Novi Vinodolski is a popular holiday destination in Croatia, offering a combination of extraordinary historical and cultural heritage, as well as beautiful nature.
If you are planning a trip here this year, you need a guide that gives you all the details you need for a flawless vacation – and that’s exactly what I’m going to offer!
I have spent time exploring the old Frankopan castle walls and swimming at The View beach, so I know exactly what makes this town tick. So let’s begin!
How to Get to Novi Vinodolski
Novi Vinodolski is located 30 kilometers away from the airport on the island of Krk and 180 kilometers away from Zagreb’s airport.
I recommend driving – renting a car is always a great idea when exploring the Kvarner region, but keep in mind that parking near the main beaches can get tight during the peak summer months.
Where to Stay in Novi Vinodolski
You have a lot of options in terms of quality accommodation, from higher quality hotels to all sorts of cheaper, yet comfortable apartments scattered throughout the town.
Below you can check out the best hotels in Novi Vinodolski in my opinion. No matter which ones you pick, I am sure you will be extremely satisfied.
Aminess Vival Lisanj Family Hotel
This one is the traditional destination in the area for a long while now. We are talking about a 4-star hotel located in a great spot close to the main beach. It offers spectacular sea views from most of its rooms.
The rooms themselves are nice and spacious, and most of them have unique modern touches. They offer outdoor and heated indoor pools, a spa, and much more. It is a really good option if you want to be right in the heart of things during your stay.
Villa Bellevue
For those who prefer a modern, highly-rated stay with phenomenal amenities, Villa Bellevue is another great 4-star option. It sits a bit further West, about a seven-minute walk from my favorite swimming spot, The View beach.
I am a big fan of this property because it features a beautiful seasonal outdoor swimming pool and the entire place feels fresh and recently updated, with exceptionally clean rooms and modern air conditioning. And the views over the Adriatic – from the rooms and balconies – are breathtaking.
You get free private parking, too, which is always a bonus.
Pansion Ruža
If you want to be right in the center of the action without overspending, Pansion Ruza is a solid mid-range choice. It is located just a few steps from the popular Blue Flag Lišanj beach and only a short walk to the old town center.
I love starting the day here because they serve breakfast on a beautiful, airy terrace with a direct sea view.
The rooms are comfortable and come equipped with all the basics like air conditioning, minibar, and free WiFi.
A quick tip: if you are driving here, finding their specific parking area can be a little tricky. I highly recommend asking the front desk for exact directions before you get into town.
Getting Your Bearings: Map & Layout
A small town with a population of just a bit over 5,000, it is the capital of the riviera with the same name, as well as the Viodol Municipality which consists of several small settlements: Klenovica, Povile, Breze and Bribir.
Novi Vinodolski is located at the edge of Vinodol, the fertile valley of vineyards. In fact, its name comes from the word ‘vinodol’ (wine dale or valley) and it can be translated to something like “The New Wine Valley”.
Fun fact: until 1953, the town was simply called Novi (which literally means “New”).
Back to the town itself, you should know that it consists of two parts: the old town situated on a hill and the new town, concentrated along the city’s harbor with several modern hotels, beaches and other facilities for visitors.
The old town core has developed around the Frankopan castle, built in the mid 13th century to defend the south-eastern entrance to the Vinodolska valley.
So even though you will most likely want to find accommodation and set up your base in the new town, you have plenty of reasons to visit the historical parts as well.
The town itself is part of the Kvarner region and finds itself in the center of a 20-kilometer series of coastal resorts and beaches, stretching from Crikvenica in the north to Smokvica in the south.
Novi Vinodolski map
Let’s take a look at a photo taken near the info center, showing the town itself, with the castle and main attractions in the middle, as well as the new part of town with its beaches to the sides:
We also have a newer map to share and I have marked some of the most important areas below. We’ll talk about them all in more details in this article!
The town itself is part of the Kvarner region and finds itself in the center of a 20-kilometer series of coastal resorts and beaches, stretching from Crikvenica in the north to Smokvica in the south.
You can check out a map of the region below:
Novi Vinodolski is located 30 kilometers away from the airport on the island of Krk and 180 kilometers away from Zagreb’s airport. The vicinity of major motorways makes it easy to reach from all over the country or anywhere in Europe, basically..
Top Attractions in Novi Vinodolski, Croatia
Although you will most likely choose this town for its lovely water and nice beaches (we have an entire chapter dedicated to them below), you should be pleased to hear that there are a lot of things to do in Novi Vinodolski.
Most of the town’s sightseeing highlights are located inside the old town, around the Frankopanski Square and Ivana Mazuranica Square.
