Nature Park Učka

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Story of the Park

Učka is the highest Istrian mountain and an area with many reminders of how man can live on the mountain and with the mountain. For centuries, people survived here by tending to domestic animals, cultivating land and using the forest. Human hands have left only good traces – changing the landscape only to the extent that was necessary for harmonious survival in nature, and no more than that. Dry stone walls, shepherd’s huts and field shelters are silent and steadfast witnesses of a new and different ecosystem of Učka. The mountain has been changing its faces over time, but its biodiversity remains preserved.

The mountains of Učka and Ćićarija are different in terms of relief, but they form an integral mountain chain, separated by the mountain pass of Poklon. Rising along the coast of the northern Adriatic, Učka brings together the peninsula of Istria and the mainland of Croatia. A separation line between diverse landscapes, a mountain with the origin of its name still shrouded in mystery, it is a loved and appreciated destination.

The highest peak of the mountain and the Istrian peninsula is Vojak (1,401 meters). On its top, the mountain is marked by exposed grasslands growing on steep slopes. A stone tower was built on the very peak back in 1911, its year of construction still visible on the doorstep.

The tower is a sightseeing point providing a majestic panorama of Istria, the bay of the city of Rijeka, the northern part of the Adriatic and its islands, the Gorski kotar region, and mountains of Velebit and Ćićarija. When bora wind clears the air, one can also see Venice, the bay of Trieste, the Julian Alps, and the Dolomites in Italy.

While Učka has a pronounced mountain ridge, the Ćićarija Mountain’s relief resembles a mountain plateau. The key mountain pass of the region is called Poklon, or Bow – a result of religious folk traditions of the area. When the faithful of Istria would go to a pilgrimage to Our Lady of Trsat, they would bow to the Church of Our Lady in the city of Rijeka, seen from the highest point of the pass located at 922 meters above sea level.

The two mountains, Učka and Ćićarija, circle the Istrian peninsula like an arc, clearly and imposingly separating that region from the mainland. What makes Učka and the Nature Park special are geological, biological and relief characteristics.

Although the area of the Učka Nature Park is small, its biodiversity is considerable. This is the only area in the world where you can take a photo of the stenoendemic plant Campanula tommasiniana – for it grows only on the mountain of Učka. If you are patient when looking towards the sky, you can be rewarded by seeing the flight of griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) or golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos).

As a result of its position, Učka Nature Park includes an interesting mix of continental and Mediterranean species.

The flora of the Park includes approximately 1,300 species. That is a considerable number, compared with the Park surface. Research of the flora has a long tradition in this area, since botanists were the first scientists who visited Učka. Mostly foreign scientists were researching the mountain; in 1838, a major enthusiast for the world of plants, the King of Saxony Frederick Augustus II, visited the Učka Mountain. He was accompanied by the botanist Tommasini and Josip Jelačić, who later became the viceroy of Croatia. Croatian botanists, Ljudevit Rossi (1853-1932) and Dragutin Hirc (1853-1921), also gave valuable scientific contributions.

In the last century, considerable research was dedicated to the rich flora of the protected area. However, one can only conclude that the space for research is still open for new discoveries, because the area itself continues to represent a major source of new knowledge about the plant world. Forests cover seventy percent of the Park’s surface. Beech forests are predominantly littoral, with pronounced Mediterranean characteristics in areas closest to the sea. Subalpine beech forest grows only around the highest peak of Učka. When it comes to less represented forest communities, we should mention the sweet chestnut marron, its fruit being a very popular and tasty local treat.

This chestnut impressed some experienced travelers from previous centuries as well. Natural historian Johann Weikhard von Valvasor was one of them. He noted that there are many vineyards on the slopes of Učka, and that “the grapes are full of good wine.” He also commented on the locals: “... many of them eat other fruits too, such as marrons, and these are big and very thick chestnuts that they also export to distant lands, since entire forests of these chestnuts are growing here.”

Both plant and animal life are not fully researched. Preserved beech forests and wide grasslands are home to many animals, and the presence of large carnivores such as bear, wolf and lynx has also been recorded. The area of the Park is also a habitat of the Eurasian eagle-owl, the biggest owl species of Europe.

There are 167 species of birds. Endangered birds of prey are nesting on inaccessible rocks of the Park. They include the golden eagle (Aquilla chrysaetos) and peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus).

Life on Učka, thousands of years old, has formed a landscape that clearly points to a beautiful and useful coexistence. Livestock breeders used to clear dense mountain forests, in order to obtain grazing areas for their herds. The pastures Gospin Dol and Sapaćica were created in such a manner, as recognizable localities of the mountain in present times. Shepherds did not tend to domestic animals only for meat, but also for milk, and the semi-nomadic lifestyle that characterized them in the past has survived among sheep and goat breeders until the present day.

The formation of landscapes of Učka and Ćićarija was completed In the period from the Middle Ages until the modern era. Potato and corn came from the American continent, as plants that would play a major role in mountain agriculture and nutrition of the locals. Villages used to have up to 600 inhabitants, who were very active economically. Agricultural activities of the mountain population produced cheese and various forest fruits, to meet needs of the regions at the foot of the mountain and on the coast.

The memory of that way of life lives on in the landscapes of terraced gardens, karst valleys, pastures and traditional architectural heritage, from the shepherd’s huts onwards. The settlements of Lovranska Draga and Mala Učka in the area of the Park are particularly interesting in terms of the originality of their ambiance.

The interest for Učka is growing – mountain climbers already know it pretty well, but more and more “ordinary” visitors are discovering the mountain too.

Učka is truly a bow to the visitor, just like the Croatian name of the mountain pass separating Učka from Ćićarija suggests. According to some, the name of the mountain itself actually stems from the word used for wolf. Names of various localities on the mountain stem from the pre-Christian Slavic heritage, on the other hand. For example, the peak of Perun got its name after the Slavic deity Perun. According to the Slavic mythology, Perun is a thunderer, the god of thunder and lightning, and a supreme deity in the pantheon of Slavic gods.

The Učka Mountain – as the peak of Perun undoubtedly testifies – has been enjoying the respect of man for quite some time. According to the Slavic mythology, the world is portrayed as a holy tree, with Perun, the ruler of the world, sitting on its topmost branch and observing the world. The view from Vojak, the topmost peak of the mountain, promises such a special moment. One can only feel gratitude for that experience while descending from the mountain.

Natural Heritage

The plant world of the mountain of Učka abounds with both continental and Mediterranean species, bringing together the mountain cowslip and the rare sub-Mediterranean species gentle snake’s head. The cliffs of the peak ridge of Učka and rocky habitats such as Vela draga, Krvave stijene and Sisolske stijene are nesting grounds of endangered peregrine falcon, common kestrel, eagle owl as the biggest European owl, and the golden eagle.

Chamois also lives here, in the base of rocks in the area. The limestone area of Učka also abounds with fossil remains of bivalves.

Plant world

The first scientists who visited Učka were botanists, and the tradition of botanical research in the area is quite rich. Even the King of Saxony, Frederick Augustus II, visited Učka drawn by its plant world. The future viceroy of Croatia, Count Josip Jelačić Bužimski, was part of his expedition.

Učka Nature Park has quite a peculiar plant world due to its geographical position and climate, resulting in an abundance of continental and Mediterranean species. In the immediate vicinity of a mountain cowslip (Primula auricula), one can thus find a sub-Mediterranean species, such as the gentle snake’s head (Fritillaria orientalis).

