Forget Santorini, Visit Croatia's Underrated Island With Fewer Crowds And Beaches With Turquoise Water

Between picking your destination and booking your flight, there's another hurdle to planning a Mediterranean getaway that can feel like the biggest of them all: finding a beach that isn't overrun. It's only natural that beautiful Mediterranean islands like Santorini attract swarms of vacationers. Luckily, the Croatian island of Cres seems to have avoided much of that tourist frenzy so far. In that regard, Cres isn't as built up for tourism as more well-known Croatian islands, but what it has instead is beautiful landscapes unmarred by mass tourism. Most of the island, besides one more populous town, is blanketed in rugged, forested hills untouched by human interference.

To give you a sense of just how wide-open and untouched Cres is, its size-to-population ratio is a good indicator. Cres is Croatia's largest island, but the population across the whole island is less than that of the Croatian island town of Hvar alone. Cres has one main town (which shares the island's name) and numerous old villages, but not the luxury hotels or nightlife you'd find in places like Santorini. You'll find yourself mostly alone as you wander the pretty coves and cliff sides of Cres's coast, or the steep paths and overlooks of its inland peaks — alone, that is, apart from a watchful presence of rare griffon vultures.

For many visitors to Cres, scoping out its beaches will be a top priority, especially since Croatia is known to have the cleanest swimming waters in Europe. Beachgoers should note that the beaches around Cres tend to be more pebbly than sandy. Cres's beaches are, nevertheless, uniquely beautiful, with their shimmering turquoise waters framed by rocky outcrops and grottoes. 

A favorite (and one of the best beaches in Croatia) is Sveti Ivan Beach on the island's western coast, near the village of Lubenice. It has impeccably clear water you can swim in, lapping a pebbled crescent expanse with green hills rising up behind it. The beach's idyllic charm is only enhanced by its seclusion — it rarely gets crowded, though the tradeoff is that you'll have to trek to get to it. You either hike down a steep path from the village, which takes about 50 minutes, or find a boat to take you there from coastal towns like Cres or Martinšćica — in the latter, Rent A Boat Slatina has a good rating on Google Reviews. But even by boat, it's a long ride that will take all day. 

If you're looking for a spot that you can easily reach from town, Beach Kovačine is likely a better option. It's about a 25-minute walk or 10-minute drive from the center of the town of Cres. It's also got facilities for beachgoers to enjoy, including a couple beach bars, a restaurant, and showers. It can get a bit more crowded during peak season than other beaches around the island, but it's big enough that you can still find space. Beach Kovačine is home to a small, red lighthouse that makes for a pretty sunset spot.

Cres might not be the blissful, uncrowded destination that it is if it weren't for its seclusion. As with all good things, you'll have to put in a bit of work to access it. Arrival by plane or car won't suffice here. You'll have to top off your journey to Cres by boat. One option is to fly into the Rijeka International Airport on the island of Krk. Then, take a bus or taxi to Valbiska, where there's a ferry line with multiple departures to Cres (arriving in the town of Merag) each day.

The town of Cres is the island's most built-up, housing 80% of the island's residents, according to the European Commission. Here, you'll find many apartmani (private apartments rented to tourists). Don't expect the kind of nightlife or action you might find in Dubrovnik, the walkable city Rick Steves called a "living fairy tale." Cres does have some lovely sights, though, like the ancient city gate and the Renaissance-era Moise Palace.

Another option is to stay at one of the island's tiny villages. In the more remote parts of the island, your accommodation options may be limited to camping, though some villages have bed and breakfasts. In Beli, for example, there are room rentals available at Pansion Tramontana, which has 4.5 stars on Google Reviews. Beli could be an interesting place to visit on Cres for wildlife lovers — it's one of the few places in the world serving as a habitat for griffon vultures. You can see some at the local rescue center.