You can visit some of the most important town sights here:
Law codex of Vinodol (Vinodolski zakonik): Written in 1288, this is one of the oldest Slavic legal texts in existence. It is the town’s biggest historical claim to fame and an absolute must-know piece of local history.
Frankopan Castle: The historical anchor of the town with its recognizable tower.
National Reading Room and Library: A nod to the strong literary traditions of the area.
People’s Museum and Gallery: Great for a quick dive into local culture and art.
House of Mazuranic Brothers: The former home of prominent Croatian historical figures.
The Glass Chapel: A unique architectural sight worth checking out.
Holy Trinity Church: A beautiful religious building in the heart of the old town.
Best Novi Vinodolski Beaches
While the town doesn’t have beautiful sandy beaches on offer, it makes up for that with its fine pebble beaches, rocky beaches but most importantly, amazing views and perfect water for swimming.
The most popular town beach is called Lisanj, known under the name Glavna Gradska Plaza (Main town beach).
This rather long beach is mix type of beach where you’ll find concrete plateaus, rocks but also fine gravel.
The beach offers sports facilities for children (sand park) and adults (volleyball courts). On the beach you can rent chairs and parasols, and it is equipped with changing cabins, showers and toilets. The beach carries the Blue Flag and is the most popular in the area, stretching over a long distance.
The farther you travel down the Obala kneza Branimira road, the more options you will find. You will see some nice spots between the small cafe called Tennis and the terrace called San Marino. From this area, you can see another attraction in the area, the Church on San Marino Island.
However, my recommendation is to move to the other side of the town and travel West a bit to The View beach. This spot is less popular and has better water in my opinion. Even the small Adria Beach can be a good choice if you are looking to stay away from the crowds.
Also, there are numerous beaches along the 25 km stretch that is the Novi Vinodolski Riviera. Especially popular are the beaches in the following settlements: Povile, Klenovica, Smokvica and Sibinj.
Church on San Marino Island
Just 200 meters away from the town, you can find a small island called San Marino, with an even smaller Gothic church dedicated to Saint Marin. This can be looked at from the shore, and great swimmers even manage to swim to it on a clear day.
Of course, it is not incredibly safe to swim all the way to the Island if you are not experienced. Instead, you can settle for just watching it from the shore or taking one of the many boats that offer a quick ride there. You can even use the island as your base for the day and enjoy the water.
Have in mind, though, that the church is permanently closed, so you can’t visit it – but if you have a chance to get on the island, it can offer a nice distraction.
The Eyes of Vinodol Lookouts
The entire Vinodol area is spotted with beautiful natural sights and we have six lookout points that are now connected together under the project known as ‘The Eyes of Vinodol’.
So another thing that you can do while in Novi Vinodolska is check three of them out and enjoy the beautiful views.
During the building of these viewpoints, particular attention was given to protection of the natural environment with the aim of preserving the distinctive natural features of the local landscape.
A special attention was given in building the suitable roads for easy access by car or bus. In the area of Novi Vinodolski there are three viewpoints:
- Above the village of Ledenica – the viewpoint ‘Gradina’.
- Below the Svibe – lookout ‘Sviba’.
- Krmpota – the ‘Kuk’ lookout.
The other three are in the wider area of Vinodol Municipality:
- Above the village Drivenik – ‘Mahavica’ viewpoint.
- Above the village of Grizane / Tribalj – ‘Pridva’ viewpoint.
- Above the Bribir settlement – ‘Slipica’ viewpoint.
Best Restaurants and Pubs in Novi Vinodolski
You have a lot of options when it comes to trying out traditional Croatian food and taking in the beautiful views that the town offers thanks to its elevated position. Maybe even meet some Croatian women since it’s the season to make new friends!
Most of your options are located along the Lisanj Beach Promenade, but you have some solid options in the old town and even in the Western areas, towards the View beach.
I would go as far as saying that all of them are really good and you would be really satisfied if you chose any random place to eat, but my top recommendations here listed below, with a location link on Google Maps to easily reach them:
- Bistro Tomas, my all-time favorite place in the area. Great food at decent prices.
- San Marino – a terrace I mentioned before. Decent food, great views and close to the beach.
- Novi Val Pizzeria – if you’re looking for great, hearty pizza with that Croat touch (like adding sour cream to your pizza). Worth trying!
- Konoba Hata – a great local tavern with traditional Croatian dishes.
- Caffe bar bistro MARNIE – my favorite spot to enjoy a coffee and a small pastry, overlooking the small marina. Perfection!
Conclusion
And this is my complete travel guide to Novi Vinodolski. I hope I have been able to cover everything you wanted to know and help you better plan your upcoming Croatian stay.
Have fun, soak in the history (and especially the sun), and if you have any additional questions or comments, do not hesitate to let me know by commenting below.