Grasslands of Učka and Ćićarija have resulted from thousands of years of forest clearing due to human activity, and they represent a significant treasure trove of plant and animal biodiversity. Grasslands include a range of rare, threatened and protected plant species, such as the great yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea), star gentian (Gentiana cruciata), orange lily (Lilium bulbiferum), narrow-leaved narcissus (Narcissus radiiflorus), but also a multitude of Orchidaceae such as the Adriatic lizard Orchid (Himantoglossum adriaticum), bee orchid (Ophrys apifera), fly orchid (Ophrys insectifera), burnt orchid (Orchis ustulata) and early-purple orchid (Orchis mascula). In order to preserve these species, it is necessary to maintain grassland habitats.

One of the locally most threatened species is the mountain arnica (Arnica montana), losing its habitat and gradually disappearing from grasslands due to the overgrowing of other vegetation on rare mountain grasslands on acidic soils. A similar fate has struck an interesting subspecies of the Siberian iris – Iris sibirica ssp. erirhiza – growing in extraordinarily rare wet grasslands of Ćićarija.

Preserved beech, pubescent oak and sweet chestnut forests of Učka Nature Park are also home to a number of threatened and protected plant species, such as spurge laurel (Daphne laureola) and February daphne (Daphne mezereum), dogtooth violet (Erythronium dens-canis) and martagon lily (Lilium martagon).

Interesting phenomena in the plant world of the Park are plant communities living on steep rocks of the peak ridge, consisting of several endemic species, such as Campanula tommassiniana and Justinian’s bellflower (C. justiniana), and a rare species Arabis scopoliana.

Animal world

Rich and diverse plant vegetation of Učka, coupled with the immediate vicinity of the sea and the position between the peninsula of Istria and the bay of Kvarner, make the area of the Park very interesting, in particular because of its altitude and the characteristics of the animal world.

The peak zone of Učka is a strict protection zone due to important habitats and their valuable fauna. Isolated population of endemic and relic species Horvath’s rock lizard (Iberolacerta horvathi) lives on rocks in the area, and beech forests are home to alpine salamander (Salamandra atra), whose isolated population recorded on Učka is one of the few such populations in Croatia. And, as a bird lover looks into the air, patience will be rewarded by an impressive silhouette of griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) flying above the Park, looking for food.

Several other endangered bird species are nesting on the cliffs of the peak ridge of Učka, but also on other rocky habitats such as Vela Draga, the rocks of Krvava stijena and the area of Sisol, including peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) and eagle owl (Bubo bubo) as the biggest owl species of Europe; there are also as many as three pairs of golden eagle (Aquila chryaetos) living in the area. Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) can also be seen on rocks in the Park, impressive in its capacity to move through the inaccessible terrain.

The spacious slopes of Učka include dense stands of well-conserved littoral beech forests that are home to tawny owl (Stryx aluco) and the attractive species Ural owl (Stryx uralensis), and also to several woodpecker species, with black woodpecker (Dryocopos martius) as the most intriguing representative of that group.

Ancient forests of the Park are also inhabited by many insect species feeding on dead wood, such as rosalia longicorn (Rosalia alpina) and stag beetle (Lucanus cervus). In the past, a significant portion of forest areas was covered in grasslands, and small remaining grassland surfaces include a remarkably diverse bird fauna (e.g. ortolan bunting – Emberiza hortulana), but also many invertebrate species. When it comes to the latter, butterflies stand out in particular when it comes to the diversity of species.

Some of the more interesting butterfly species are the marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia), olive bee hawk (Hemaris croatica), Cleopatra butterfly (Gonepteryx cleopatra), mountain alcon blue (Phengaris alcon "rebeli"), Arran brown (Erebia ligea) and the clouded Apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne).

The porous subterranean karst of the mountain is home to several species characteristic for Učka. For example, a cavern in the Učka Tunnel is the only place in the Park where the subterranean beetle species Croatodirus bozicevici was discovered; crustacean species Thaumatoniscellus speluncae was discovered for the first time in the locality of Jama near the creek of Banina.

The subterranean world is also a hiding place of bats, a peculiar group of mammals that spend most of their life upside down. Among bat species living in the area, there are two species protected at the European level: Bechstein's bat (Myotis bechsteinii) and the intriguing species lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros).

Geology

Rocks that the mountain of Učka is made of arose from the vast ancient ocean of Tethys, in a long geological development from the Cretaceous period 140 million years ago until the mid-Tertiary period 30 million years ago.

Waters of that ocean were inhabited by numerous organisms protected by hard shells. With the sedimentation of their remains over a period spanning millions of years, the layers of sediments that resulted from that process gradually turned into a firm rock – limestone.

That is why it is easy to find various fossil remains in the limestone Učka is made of, including rudist bivalves over ten centimeters long and Nummulites, the biggest single-cell animals that have ever lived on the Earth. Such finds have also been discovered in the building blocks of the Pyramid of Cheops.

The collision of the African plate with the European plate, that began towards the end of the Cretaceous period 65 million years ago and is still ongoing, eventually resulted in shrinking of the ancient ocean, coupled with strong movements of the Earth’s crust.

The originally horizontal layers that sedimented on the bottom of the ocean began wrinkling, breaking and rising from the sea, thus creating major mountain chains such as the Alps and the Dinarides, with Učka a constituent part of that process. Gradual wearing of these layers resulted in undersea avalanches that brought fine sediment into the deeper parts of the sea, resulting in layered rocks we refer to as flysch.

Such prevailing limestone-flysch structure of Učka resulted in the current relief of the mountain, still shaped by waters, ice, wind, sun and various organisms. In areas without flysch, waters quickly disappear into the underground, dissolving the already cracked surface of limestone rocks, but also the subterranean layers. That is the reason why Učka is marked by relatively modest surface water flows, but also by an abundance of speleological phenomena.

In addition to numerous caves and pits, one cavern is particularly interesting. It was discovered during the construction of the tunnel passing through Učka in 1977. Beetle species Croatodirus bozicevici was discovered on the site, as the species living only in the subterranean world below the mountain of Učka according to current findings. Underground watercourse found in the cavern represents a source of potable water to most of the area of Liburnia.

The destructive effect of water on limestone rocks has also resulted in the creation of Vela draga, a protected geomorphological nature monument located in the Park. It is marked by impressive limestone pillars in a canyon bordered by steep stone cliffs. It is a space with a long tradition of mountain climbing, and it was once home to golden eagles. These steep cliffs, with cascades occasionally appearing on them, point to the fact that the relief of the mountain is still relatively young and in the process of permanent change, its future shape remaining to be seen.

The area of the Nature Park has been inhabited since ancient history, as can clearly be seen in numerous remains of traditional rural architecture. One of the key forms of that heritage on the mountains of Učka and Ćićarija is podzemuljka, a bungalow-type house with tornica, an add-on that served as fireplace. The original musical heritage can be seen in unique instruments such as cindra, a tamburitza-type instrument with two strings.

The linguistic heritage is also special, including the Istro-Romanian language, brought by the Istro-Romanians into this area towards the end of the Middle Ages. With only around 300 remaining speakers, this language is listed in the Red Book of Endangered Languages.

Tangible haritage

The base and the slopes of Učka and Ćićarija have been continuously settled by man since prehistoric times, as witnessed by numerous archaeological finding sites, the remains of fortifications and medieval towns, as well as by rural architecture.

Cave localities are valuable archaeological finding sites. They include important traces of human presence since the end of the Paleolithic period and the most recent ice age 12,000 years ago.

There are around twenty such localities in the area of the Park and around it, with one cave complex particularly interesting, located near the locality of Pupićina peć in the lower part of Vela draga.

