Slow life in Unije – our May Day getaway
Unije is a place where time really stands still. We chose it for our May Day break. And it was truly special and interesting.
Driving to the island
We set off from Rijeka on the catamaran Ružica . The ride takes a good three hours , but it goes by incredibly quickly. The ship is comfortable, modern and goes fast. It also stops on the island of Cres. The most fascinating thing is how much stuff the locals load onto the ship. Loading onto the ship started about 45 minutes before departure. The catamaran was filled with furniture, seedlings, suitcases, building materials, plastic crates – there was nothing missing.
Ticket price? Only €7.20 for adults and €4.40 for children (one way).
Accommodation: homely, basic, antique
We had pre-booked accommodation in Unije with Milena Deroja – a Slovenian who lives on the island. We got a simple apartment with the bare essentials: hot water, antique furniture (like my grandmother Cilka had), a mini kitchen, and an outdoor terrace. It was just a few meters from the sea and the harbor.
We explored the island on foot, length and breadth.
Unije is small. Only 16 km². There are no cars. There is no traffic. The streets are concrete and are used by tractors, quad bikes or scooters. However, there are also gravel roads and hiking trails on the island.
We had three full days to explore and that was just right. The island has a main beach, which is pebbly but full of seaweed. We preferred to swim on the side beaches: Central Beach and a little further away, Kambunara Bay .
Day 1: To the south of the island, to the lighthouse and Cape Arbit
On the first day we headed south. Past the abandoned airport – yes, the Unije had their own grassy landing/take-off runway! – and across a large green plain. Cows, donkeys, horses and sheep graze there. It seemed incredibly green to us. In the south of the island we reached the Vnetak lighthouse and then a little further, to the far south of the island – Cape Arbit . There we were greeted by a view of the sea and the neighboring island of Susak.
Day 2: Maračoul Bay, Vele Stjene and Turan
The next day we divided it into two parts. In the morning we explored the central part of the island. Past Maračoul Bay (there is a concrete road leading there) to the beautiful white walls – Vela stjena and Hartina (bunkers). Then we climbed the path to Križ , the antenna above the village. On the way back down to the village we noticed a construction site – they are building a new water supply and sewage system, and on the neighboring hill a solar power plant.
In the evening we climbed to the highest peak of the island, Turan (129 m), and waited for the sunset there. The path above the village turns right and upwards, it is a short and easy climb and offers a beautiful view of the airport, the village, the port and also the bays to the east.
Day 3: North of the island and the “end of the world”
On the third day we headed north of the island. Again past Maračoul Bay, only this time we turned right, crossed a small bridge and walked until the path simply ended. In the middle of a clearing. No more paths. As if you had really arrived at the end of the world, even though there was still some land, but no access by foot.
An island for special people
Life on Unije requires a special personality. Water comes from a cistern. Life is hard and expensive. There is no internet signal at every turn. In bad weather, they are sometimes cut off from the world for several days. There is a shop on the island, one bakery, a bar and a tavern (still closed in May). They have no water source and have to save water all the time. They live very modestly. The primary school has been gone for several years. It is extremely difficult to bring building materials, furniture, etc. to the island. Things that we mainlanders take for granted are a logistical burden here. The season (and the profit brought by tourists) is quite short, the island is only full in July and August. They really have the ultimate slow living on the island. We kept wondering what on earth they were doing all day. Considering all the time they had, we would have expected well-tended fields and gardens, or at least mowed yards and terraces. But there were very, very few such well-tended green spaces...
A little history
Unije was inhabited since Roman times. In the 19th century, more than 500 people lived here, but today there are only about 40. Houses are mostly bought by foreigners. There is only one settlement on the island - the village of Unije. The houses are densely packed, one next to the other, some without terraces or green areas, and very narrow and tall buildings. Mostly decorated modestly and in the old style .
We really enjoyed exploring the island. The experience itself and the insight into such simple island life made us think...
