to early periods. Numerous prehistoric sites that speak of the continuity of life in this area were found in the early 60’s of last century at as many as nine different locations on the peninsula of Lopar. Numerous historical artifacts found prove that life in this area was very thorough in the time of Roman antiquity.

Lopar Rab accommodation apartments house - Cultural Heritage
Lopar Rab accommodation apartments house - Geology Park

Geopark Lopar

The tireless researchers who are eager to learn more about the history of the place and island should visit the Lopar Geopark. Here at as many as 50 marked points you can see unusually shaped rocks and geological profiles, as well as its rare vegetation. Some parts of the peninsula are rocky, and others covered with solid greenery.

Lopar Geopark has all the attributes of an amazing destination which serious walkers and cyclists can discover on about 20kms of marked roads and trails. Sandy beaches, rocky slopes, karst, and greenery – all are a real gem where you can see fossil remains immortalized in stone. Archaeological excavations have uncovered Stone Age sites with handmade quartz objects. Later graves found showed that the area was inhabited by Liburnians.

Gromačica is a site with a tomb in which bronze objects were found, as well as ceramic vessels attributed to the Romans who lived later.

Saint Marin

Saint Marin is a Christian saint born in Lopar in the beginning of the fourth century and died in 366 in Monte Titano, San Marino. During the persecution of the emperor Diocletian – Marin and his friend Leo left his homeland and in 298 they settled in ruined Rimini where – as stonemasons – they helped in the reconstruction of the city.

At the same time, they spread Christianity and the local bishop, St. Gaudentius ordained them deacons, after which they set out on missions against heretics. On the hill of Monte Titano, Marin settled and in 301 founded the Republic of San Marino, while Leo founded the town of San Leo on the neighboring hill of Montefeltro.

Saint Marin is celebrated on the 3rd of September which is also a national holiday in San Marino. He is the protector of stonemasons, deacons, and false accused.

It is known in the world under the names Marinao, Marinus of San Marino, Marinus the Dalmate and Marinus of Dalmatia, in England “saint Marinus”, and in Italy “san Marino”.

Lopar Rab accommodation apartments house - San Marino
Lopar Rab accommodation apartments house - Gastronomy Croatia, Octopus

Gastronomy

On Rab and Lopar islands along with other places of top tourism by the sea, gastronomy has a special importance such as preparing dishes in traditional way from the best local ingredients. If we just look at the position of the island we can tell that it will much likely determine the customs of eating. It inseparably relies on seafood and the Mediterranean environment. As the traditional way of life on the island is conditioned by fishing and agriculture, on todays life you can easily notice its deep mark. 

Fish and seafood are forming the base in the diet of the domicile population and many visitors and tourists who come to visit Rab. The spread of seafood dishes ranges from sardines through octopuses, groupers, and eels to the fish king dentex. Numerous households and catering facilities prepare and offer various broths, octopus’ salads, octopus with eggs, stuffed squid, mussel, or shrimp buzara, grilled blue fish, scorpionfish in rolls, fish platters, marinades, roasted tuna and many other dishes with different methods of preparation.

Culinary skills and top services in the pleasant Mediterranean atmosphere of the restaurants and catering facilities of the islands of Rab and Lopar guarantee the satisfaction of traditional preparation of dishes from natural and healthy ingredients from the sea and gardens!

Flora

On Rab and on the surrounding islands there are about 780 species of plants and herbs. Earlier there were a lot of downy oaks (on today’s deserted Kamenjak) and today the largest holm oak plantation in the Adriatic (Dundo forest) predominates. Maple (acer) and a rare mountain shrub – mountain savin juniper – grow as a special rare species on Rab. In addition to deciduous trees, there are also pine plantations – Aleppo, coastal, black pine, and stone pine.

The city park Komrčar is considered as a special vegetation jewel in this area planted by human hands, where Aleppo, coastal and black pine, holm oak, spruce, tendon, cypress, cobweb, wild rose, ivy, Indian fig, myrtle, plantain, and many others grow. Rab gives home to the most common plants of the Mediterranean and southern European floral elements – spruce, fig, reed, stink bug, broom, thorn and saltwort.

On saltier soils, closer to the sea, grows the limonium cancellatum – a small and extremely beautiful plant which stands out with its blue bloom on a reddish limestone substrate. The soil around Lopar is sandy but fertile and is suitable for growing vines, olives, figs and other crops. The Lopar pumidor (tomato) and potatoes are especially pricey.

Lopar Rab accommodation apartments house - Flora
Lopar Rab accommodation apartments house - Fauna donkey

Fauna

From the animal species, sheep are bred and in nature the most common are rabbits, pheasants, and some birds of prey. On the nearby Grgur island it is possible to meet large wild animals such as fallow deer and roe deer.

If we take a look in the underwater world of Rab we can see characteristic animals such as seahorses, conger eels, various fish, crabs and shellfish. They inhabit the underwater world and are a real pleasure for those who choose diving. Several groups of bottlenose dolphins also live in the surrounding sea of Lopar. With a little luck you might see them and see memorable scenes of their game.

So far, 5.647 species of invertebrates have been registered in the Adriatic (of which only one species has been recorded as endemic), 451 species of fish (of which 6 are endemic), 3 species of sea turtles (loggerhead turtle, green turtle and seven-striped sedge) and 4 species of mammals. are constantly present here, while several other species occasionally appear, such as the Mediterranean seal and some whales.