During the Bronze Age and the Iron Age, the prevailing forms of settlements were hill forts, built on elevations typically located in important geostrategic positions, above key routes and at lookout points, and near water sources.

There are around fifteen such localities in the area of the Park and in its immediate vicinity. With the Roman conquest in the 2nd century B.C. the area became part of the culture of Classical antiquity.

The Roman state built several roads over the massifs of Učka and Ćićarija, coupled with the infrastructure for their monitoring and maintenance.

In the Middle Ages, various forces and states aiming to prevail in this area were focused on consolidating their military positions and power by building fortifications and citadels. The fortification of Kožljak is one such prominent example in the Park, built by Frankish vassals around the 11th century.

The modern period in the area was predominantly marked by the Austro-Hungarian rule. Tangible heritage stemming from that period includes several cultural and sacral sites, as well as examples of public architecture connected with roads, waters, forests and initial stages in the development of tourism.

The bulk of architectural heritage of the area, not tied to any particular period, is rural architecture. All settlements in the Park are rural in character, and particularly original examples of such heritage include Lovranska Draga, Mala Učka and Vela Učka, Brest pod Učkom and Brgudac. When it comes to smaller, abandoned hamlets, we should certainly mention Trebišća, Petrebišća and Podmaj.

One of the key forms of traditional rural architecture on Učka and Ćićarija is pozemuljka, a bungalow-type house with tornica, an external add-on resembling an apse that served as a fireplace. The seasonal character of life of the locals, who would migrate to higher elevations with their livestock over the summer months, also left its mark on traditional architecture.

Dvori, modest facilities with a rectangular layout made of dry stone walls, can be found throughout the Park. They served as shelter for sheep and as temporary residence for people when they were far away from their houses.

The origin of dry stone wall construction technique in karst areas is closely connected with the abundance of stone. Archaeological findings enable us to observe its development since prehistoric times, when man started cultivating the land and enclosing it with stone fences. Such initial use of stone was later expanded by building dry stone wall shelters for people and the protection of livestock.

Intangible heritage

The area of Učka Nature Park has been an area of continuous settlement and human activity for the past 12,000 years. Intangible cultural heritage of the Park consists of speech, customs, beliefs, knowledge and skills of the local community, but also objects, artifacts and living beings connected with them. Intangible heritage speaks of the very essence of life on Učka.

Human activity has shaped the landscape of Učka and Ćićarija, and the main construction material – stone – was provided by the karst on which the population lived. The dry construction technique did not require any binding material, but it did require major skill entailed in the construction dry stone walls, which is why this construction method is protected as an intangible cultural good.

Livestock breeding is a constituent part of the tradition of sustainable nature management thousands of years old. It has resulted in a mosaic landscape of forests and grasslands. Within the Park, one can still come across herds of Istrian pramenka sheep, a protected autochthonous breed.

The most important product of livestock breeding is sheep cheese. The recipe and method of cheese production in the area date back to the Roman times, and they are still used in family tradition of the locals who produce the cheese today.

Traditional agriculture had to adjust to a relatively harsh mountain climate and scarce arable land. Many specific local varieties have developed as a result, for example cabbage Brassica oleracea and grapevine zvonejska jarbola. Centuries-old plantations of sweet chestnut marron still grow on the southeastern slopes of the mountain, and the chestnut fruit is one of the symbols of the area of Lovran.

In addition to traditional knowledge and skills, the area of Učka is rich in oral tradition. In diverse stories of that tradition, fantasy beings such as krsnik, štrigon and forest genies also play an important role. One of the surviving legends tells about how the fairies of Učka built the Roman Arena in Pula overnight.

The hill of Perun, named after the supreme old Slavic deity, testifies that this area was very significant for the first Slavic inhabitants of the region of Kvarner.

The original music heritage, that includes original instruments (such as cindra – a tamburitza-type instrument with two strings), melodies and singing techniques, is still preserved by individuals and folklore groups. Istro-Romanian language, brought to this area by the Istro-Romanians towards the end of the Middle Ages, has only around 300 remaining speakers in Croatia, and it is listed in the Red Book of Endangered Languages.

This splendor of tangible and intangible cultural heritage in the region can still be seen in the Učka’s Fair, organized every year by the Public Institution managing the Učka Nature Park. Visitors thus have the opportunity to get acquainted with the heritage by tasting traditional food, enjoying the presentations of old crafts and customs, and listening traditional music.

Author: Arhiva PP Učka

Author: Dijana Župan

Author: Anita Hodak

Author: Arhiva PP Učka

Author: Karmen Augustin

Author: Arhiva PP Učka

Accommodation and catering

Hotels, boarding houses, tourist apartments and villas are all available. Opening hours vary considerably, so it is advisable to plan the visit in advance, and to inquire about the availability of accommodation and the level of service.

Restaurant and boarding house - Učka

Opening hours: 9:00 till 23:00

Vela Učka bb, 51414 Ičići

Web: www.pansion-ucka.com/index.php/hr/

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 00385 (0)51 516 899

Mountain lodge - Poklon

The mountain lodge is open only on weekends. It has 14 beds in two rooms. There is no shower.

The facility is managed by the mountaineering association PD Opatija

Web: www.pdopatija.hr

Contact person: Mirjana Brumnjak, President of the Association

Cell: 00385 (0)98 297 433

Mountain lodge - Korita

The mountain lodge is open only on weekends.

The facility is managed by the mountaineering association PD Glas Istre

Contact person: Boris Doblanović

Cell: 00385 (0)98 701 535

Hotel - Draga di Lovrana

Lovranska Draga 1, 51415 Lovran

Web: www.dragadilovrana.hr

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 00385(0)51 294 166
Fax: 00385(0)51 291 826

Vila - Sirotnjak

Lovranska Draga 10, 51415 Lovran

Web: www.traveladriatic.net/hr/user/villasirotnjak/

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 00385 (0)51 291 348
Cell: 00385 (0)91 429 1348

Summer house - Ivančić

Brgudac

Phone: 00385 (0)51 715 535

Cell: 00385 (0)91 534 0500

Apartment - Vista

Brest pod Učkom 50, 52426 Lupoglav

Web: www.istra-apartman-vista.com

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 00385 (0)52 653 253

Cell: 00385 (0)97 736 7420

There are eight cycling trails on Učka. The longest one includes 52 kilometers of a rather demanding route, and the shortest trail is 12 kilometers long and fairly easy. Visitors interested in exploration of the trails can rent popular electric bikes. Due to extraordinary vistas, the trails are very popular and appreciated in the cycling community; most require good fitness level and experience.

Trail 1

Trail 1 (the right trail loop) begins and ends in front of the Brdo hunting lodge. It passes through beech forest along the eastern slopes of the mountain of Učka. The tour takes 2 hours.

Trail length: 15.3 km

Elevation difference: 200 m

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, summer, autumn

Bicycle rental possibilities: Electric bike rental available

Trail type: 100% gravel

Note: Medium difficulty trail

Trail 2

Trail 2 (the left trail loop) begins and ends in front of the Brdo hunting lodge. It passes through beech forest along the eastern slopes of the mountain of Učka. The tour takes 2 hours.

Trail length: 15.3 km

Elevation difference: 200 m

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, summer, autumn

Bicycle rental possibilities: Electric bike rental available

Trail type: 100% gravel

Note: Medium difficulty trail

Trail 3

The trail begins in the village of Brgudac on the mountain of Ćićarija, passing through Moljevi dvori and ending in Brgudac. The tour takes one hour and 20 minutes.

