Burek, Shipwrecks and Labyrinths

Tounj is an unassuming small town with a very impressive 2-storey bridge, the only one in Europe. Spanning the Tounjčica River, this unusual structure was built in 2 stages. The lower bridge was constructed in 1775 in honor of King Joseph II and was inspired by Roman architecture. The second level was built on top over 50 years later, in 1836, complete with rows of stone sculptures. Most of these sculptures were destroyed during World War II when the upper level of the bridge was badly damaged. Although repaired in 1973, the remaining statues were only placed back on the bridge about 10 years ago.
Stop at the parking spot on the left just before you go over the bridge. From here, you can walk across the bridge to admire the statues and down the small lane on the other side, from where you’ll get a great view of the arches spanning the river.

Stop here for stunning views before descending down to the coast.

Located in a 16th century building in the historic town of Senj, one of the oldest towns in the Northern Adriatic, Konoba Lavlji Dvor (The Lion’s Palace) serves up a wonderful seafood ‘bazara’. This type of stew is a Dalmatian specialty and is essentially seafood (usually prawns, mussels, or clams) cooked in olive oil, wine, garlic, and herbs. Best eaten with chunks of crusty bread to mop up the juices. If you don’t fancy this, there are plenty of other tasty treats on the menu.

Park here for a fantastic view of Zavratnica Bay. This bay is often called ‘the Croatian fjord’ because the narrow shape is similar to the Norwegian fjords, but it was formed by the river flowing down Velebit mountain, creating a canyon, rather than through glacial melt.
Regardless, it is an absolutely stunning bay, with its crystal-clear turquoise waters framed by high, cliffs dotted with pines. What makes this place even more special though is the mysterious German military ship that was sunk by the Allied Forces during World War II that’s hiding in the shallow waters.
As a non-diver, I’ve always been envious of friends who go wreck-diving, imagining how incredible it must be to swim around the ruins of old ships. What’s so amazing about this place is that you don’t need to be a diver to see this ship. In fact, you don’t even need to get into the water, as you can see the wreck from the clifftop here.
Admittedly, it is more fun to get up close, and the signposted path by the steps here will take you down the cliff to the sea. The path is quite rough and steep in places, so make sure you have appropriate footwear (not flip-flops). There are also no facilities, so bring plenty of water with you. It should take no more than 30 minutes to reach the bay. When you get to the waterfront, follow the path around until you see a small ticket kiosk (around 200 meters from the wreck) where you will need to pay a small entry fee as you are now in a protected ‘nature park’. After this, you can get into the water and swim over to the ship. The bay is only 900 meters deep, so you’ll be able to easily see the wreck.
There isn’t really a beach here, just platforms that you can dry off on, so it’s more of a swim stop than a chill-out, sunbathing place, but it’s well worth the walk there and back to the car to experience such a unique sight. And the views along the walk are lovely too.

I’d never heard of celestial labyrinths until I visited this place, but they are as magical as they sound. A celestial labyrinth is a maze-like structure that is laid out in stones on the ground, the shape being determined by astronomical and cosmic patterns. Unlike a maze, you can’t get lost and walking in the labyrinth is supposed to have a meditative effect, enabling the individual to connect with the energy of that labyrinth, and restore their inner balance.
There are 10 labyrinths laid out along this path leading up the hill, although some are easier to spot than others, and were created by a local woman named Ingrid Karačić Butorac.
The labyrinths are laid out in the following order: love and creation, freedom, transformation, life, emotions, power, energy, connection, and wisdom, with the final one, the Ganesh labyrinth, at the top of the hill. It should take around 20 minutes to walk to the top; look out for wild horses along the way. You can see a map of the labyrinth locations online.

With a lovely location on the harbour front, this restaurant is known for its great fish and seafood dishes. For a light but tasty supper, I recommend a plate of fresh mussels, straight from the sea, served with a basket of crusty bread. If you fancy something more substantial, they also do a very generous mixed fish platter.