Overtourism destroys a lot of beautiful places on earth, and if prices are any indication, that’s already happened in Croatia’s most popular coastal cities like Split and Zadar. That’s why we went looking for a beachy escape somewhere so obscure that it couldn’t possibly be too crowded even in July. This is how we ended up in Njivice on the island of Krk, which is not nearly as popular or well-known as islands like Hvar or Brač. And Njivice doesn’t even scratch the top three most popular places to stay on Krk.
Why Krk?
Krk is conveniently located in the northern Adriatic Sea, just off the mainland. And unlike most of the islands in Croatia, which you have to take a ferry to, Krk is connected to the mainland by a bridge. As we were traveling quite a long distance from the Czech Republic, we didn’t want to add another hours of time and hassle to get on a car ferry to go somewhere more inconvenient. The location in the north also means that temperatures are slightly milder, especially during the height of summer heat.
Most people visiting Krk stay in Krk Town, which has a lovely historic old town as well as nice beaches, or Baška, which has arguably the largest and most visited beach on the island. As we were traveling with a dog, who would be overwhelmed by the crowds in Krk Town and not allowed on Baška Beach anyway, we went looking for comfortable accommodation walking distance from a dog beach. And thus, we landed on Njivice.
The quaint laid-back charm of Njivice
Njivice is a seaside village in the northwest coast of Krk, which means it’s also one of the closest places to get to on Krk from the mainland. It’s a town of a little over 1,000 people, and the summer influx of European tourists doesn’t seem to add too much strain to the local ecosystem. Local beaches have plenty of room throughout the day, so you don’t have to get up early to find a place to lay out. In fact, the dog beach in Njivice was nearly empty every day until about 10 am. If you’re struggling to find a place to catch some sun, you can always head farther south toward Kijac Beach, which is a beautiful coastal walk that’s about 2.5 km from the marina.
Like most Croatian beaches, the coast is rocky, but the water is clear as glass. Water shoes and raised or padded loungers are a must, though a lot of hardcore tourists lay down their thin quick-dry towels directly on the rocks. Sea goggles are a bonus to fully take advantage of your access of the bottom of the Adriatic and its sea life. Since the island is so green, much of the beaches are shielded from the sun by the shade of trees, at least in the morning. By the end of the day, you can watch the spectacular sunset on the horizon from one of the many bars along the coast.
Undoubtedly, the best thing to do on Njivice is to kick back, relax, and enjoy the surrounding beauty and calm. But if you prefer a more active holiday, there is no shortage of activities in town. You can take off on your own sea adventure on a rental paddleboat, paddleboard, or kayak, or hike down to the next village on the Rajska cesta path, which is about 6 km along the coast. It’s also easy to get to other parts of the island by car like the wine region in Vrbnik or to one of the island’s more popular beaches, though those excursions may require an early start to ensure you find parking. Though most of the popular boat tours like those that take you to Rab and Pag originate in Krk Town, you can still do some cruises from Njivice so you can spend your afternoon sailing around the island of Cres or see the dolphins while the sun sets. Captain Ivan is always on hand at the marina to take you out to sea.
And if all that wasn’t enough to make Njivice a paradise on earth, my favorite thing about the town turned out to be the people. In a place where the foreigners make up much of who you will run into at restaurants and on the beach, the other tourists were couples and families that had traveled down from the Czech Republic or Slovenia or Austria and other parts of Croatia. It seemed like everyone was constantly speaking a different language at each other. And the locals with their dry humor were handily able to keep up, easily switching from German to English to Spanish, and even Czech. It’s the first time in my entire life that I’ve spent a week somewhere and not heard another American – something I was incredibly grateful for, as we are the most obnoxious and loud travelers. There wasn’t an influencer in sight.
Accommodation and dining in Njivice
Aminess Hotels have a monopoly on the northern part of Njivice, providing accommodation that ranges from mid-range hotel rooms to camping lots and large family villas and holiday homes. I originally expected that staying there would make the town feel less authentic, but you’re still only a 10-minute walk to the center of Njivice, where you can get a stiff cocktail at Beach Bar Insula or have fresh calamari at Kod Dide or pick up bread and pastries from Pekarna Barba Tony.
Whether or not you’re staying in an Aminess property, their bars and restaurants are worth a visit, like Il Cantuccio, which has water-side seating and the best pizza in Njivice, and Cabana Bar, which has all the markings of a high-end beach club but with more forgiving prices. They put on live music or show football matches in the evenings, which provides entertainment after the sun has set.
Njivice is a culinary delight, especially if you love seafood. Even our worst meal on the island was pretty good, and the best meals were something to return for. It’s a truly perfect place to enjoy a slow vacation that fits in with the local pace of life – a place to savor your coffee with the town’s locals at Bistro Vinea or to watch the clouds drift by over the water at Chill Beach Bar.
I battled with myself over the possibility that writing about Njivice would only expose this gem of a place to mass tourism and ruin it. But I think the people that would ruin it are probably still trying to get to Hvar and Dubrovnik on their bucket list, so I’m sure Njivice is safe for now.
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