Trail length: 12 km

Elevation difference: 58 m

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, summer, autumn

Bicycle rental possibilities: Electric bike rental available

Trail type: 60% dirt trail, 30% gravel, 10% asphalt

Note: Easy trail

Trail 4

The trail passes along the western slopes of Učka. It begins in the village of Mala Učka and continues along a gravel road towards Vela Učka. After 500 meters, the trail turns left in the direction of the peak of Bodaj, offering a wonderful view of the landscapes of central Istria and the peak of Učka. From Bodaj, the trail leads the same way back towards Mala Učka. The tour takes 2 hours.

Trail length: 17 km

Elevation difference: 200 m

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, summer, autumn

Bicycle rental possibilities: Electric bike rental available

Trail type: 100% gravel

Note: Medium difficulty trail

Trail 5

The trail begins in front of the mountain lodge on Poklon and leads along an asphalted road to Vojak, the highest peak of the Nature Park. The tour takes one hour.

Trail length: 14 km

Elevation difference: 465 m

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, summer, autumn

Bicycle rental possibilities: Electric bike rental available

Trail type: 100% asphalt

Note: Medium difficulty trail

Trail 6

This trail is intended for cyclists who have sufficient cycling skills and fitness level for extreme uphill and downhill rides. The trail begins at Poklon and takes cyclists to the most interesting nature sites on Ćićarija - Gospin dol, Bončić lodge, and Brdo hunting lodge - before returning back to Poklon. The tour takes 3 hours.

Trail length: 25.7 km

Elevation difference: 267 m

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, summer, autumn

Bicycle rental possibilities: Electric bike rental available

Trail type: 85% gravel, 15% asphalt

Note: Difficult trail

Trail 7

This trail is intended for cyclists in good physical shape who love the challenges of very demanding climbs and downhill rides with frequent slope changes, ranging from mild to very steep. The initial couple of kilometers of the trail overlap with the route of Trail 6, and Trail 7 then branches towards the village of Brest. After Brest, what follows is a new climb, and after that the trail finally reaches Poklon. The tour takes 3 hours.

Trail length: 25 km

Elevation difference: 468 m

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, summer, autumn

Bicycle rental possibilities: Electric bike rental available

Trail type: 95% gravel, 5% asphalt

Note: Difficult trail

Trail 8

This most demanding trail begins in Lovran and continues along an asphalted road towards Mošćenička Draga and Mošćenice (Sv. Jelena village). That is where the climb towards the peak of Bodaj begins, with the trail continuing to the village of Mala Učka, and then descending to the entry to the Učka tunnel on the Kvarner Bay side. Continuing to Tuliševica, the trail gradually starts descending towards Lovran after reaching the Lovran - Lovranska Draga road. After 52 kilometers, cyclists return back to the starting point. The tour takes four and a half hours.

Trail length: 52 km

Elevation difference: 1019 m

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, summer, autumn

Bicycle rental possibilities: Electric bike rental available

Trail type: 40% asphalt, 60% gravel

Note: Difficult trail

Opatijska planinarska obilaznica, a hiking tour near the town of Opatija, is a very popular 45-kilometer long hiking trail, quite diverse in terms of its difficulty level, ranging from easy to medium-difficulty. The trail leading to Vojak, the highest peak of the mountain of Učka, is a medium-difficulty trail, and the belvedere on it that became a recognizable symbol of the Nature Park is one of the attractions making this trail one of the favorable destinations of hikers.

Poklon – Vojak

This hiking trail is the most popular trail available. It begins at the Poklon mountain pass and leads hikers to Vojak, the highest peak of the Nature Park, taking them through coastal and subalpine beech forest. The tour takes one and a half hour.

Trail length: 4 km

Trail difficulty: Medium difficulty

Elevation difference: 474 m

Recommended time of year for visit: Throughout the year, except in high snowfall conditions during winter.

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Availability of drinking water: Available

Istrian Hiking Trail (Istarski planinarski put, IPP)

The Istrian Hiking Trail (Istarski planinarski put, IPP) is trail linking the most beautiful mountains and landscapes of Istria. Stages 5 and 6 of the trail pass through the Učka Nature Park.

The starting point is the mountain lodge Na Koritima, that can be reached from the village of Brgudac along the hiking trail Brgudac-Korita taking 45 minutes. The trail than continues towards Veli Planik via Poklon to the peak of Vojak. From Vojak, the trail descends to the village of Mala Učka via Sedlo. The village of Mala Učka is where the 5th stage of the Istrian Hiking Trail ends. That stage requires 8 to 9 hours of hiking. Its total length is 18.6 kilometers, with 440 meters of elevation difference.
Stage 6 of the Istrian Hiking Trail continues from the village of Mala Učka to the peak of Brgud, passing through the abandoned shepherds' village of Podmaj and the mountain pass of Bodaj along the way. After that, it continues to the peak of Kremenjak and to the mountain pass of Prodol. From Prodol, the trail continues to the peak of Šikovac, and then to the peak of Sisol, after which it descends to Plomin. The 6th stage of the Istrian Hiking trail ends in Plomin and requires 10 to 11 hours of hiking. Its total length is 22.8 kilometers, and its elevation difference is 890 meters.

Trail length: 41.4 km

Trail difficulty: Easy

Elevation difference: 1010 m

Recommended time of year for visit: Throughout the year, except in high snowfall conditions during winter.

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Availability of drinking water: Available

Note: Tour of the Istrian Hiking Trail requires two days of hiking.

Opatija Hiking Trail

Opatija Hiking Trail is a loop trail beginning in Opatija. It requires 15 and a half hours of hiking in two days, with the possibility of overnight stay at Poklon mountain lodge. The trail, mostly passing through the area of the Nature Park, provides hikers with the opportunity to climb 14 peaks. For more information, please contact the mountaineering association PD Opatija.

Trail length: 45 km

Trail difficulty: Easy / medium difficulty

Elevation difference: 0 m

Recommended time of year for visit: Throughout the year, except in high snowfall conditions during winter.

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Note: Tour of the Opatija Mountain Trail requires two days of hiking.

Lovran – Liganj – Grnjač – Sedlo – Vojak

The trail begins in the coastal town of Lovran. After a 45-minute climb that includes stairs and a road crossing, hikers reach the settlement of Liganj, where the administrative building of Učka Nature Park is located. The trail continues to the peak of Grnjač, and then proceeds to the mountain pass called Vrata and to the locality of Sedlo. From Sedlo onwards, what remains is a 30-minute climb to Vojak, cut by a road.

Trail length: 7.4 km

Trail difficulty: Medium difficulty

Elevation difference: 1401 m

Recommended time of year for visit: Throughout the year, except in high snowfall conditions during winter.

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Poklon – Veli Planik

The hiking trail begins at the mountain pass of Poklon and continues along an asphalted road in the direction of the mountain lodge. After 50 meters, the trail turns left to a forest road. The trail leads through forests, meadows and karst terrain, taking about two hours of hiking to reach Veli Planik.

Trail length: 7.5 km

Trail difficulty: Easy

Elevation difference: 400 m

Recommended time of year for visit: Throughout the year, except in high snowfall conditions during winter.

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Vela draga canyon is a genuine climbers’ attraction. With 62 routes, it is one of the most attractive climbing sites of Croatia, visited by rock climbers throughout the year. Limestone pillars and rocks of Vela draga are ideal for this type of sport, and the Italian climber Emilio Comici was the first person to discover that, having climbed the first route at Vela draga back in 1931.

