The island of Rab was protected by the gods who placed it in the lee of the Velebit range and in the shelter of Mt Kamenjak. This mountain, which might well arouse misgivings with its bare face turned towards the main highway and the Velebit Channel is in fact a real blessing for the island, for it protects it from the icy blasts of the north-easterly or bura, and has a generally beneficial effect on the climatic conditions. Rab is an island of sunshine, and this is no more phrase, for according to statistics it has 2,417 hours of sunshine a year. The sun shines on the island in June, July and August ten hours a day.

 

Island Rab - the southernmost of the islands in the bay of Kvarner

 

Rab is the southernmost of the islands in the bay of Kvarner, with a mostly Mediterranean vegetation. When you have left the bare, somewhat savage looking ferry harbour of Mišnjak, the island begins to be seen in a completely different light. The vegetation is luxuriant, and, because of the Mediterranean climate, as well as with the indigenous holm or holly oak, Rab is covered with evergreen forests.

 

Banjol - sandy beaches and bays

 

A tourist village close to and with a view of the old town centre, known for its sandy inlet beaches – Padova I, II and III – and also featuring the Lungo Mare promenade, and especially its rich cuisine, eco-friendly farm products, wide assortment of accommodation and in the midst of it all the proud figure of its patron St Lucia. Also, on the Šištovica holiday (festival of Our Lady of the Snow), celebrated on the 5th August, visitors can expect traditional entertainment and culture.

 

 

The town of Rab also boasts a long recorded history that dates back to the year 10 BC, when it is mentioned in an old Roman document by which the Roman emperor Octavian Augustus proclaims it a muncipium and grants it independence.

 

Island Rab - FELIX ARBA

 

Before long it was given another rare honorary title, that of FELIX (happy); it bears witness to the fact that Rab was already a fully developed and civilised at the time, providing amenities such as running water, baths, temples, a theatre, and a network of streets, to mention just a few.

 

Many a tourist town would be glad to be located in a place of such abundance as Rab. The fertile soil of Rab, with its fruits, and the surrounding sea, rich in a variety of fish and first-class shrimp – these form the basis of Rab’s healthy Mediterranean cuisine.

 

Island Rab - characteristic Rab delicacies

 

Food here is so rich and so closely tied to the environment that it is even part of the range of souvenirs available on the island: the freshest fish and seafood, the Rab Cake – a unique-tasting cake produced on the island for more than 800 years now – and organically-grown olives, figs, grapes and honey. These are the delicacies on the menu of the many restaurants and taverns, prepared in the traditional way by supreme masters of the kitchen. To discover the cuisine and become intimate with its details is a worthy undertaking, whose reward is enjoyment par excellence./p>

 

The island is a favourite destination of bathers, with the bathing season lasting from May to October and offering an abundance of sandy, pebbly and stony beaches, with something for all: families with children, skilled swimmers and divers, the handicapped and those in the their middle or later years.

 

Edward VIII and Mrs Wallis Simpson

 

Rab also took on a special note with the beginnings of naturism. It was 1936 when English king Edward VIII and Mrs Wallis Simpson, their yacht Nahlin anchored off Rab harbour, visited the old town centre. The city fathers then decided to offer them an excursion to the Frkanj peninsula, which the royal family accepted, and went on to enjoy the first nude swim in the inlet of Kandarola. These were the beginnings of naturism on our island, and the inlet and peninsula have become a paradise for all naturists.

 

Unique in Croatia, the mediaeval summer fair called the Rabska Fjera was first proclaimed on 21st July 1364 and revived in 2002 as a town holiday, and its greatest role is in safeguarding and developing local and traditional values.

 

Participants of the Rabska Fjera

 

The Rabske ferije municipal holidays were proclaimed by the Great Council of the Town of Rab on 21st of July 1364 in honour of King Ljudevit the Great, who liberated Rab from the Venetians, and in honour of St Christopher, patron of the town of Rab, and his powers, which according to legend saved Rab. Participants of the Rabska Fjera are artisans and craftsmen on the island of Rab who make a livelihood from crafts which existed and provided a living for people in the Middle Ages. There are also clubs and societies which voluntarily keep alive traditional crafts, cultivate traditional values, make home-made products and help preserve a way of life. The revived Rabske Fjere are held in a shortened form and last three days: 25th July, (St James’ Day), 26th July (St Anne's Day) and 27th of July (St Christopher's Day), between 9 p.m. and half past midnight.

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The 1364 Mediaeval Games were revived by the Rab Crossbowmen's Association in 1995. In line with historical records, they are held on Victory Day (9th May), Croatia's National Day (25th June), St Christopher’s Day (27th July) and on the Day of the Assumption of Our Lady (15th August).

 

The Association of crossbowmen

 

The weapon of the Rab crossbowman was the mediaeval defensive crossbow with which the people of Rab defended the city from its walls in the 11th century and which were also carried on the galleons of Rab at the famous Battle of Lepanto. The Association was founded solely to revive cultural and historic heritage and to promote the tourism of Rab and Croatia. The Rab Crossbowmen are thus a recognisable island brand, and not only in Croatia since the Crossbowmen have appeared all over Europe promoting the tourism of Rab and of Croatia.

 

At the following links you can view more information related to Rab or your arrival.

• Ferry timetable Stinica - Mišnjak
• Route planner
• TZG Raba
• Weather forecast
• Currency converter
• HAK Road Conditions
• TZ Lopar
• Virtual panoramas

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