Punta Križa: Caves, Trails and Churches

Punta Križa offers a range of things to explore during your stay: a cave in the central part of the town, an extensive network of trails, and churches with very different historical backgrounds. The places and topics below will help you find your bearings.

Cave and Trails in Punta Križa

Jamina Sredi is in the central part of Punta Križa. Archaeological research in the cave uncovered evidence of Paleolithic hunters and Neolithic farmers. The Jami na sredi cave system consists of two interconnected caves. Its stated dimensions are 28 by 16 metres; the interior is 28 metres high and has an opening in the middle. The approach to the cave is steep and slippery.

Punta Križa’s trail network covers a total of 50 kilometres. Trails from Punta Križa lead as far as the southern headland of San Damiano, also called Sveti Damjan. Vela Straža offers a different view of the landscape: it has a viewpoint with panoramic views over Punta Križa. The trail distance, destinations and viewpoint describe different aspects of the local trail network; no single route necessarily connects all the places mentioned.

Churches and Historical Traces

The path to the Church of Our Lady of the Vineyards passes through traditional grazing plots, where sheep still graze. The original Gothic church was incorporated into a larger church in the 18th century. On 2 July, a pilgrimage there traditionally celebrates the Visitation of Mary. The landscape, architectural history and religious custom each give this path its own point of interest.

The churches of Saint Plato and Saint Vitus also tell of different eras. The isolated Church of Saint Plato was built during Byzantine rule, between the 7th and 9th centuries. The Church of Saint Vitus dates from the 12th century and stands on an artificially raised hill above prehistoric burial mounds. In Punta Križa, early sacred buildings and evidence of even older burial sites thus stand side by side.

Additional Attractions in the Wider Destination of Mali Lošinj

The wider destination of Mali Lošinj offers other, distinct cultural attractions. The Apoxyomenos Museum in the centre of Mali Lošinj is dedicated to a single artefact and opened in May 2016 in Kvarner Palace. Fritzi Palace houses the Piperata Collection of Old Masters and the Collection of Croatian Masters by Andro Vid Mihičić; the latter comprises around 360 works of art. These museums focus on different themes from the churches and archaeological traces of Punta Križa.

In Veli Lošinj stands Kula, a freestanding round tower built in the 15th century. Its permanent exhibition covers the history of Veli Lošinj, its immediate surroundings and the southern part of the island of Lošinj, from prehistory to the present, with a particular focus on maritime and tourism traditions. The Osor Archaeological Collection is housed in a Renaissance building constructed in the first half of the 15th century and protected as a cultural monument in 1964.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Ilovik, Veli Losinj, Vele Srakane, Ćunski, Unije, Nerezine, Mali Losinj, Sveti Jakov.

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