Sector Nad tunelom

Vela draga canyon

Number of routes: 7

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, autumn, winter

Route grade: From 6a to 7a

Sektor Okno

Vela draga canyon

Number of routes: 6

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, autumn, winter

Route grade: From 5b to 7a

Sector Furija

Vela draga canyon

Number of routes: 1

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, autumn, winter

Route grade: 6a

Sector Rukavica i Ploče

Vela draga canyon

Number of routes: 25

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, autumn, winter

Route grade: From 4a to 7b

Sector Castello

Vela draga canyon

Number of routes: 7

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, autumn, winter

Route grade: From 6a to 7b

Sector Veli toranj

Vela draga canyon

Number of routes: 13

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, autumn, winter

Route grade: From 4b to 7b

Sector Sjeverna stijena

Vela draga canyon

Number of routes: 7

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, autumn, winter

Route grade: From 4 to 7

Vojak take-off site is at 1396 meters above sea level. Same as the Brgud take-off site, which is at a lower altitude, it is suitable for hang gliders and paragliders. The landing area for both take-off sites is Boljunsko polje.

Take-off site Vojak

This site is located at the peak of Vojak at 1396 meters above sea level. It is suitable for hang gliders and paragliders. An inclined platform and a nearby grass surface are used for takeoff.

Landing site: Boljunsko polje

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Accessible

Take-off site Brgud

This site is located below the peak of Brgud at 810 meters above sea level, on the western slope of Učka. It is suitable for hang gliders and paragliders. A grass surface is used for takeoff.

Landing site: Boljunsko polje

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Accessible

The Park includes five very attractive educational trails, passing along the peak ridges of Učka, several mythical historical places, a cascade and Vela draga as a geomorphological monument of nature. The trail called Malikova staza, suitable for youngest visitors as well, provides a wealth of information about the cultural and historical heritage of the area, and about the animal world.

Educational trail Plas

The trail begins approx. 300 meters below Vojak. It passes along the slopes of the peak ridge of Učka, a uniquely important area due to its geological origin and rare endemic plant and animal species. The educational trail also passes through a dense coastal beech forest, and it includes rest areas and viewpoints offering views of the hills of Istria and Ćićarija.

Interpretation panels placed along the trail provide information on unique natural characteristics of the area and on the origin of the karst terrain and biodiversity.

Trail length: 2 km

Duration: 1 – 1,5 h

Elevation difference: 130 m

Recommended time of year for visit: Throughout the year

Suitable for individual / group visits: Individual and group visits

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Trail type: Forest path 100%

Number of interpretation panels: 18

Mythical historical trail Trebišća – Perun

The trail provides insight into ancient myths reflected in the landscape. On the eastern slopes of Učka (above the beach in Mošćenička Draga), there is a deep canyon that carried major mythical significance in the past. For the ancient Slavic population that reached the bay of Kvarner, the slopes of Učka were holy places connected with the cycle of life. The mythical historical trail Trebišća – Perun acquaints us with the Slavs and their history, visible in many traces. The trail passes through pristine nature and preserved hamlets of the canyon of Potoška vala, taking us all the way to the peak of Perun (880 m.a.s.l.).

The Trebišća – Perun trail takes a full day of hiking. A tour of the trail requires good fitness level and suitable footwear and clothes, as well as sufficient quantity of drinking water and food. The only reliable source of drinking water along the way is in the hamlet of Trebišća.

Trail length: 15 km

Duration: 7 hours

Elevation difference: 843 m

Recommended time of year for visit: Throughout the year

Suitable for individual / group visits: Individual and group visits

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Trail type: Asphalt 20%, gravel 10%, forest path 70%

Number of interpretation panels: 13

Walking trail Slap

The walking trail Slap passes through the area of Lovranska Draga, one of the most beautiful and remarkable torrent valleys on the eastern slopes of Učka.

The walking trail leads to a waterfall that obtains water from several springs within the canyon, with the stream entering into the sea at Medveja. On the path towards the waterfall, visitors pass through sweet chestnut plantations, oak and hornbeam forest, and old terraces that were once cultivated. There is a resting place next to the cascade.

Trail length: 0.8 km

Duration: 30 minutes

Elevation difference: 84 m

Recommended time of year for visit: Throughout the year

Suitable for individual / group visits: Individual and group visits

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Trail type: Asphalt 25%, forest path 75%

Number of interpretation panels: 4

Educational trail Vela draga

The impressive canyon of Vela draga is a geomorphological monument of nature, and the educational trail of the same name passes along its edge. The trail includes information boards in four languages - English, German, Italian and Croatian. Hikers that take this trail can also learn about the importance of alpinism in the area. Back in 1931, alpinist Emilio Comici climbed the first rock-climbing route at the site of Veliki toranj.

Vela draga is a well-known climbing site among Croatian and European rock climbers and sport climbers.

Trail length: 1.4 km (without descending to the canyon) or 2.5 km (with descent to the canyon)

Duration: 40 minutes (without descending to the canyon) or 1.5 hours (with descent to the canyon)

Elevation difference: 138 m

Recommended time of year for visit: Throughout the year

Suitable for individual / group visits: Individual and group visits

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Trail type: Forest path 100%

Number of interpretation panels: 14

Trail Malikova staza

Malikova staza educational trail is suitable for the youngest visitors of the Nature Park, and it is used for various School in Nature programs. The trail begins at the mountain pass of Poklon, passing through a beech forest with hazel and ending on a meadow next to the creek of Banina, on a locality known as Rečina.

The trail includes interactive sculptures/panels informing visitors about the cultural and historical heritage of the area and about the plant and animal species in the Park.

Trail length: 2.5 km (or 4 km if returning to Poklon)

Duration: 2 – 3 hours

Elevation difference: 195 m

Recommended time of year for visit: Throughout the year

Suitable for individual / group visits: Individual and group visits

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Trail type: Gravel 50%, forest path 50%

Number of interpretation panels: 7

Stražica – Sapaćica Land Art Trail

This loop trail represents a mix of land art interventions and natural beauty of the southern areas of the mountain of Ćićarija, around the cliffs of Stražica and the pastures of Sapaćica. The trail is not demanding, so it is also suitable for parents with children, senior citizens and all other visitors eager to enjoy a pleasant and easy walk through nature.

The guiding principle of the trail is to develop awareness on the importance of the link between man and nature. Regardless of the alienation and quick pace of the modern lifestyle, man is still a constituent part of nature. Therefore, as you walk the trail, make sure to breathe in the scents of the forest, hear its sounds, feel the moist soil on your fingers, and sense the mighty energy of nature around you. Do not forget to look for land art designs that will make you ponder and meditate. Take a pause in silence, feel the nature and link up with it as you watch artworks in the area.

Trail length: 6.5 km

Duration: 2 – 3 hours

Recommended time of year for visit: Throughout the year

Suitable for individual / group visits: Individual and group visits

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Trail type: Gravel 50%, forest path 50%

Number of interpretation panels: 2

Intended for elementary, high school and university students, schools in nature include the possibility of hiking along educational and hiking trails, all depending on visitors’ wishes and consultations with the Park staff. The programs explore the abundance of what Učka Nature Park can offer, ranging from the plant and animal world to cultural and historical heritage and geomorphological phenomena.

Trail tour / kindergarten

We offer our youngest visitors the opportunity to take an unforgettable walk along one educational trail through the wonderful environment of the Nature Park, with several educational trails on offer:

1) Geological educational trail Vela draga
2) Lovranska Draga – walking trail Slap
3) Vela Učka
4) Educational trail Malikova staza

The program provides children with the opportunity to experience and get acquainted with the amazing world of nature, to learn to love and cherish that world, and to discover how they can protect and conserve it.

Target age group: Kindergarten

Duration: 1.5 to 3 hours

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, autumn

Suitable for individual / group visits: Group visits

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Trail tour and workshop Learn About the Nature Park / kindergarten

1) Geological educational trail Vela draga
2) Lovranska Draga – walking trail Slap
3) Vela Učka
4) Educational trail Malikova staza

In consultation with the teaching staff, the content of the program can be amended by choosing one of the fun workshops on offer, designed to acquaint children with nature through play and research activities in an interesting manner and adjusted to their age, while supporting their creative expression. Workshop topics on offer include the following:
living world of a creek; spring plants; fruits of autumn; domestic and wild animals; tree bark and leaves, mimicry; make your own fossil; memory play; art workshops; ...

Target age group: Kindergarten

Duration: 1.5 to 3 hours, plus 30 minutes for the workshop

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, autumn

Suitable for individual / group visits: Group visits

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Trail tour / elementary school

The idea behind the program is to enable children to spend part of the teaching process in a natural setting and to get acquainted with animate and inanimate nature, discovering its diversity, mutual connections and dynamism, as they develop respect towards natural and cultural heritage and a responsible attitude towards the environment.

The program includes a tour of one educational or hiking trail with expert guidance by teachers. There are several trails on offer:
1) Educational trail Malikova staza
2) Geological educational trail Vela draga
3) Lovranska Draga – walking trail Slap
4) Vela Učka
5) Vela Učka – Mala Učka
6) Brgudac – excursion site Korita
7) Poklon – Vojak – educational trail Plas
8) Mythical historical trail Trebišća – Perun

Target age group: Elementary school (grades 1 to 8)

Duration: 1.5 to 4.5 hours

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, autumn

Suitable for individual / group visits: Group visits

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Trail tour and workshop Learn About the Nature Park / elementary school

In consultation with teaching staff, the content of the program can be amended by choosing one of the many workshops on offer. The workshops include active participation of children as they discover the diversity of natural and cultural heritage. The topics on offer include the following:
living world of a creek; spring plants; fruits of autumn; domestic and wild animals; medicinal plants; tree bark and leaves; traces; mimicry; bird feathers; birds of the Učka Nature Park; social insects; vegetation of Vela draga; memory plays; art workshops; timeline; mapping; make your own fossil; ...

Target age group: Elementary school (grades 1 to 8)

Duration: 1.5 to 4.5 hours, plus 30 minutes for the workshop

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, autumn

Suitable for individual / group visits: Group visits

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Educational program with working materials Learn About Učka Through Play / elementary school

The idea behind this program is to enable children to get in direct contact with nature and to engage in active exploration and learning, in order to obtain valuable knowledge and skills and to develop positive attitudes towards environmental and nature conservation and a healthy lifestyle.

The program begins in a specially prepared "classroom" in nature, where children use working materials suitable for their age to answer questions and learn about the code of conduct in protected areas. They also play with wooden puzzles with pictures of the flora and fauna of the Park.

After that part of the program, what follows is a tour of the educational trail Malikova staza with teachers as guides, coupled with teamwork through joint assignments.

Target age group: Elementary school (grades 1 to 4)

Duration: 4 hours

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, autumn

Suitable for individual / group visits: Group visits

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Trail tour / high school and university

High school and university students are recommended to take a tour of one of the attractive educational or hiking trails on offer, coupled with interpretation of natural and cultural characteristics of the Park:

1) Geological educational trail Vela draga
2) Lovranska Draga – walking trail Slap
3) Vela Učka – Mala Učka
4) Brgudac – excursion site Korita
5) Poklon – Vojak – educational trail Plas
6) Mythical historical trail Trebišća – Perun

As they get acquainted with the cultural and historical heritage of the area and with plant and animal species living in the Park, high school and university students develop responsible attitude towards the protection of cultural heritage, as well as awareness on the importance of environmental protection.

Target age group: High school and university students

Duration: 1.5 to 4.5 hours

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, autumn

Suitable for individual / group visits: Group visits

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Trail tour and workshop / high school and university

In consultation with the trainers, the content of the program can be further enriched by including any of the interesting workshops on offer. It is also possible to adjust to the curriculum intended for high school and university students. The topics on offer include the following:
living world of a creek; medicinal plants; traces; birds of the Učka Nature Park; social insects; vegetation of Vela draga; mapping; ...

Target age group: High school and university students

Duration: 1.5 to 4.5 hours, plus 30 minutes for the workshop

Recommended time of year for visit: Spring, autumn

Suitable for individual / group visits: Group visits

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Designed with the aim of acquainting the visitors with key attractions and special features of the Park, guided tours also include the possibility of spending a day with Park rangers. That allows the visitors to experience this protected area by exploring it with knowledgeable experts whose workplace is the mountain of Učka. All tours are intended for groups of visitors.

Poklon – Fountain Voda Josipa II. – Vela draga

The tour starts on the mountain pass of Poklon with a brief story of the mountain of Učka and the reasons why the Park area is protected. What follows is a brief presentation of the Park and its key characteristics.

The tour then continues to the settlement of Vela Učka, where the Voda Josipa II fountain is located. After the fountain, which represents a legacy of road architecture from the 18th century, the tour continues towards the canyon of Vela draga - a geomorphological monument of nature. Vela draga educational trail leads to the edge of the canyon, where a viewpoint and a resting area are available, together with an open-air exhibition that includes information panels explaining the origin of the mountain of Učka, the climbing history of Vela draga, fossils in the area, etc.
The tour can also include exploration of the canyon itself along the educational trail.

Duration: 1 hour without descending to the canyon; 2.5 hours with descent to the canyon

Recommended time of year for visit: Throughout the year (with the exception of winter in case of snow)

Suitable for individual / group visits: Group visits

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Lovranska Draga – walking trail Slap

The excursion includes a visit to the rural settlement of Lovranska Draga, located within the boundaries of the Nature Park, and a walk along the Slap walking path to one of the most beautiful waterfalls of the Učka Nature Park. Visitors have the opportunity to learn more about the settlement of Lovranska Draga, sweet chestnuts and the habitat of the creek and the surrounding area.

Duration: 1 hour

Recommended time of year for visit: Throughout the year (with the exception of winter in case of snow)

Suitable for individual / group visits: Group visits

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Poklon – Vojak – educational trail Plas – Poklon

The tour takes the visitors through a beech forest from the mountain pass of Poklon to the viewpoint located on the peak of Vojak, the highest peak of the mountain of Učka (at 1400 meters above sea level). Telescopes on the viewpoint give visitors the opportunity to enjoy the attractive panoramic view. In clear weather, it is possible to see a very wide area with the naked eye, including the islands of the Kvarner Bay, the mountains of Gorski kotar, the entire Velebit massif, the peninsula of Istria, the Italian Alps, Venice and other sites as well. In addition to attracting numerous hikers and excursionists, the peak of Vojak has also turned into an attractive destination for paraglider and hang glider enthusiasts.

On the way to the peak, visitors have the chance to see a typical karst abyss, to drink spring water, and to learn more about the natural characteristics of the peak of Vojak, which represents one of the most important and sensitive sites of the Nature Park, together with the localities of Plas, Suhi vrh and Argun. The reason why these sites are so valuable lies in a large number of rare habitat types with a range of rare and threatened plant and animal species, including many protected and relic species.

Visitors who decide to take this tour return to the starting point by taking the Plas educational trail. It passes along the peak ridge of Učka through a dense beech forest, and information panels placed along the route teach visitors about the plant and animal world of the Nature Park.

Duration: 4 hours

Recommended time of year for visit: Throughout the year (with the exception of winter in case of snow)

Suitable for individual / group visits: Group visits

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Note: Trekking tour

Brgudac – Korita

The tour starts in the village of Brgudac, and proceeds towards the water source of Korita, the pearl of Ćićarija. Hiking to the water source takes 45 minutes along a trail leading through a dense oak and hornbeam forest, with an occasional spruce and many protected plant and animal species.

The site of Korita is located on a meadow under the cliff of Brajkove stijene. Drinking water from this water source pours into ten troughs made of solid wood, with a pool rich in plant and animal species under them. A rest area at the water source offers majestic views of the Učka massif.

Mountain lodge Na Koritima located near the site offers accommodation and refreshing meals to hikers over the weekends.

Duration: 3 hours

Recommended time of year for visit: Throughout the year (with the exception of winter in case of snow)

Suitable for individual / group visits: Group visits

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Note: Trekking tour

Mošćenička Draga – Trebišća – Sučići – Mošćenička Draga

The tour begins in the settlement of Mošćenička Draga, where the mythical historical trail Trebišća – Perun begins. The trail leads through the settlement of Potoki towards the abandoned hamlet of Trebišća under the hill of Perun. According to research, these slopes of Učka played a very important role in the life of the first Slavic settlers in the Adriatic area. This site was chosen as a shrine and a mythical area symbolizing the annual cycle of life and changes in nature essential for the survival of man.

With the help of information panels rich in visual and textual information, visitors can learn about the Slavs, about who the original settlers were, why they came to this area, and what were the beliefs that structured the life of their community.

Visitors return to Mošćenička Draga via the hamlet of Sučići.

Duration: 4 hours

Recommended time of year for visit: Throughout the year (with the exception of winter in case of snow)

Suitable for individual / group visits: Group visits

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Not accessible

Note: Trekking tour

A Day With Park Rangers

Join the ranger service staff of the Učka Nature Park in their daily tasks. The route of this educational tour follows the regular assignments within the Park surveillance program, which include a number of various sections and routes in the Park, so the tour represents a surprise of sorts for visitors. During the educational tour, Park rangers are available for your questions regarding Park characteristics and management, in particular when it comes to the activities and powers of the ranger service.

Learn more about the natural and cultural characteristics of the Nature Park, and ways in which its specific resources are protected. A tour of the Park in off-road vehicles is an exclusive attraction not available in other educational programs.

The park ranger educational tour takes half a day.

Duration: 6 hours

Recommended time of year for visit: Throughout the year (with the exception of winter in case of snow)

Suitable for individual / group visits: Group visits

Accessible to persons with disabilities: Accessible

Note: The tour is taken in an off-road vehicle, and the number of participants is limited to not less than two and not more than four persons per vehicle.

Brest pod Učkom is a peculiar village at 708 meters above sea level located in the middle of a fertile field on the Ćićarija plateau.

The people of Brest were once famous for producing charcoal. The forest was their main source of income: it provided firewood for their homes, and for the production of karbun or charcoal – a skill that the locals truly mastered. They sold coal in Opatija, Rijeka, Lovran and other places along the coast. Charcoal production was in fact the key activity of the locals, in addition to agriculture and livestock breeding.

If you wish to taste or buy homemade sheep cheese, ask the locals about the Rumac brothers. They make sheep cheese and curd cheese from the milk of their flocks of the indigenous Istrian sheep breed called pramenka that graze freely on the pastures of Ćićarija.

The picturesque village of Brgudac is located in the heart of Ćićarija at 747 meters above sea level, and it is the highest permanent settlement in the area of Istrian County. This village dating back to the Middle Ages was once full of life, with over 400 inhabitants living in the village at one point, tending to almost 3000 cattle. Later on, the economy and turbulent history forced the inhabitants of Brgudac to emigrate throughout Croatia and the world. However, many descendants regularly return to the village to take care of their heritage and to preserve the beauty of Brgudac.

During World War II, Brgudac was the center of partisan resistance against the Nazis, and it is remembered for the suffering and heroism of its people. It was in this village that the first people’s liberation committee was founded as a self-government body at the village level, on 10 October 1942. In December 1943, the first Croatian school in Istria was opened in Brgudac following the fascist ban of 1923. Around ten memorials in Brgudac serve as reminders of that difficult period.

The water source of Korita is 45 minutes of hiking away from the village of Brgudac. It can be reached via a trail leading through a dense hornbeam and oak forest, with an occasional spruce and many protected plant and animal species.

The water source is located on a meadow under the cliff of Brajkova stijena, and drinking water flowing from it pours into ten troughs made of solid wood, with a pool rich in plant and animal species under them. This facility played an essential role in the life of the locals, providing water for them and their livestock.

A rest area at the water source offers majestic views of the Učka massif. Information boards placed there inform the visitors about the cultural and natural relevance of the site.

Mountain lodge Na Koritima located near the site offers accommodation and refreshing meals to hikers over the weekends.

Vojak is the highest peak of Učka Nature Park. It is also the highest peak of the Istrian peninsula, rising 1401 meters above the sea.

The Vojak Tower was built in 1911, inspired by the astounding views of Istria, the Kvarner Bay with the islands, the mountains of the Gorski kotar area, Velebit, the Alps and Italy that can be enjoyed from the peak. The tower was built by hikers and nature enthusiasts from the Oesterreicherischer Touristen Club during the Austro-Hungarian rule. In World War I, the tower served as a lookout post of the Austro-Hungarian military.

After the Učka massif and part of the mountain of Ćićarija became a Nature Park in 1999, the tower on the peak of Vojak became a symbol of the Park. Učka Nature Park Public Institution fully renovated the Vojak Tower in 2004, in order to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of the area and the long tradition of climbing to the highest peak of Učka and to the observation tower that honors the majestic view offered by the site. Today, the tower includes an information office, a souvenir shop and a viewpoint equipped with telescopes that offer an even better opportunity to explore the surrounding landscape.

Note:

Information center and souvenir shop in the Vojak Tower are open during the tourist season, i.e. from May to October.

Lovranska Draga is a picturesque settlement on the eastern slopes of the mountain of Učka. Until twenty or so years ago, the inhabitants of Lovranska Draga engaged intensively in agriculture, especially winegrowing and livestock breeding, sheep breeding in particular. The fertile soil of the area was favorable not only for vines, but also for various fruit and vegetable varieties, the most important being cherries and sweet chestnuts. Small scattered houses are connected by a network of old paths and trails, the most important being those that link this rural hinterland of the town of Lovran with the settlement of Medveja and the sea.

In the past, the women of Lovranska Draga would walk these paths every day carrying firewood, milk and vegetables to Lovran. At the entrance to Lovranska Draga stands the small baroque church of St. Michael, the patron saint of the village. The settlement is surrounded by terraced vineyards and meadows. Together with the peak ridge of the mountain of Učka in the background, Lovranska Draga represents a particularly valuable landscape. A stream that the locals refer to simply as Potok or Brook flows through the village, eventually reaching the sea in Medveja. The most interesting part of this stream is its waterfall – one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Učka Nature Park. It can be reached by taking a marked educational trail called Slap (Waterfall).

Every September 29, the locals celebrate the feast of St. Michael, the patron saint of Lovranska Draga after whom the small baroque church in the settlement was named. That is when Lovranska Draga organizes a folk festivity offering visitors one of the traditional dishes of the region – turnip and bean soup.

Mala Učka is the highest rural settlement in Istria, located at 995 meters above sea level. Once upon a time, there were 130 inhabitants living in Mala Učka, called Učkari. Their key activity was livestock breeding, and they were famous for the top-quality cheese that they produced.

During World War II, on April 30, 1944, Italian and German soldiers burned the entire village to the ground, and Učkari were forced to emigrate out of their village due to the severe economic situation. However, even despite that calamity, the character of the village remained remarkable, and the village became part of the Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage as a protected rural unit in 1976.

Today, the village of Mala Učka has no permanent residents. However, the shepherding family of Maliki spends summer months in Mala Učka with their livestock enjoying the surrounding areas rich in top-quality local pastures. Visitors can buy excellent organic sheep cheese and curd cheese at their house.

Only three kilometers away from the summer crowds congregating at a well-known beach in Mošćenička Draga, lies the extraordinarily beautiful hamlet of Trebišća hidden deep in the lush vegetation and freshness of the Mošćenica canyon, with a creek flowing through it. The reason why the hamlet is located precisely where it stands is the old mill that once marked the village, and that ended up destroyed in the meantime. The entire surrounding area of Mošćenica carried wheat and trukinja (corn) to the old mill that dates back to the Middle Ages according to written records.

The mill was set on fire towards the end of World War II, and it was never renovated, since water mills became obsolete due to technical progress. Having lost its importance without the mill, the hamlet of Trebišća gradually lost its permanent inhabitants as well. However, thanks to the care that people born in this hamlet continued to show to their native place, the hamlet remained preserved, frozen in time like a sleeping beauty.

Vela Učka is a rural settlement located on the highest slopes of the mountain of Učka.

Located at 950 meters above sea level, it is the second-highest settlement in Croatia.

The fountain called Voda Josipa II (literally: “Water of Joseph II”) is located in the settlement of Vela Učka lying on the western slopes of the Nature Park. The site is remarkable in its design and dimensions, and the locals also called it Napoleonova voda (“Napoleon’s Water”) in the past. Due to its monumental and cultural characteristics, the site represents cultural heritage of special importance for the local area.

When it comes to its construction style, it is assumed that the fountain was built during the Habsburg Monarchy, at the time when the road over the mountain of Učka was built. Back in those days, most of the local population depended on livestock breeding and agriculture, so the facility served as a place to rest and to obtain water for people and livestock. A recently rediscovered inscription in Latin, made in the same architectural style as the site itself, mentions the name of Emperor Joseph II of Lorraine, the sovereign of the Monarchy in the period from 1780 to 1790.

The Vela draga canyon is a natural phenomenon that the forces of nature – earthquakes, wind, sun and water – began shaping back in the ancient times of the Cretaceous period (some 140 million years ago). Since 1963, the site has been protected as a natural reserve, and it has also been enjoying the status of a geomorphological monument of nature since 1998.

The site is marked by limestone pillars up to 100 meters high, and the rocks rich in fossil remains testify to the turbulent geological history of this canyon. On top of that, Vela draga is a favorite destination of rock climbers, with over 60 climbing routes on offer.

Veli Planik is the highest peak of Ćićarija. It is located at 1272 meters above sea level, its bare rocks protruding and rising above the dense forest surrounding the site.

Visitors who decide to climb to the peak will be awarded with a majestic and quite unique panoramic view.

Public Institution

Učka Nature Park

Address

Liganj 42, 51415 Lovran

Director

Egon Vasilić

Point of contact for questions

Phone (operator): 00385 (0)51 293 753

Fax: 00385 (0)51 293 751

E-mail: [email protected]

Directions

Public transport

By bus

Učka Nature Park (Poklon mountain pass) is connected with Opatija (Slatina bus station) by Autotrolej-operated bus line 34. This route operates only once per week (on Sundays), and the ride takes one hour.

The bus departs from Opatija at 9:30 and 14:05, and returns from Poklon at 10:30 and 15:45.

In case you intend to arrive to the Kvarner Bay by bus, the Rijeka Bus Terminal is well connected with all Croatian cities and major European cities.

The bus ride from Rijeka to Opatija (Autotrolej bus line 32) takes approximately 45 minutes.

By car

Visitors arriving by car from the direction of Rijeka and Zagreb should continue along the main road towards the Učka tunnel (in the direction of Pula, Poreč, etc.), and then take the Veprinac exit. This will bring you to the old county road, which will lead you to the Nature Park.

Visitors arriving by car from the direction of Istria should turn right next to the INA gas station prior to entering the Učka tunnel, and then follow the signposts directing drivers to the old county road and to the central area of the Učka Nature Park.

It is also possible to reach the Nature Park from the nearby resorts along the Opatija Riviera. The ride takes approximately 30 minutes.

Visitors arriving from Ičići: Turn left from the main road, pass next to the store and drive through the settlement of Poljane to Veprinac, and then follow the brown tourist signposts leading you to the Nature Park.

Visitors arriving from Matulji: Drive from the center of Matulji towards the settlements of Bregi and Veprinac, and then follow the brown tourist signposts leading you to the Nature Park.

Park entrances

Poklon

Parking available

Vranja

Parking available

Where to buy tickets

Entrance to the Park is free of charge. Special programs are charged at the headquarter of the Public Institution Nature Park Učka or at the Info-centre Poklon.

Službene stranice parka posjetite na http://www.pp-ucka.hr

Nature Park Učka

Story of the Park

Park ID Card - information about the Park

Natural Heritage

Plant world

Animal world

Geology

Cultural Heritage

Tangible haritage

Intangible heritage

Activities

Accommodation and catering

Restaurant and boarding house - Učka

Mountain lodge - Poklon

Mountain lodge - Korita

Hotel - Draga di Lovrana

Vila - Sirotnjak

Summer house - Ivančić

Apartment - Vista

Bicycling

Trail 1

Trail 2

Trail 3

Trail 4

Trail 5

Trail 6

Trail 7

Trail 8

Hiking/walking

Poklon – Vojak

Istrian Hiking Trail (Istarski planinarski put, IPP)

Opatija Hiking Trail

Lovran – Liganj – Grnjač – Sedlo – Vojak

Poklon – Veli Planik

Alpinism/climbing

Sector Nad tunelom

Sektor Okno

Sector Furija

Sector Rukavica i Ploče

Sector Castello

Sector Veli toranj

Sector Sjeverna stijena

Paragliding and flying

Take-off site Vojak

Take-off site Brgud

Educational trails

Educational trail Plas

Mythical historical trail Trebišća – Perun

Walking trail Slap

Educational trail Vela draga

Trail Malikova staza

Stražica – Sapaćica Land Art Trail

Schools in nature

Trail tour / kindergarten

Trail tour and workshop Learn About the Nature Park / kindergarten

Trail tour / elementary school

Trail tour and workshop Learn About the Nature Park / elementary school

Educational program with working materials Learn About Učka Through Play / elementary school

Trail tour / high school and university

Trail tour and workshop / high school and university

Guided tours

Poklon – Fountain Voda Josipa II. – Vela draga

Lovranska Draga – walking trail Slap

Poklon – Vojak – educational trail Plas – Poklon

Brgudac – Korita

Mošćenička Draga – Trebišća – Sučići – Mošćenička Draga

A Day With Park Rangers

Attractions

Brest pod Učkom

Brgudac

Korita

Vojak Tower

Lovranska Draga

Mala Učka

Trebišća

Vela Učka

Voda Josipa II.

Vela draga canyon

Veli Planik

Public Institution

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