Route: Kornić – Muraj – Lakmartin – Kornić

Hikers will take a pleasant walk on the 7.5 km long trail in the northeast hinterland of the city of Krk through the picturesque village of Kornić and Muraj, where enjoying the outdoors, traditional architecture and the cultural and ethnographic heritage becomes an interesting lesson on olives, olive growing on the island and olive oil due to the range of the marked trail Following the Paths of the Golden Drops of Krk’s treasure.

– This pleasant and easy trail, along with the aforementioned hike through the western hinterland of the city of Krk, makes for an interesting and well-rounded experience because both routes allow hikers to become familiar with a branch of agriculture that is becoming increasingly important for the island, namely olive cultivation. Taking into account the terrain configuration, this 7.5 km long trail, which begins (and ends) in the part of St Dunat Street where Kornić meets the sea, lends itself to hikers of all ages. In addition to leisure, this captivating section also educates, since the entire Following the Paths of the Golden Drops of Krk’s treasure walking trail is marked with information boards and dedicated to olives, olive growing on the island and olive oil. Outdoor enthusiasts can set off on their educational hike with an inspiring view that unfurls towards the sea – Puntarska Draga, Košljun islet, wooded Prniba and the nearby town of Punat. Heading for the centre of Kornić, aficionados of cultural and ethnographic heritage are bound to be stopped in their tracks by the Parish Church of St James the Great, which was finished in the mid-19th century and physically bookends the Krk Camino route, as well as the Kornić Ethnographic Heritage Collection – Kornić Folk House, whose exhibits depict life in the country from a hundred years ago. The collection was entered into the registry of the Museum Documentation Centre, which currently consists of more than 700 valuable artefacts. After leaving Kornić, the hike is resumed through the neighbouring village of Muraj and upon arrival in the immediate vicinity of Lakmartin, lovers of local gastronomy can try traditional Krk sheep’s milk cheese at the Magriž family farm, including the variety enriched with the aromas of medicinal herbs. South of Lakmartin, the route passes through the woods and ultimately leads to an area with ancient olive groves that dot fields enclosed with “gromače”, a type of dry stone wall built from unhewn stones and lain without binders. Besides “gromače”, you can see two other dry stone wall structures: “gomile” (piled or strewn stones) and “guvna” (the stone part of a traditional thresher). Indigenous olive varieties, such as Debela, Naška, Rošulja, and Slatka, are used to produce a nutritionally invaluable oil rich in antioxidants and vitamins, which is used for food and medical purposes. The Roman travel writer Apicius established that Krk extra virgin olive oil was among the finest in the world 2,000 years ago when he called the Liburnian oil exemplary of the Mediterranean. The secret to its excellence lies in the indigenous varieties, as well as the geographical location of the northernmost island of the Mediterranean, which greatly benefits from the Continental-Mediterranean climate. However, the olive groves abound in other medicinal plants with outstanding beneficial features, such as immortelle, dewberry, winter savoury and asparagus. On their way back to Kornić, recreationists can take in the beautiful nature as they pass the olive groves.

Highlights:

– Parish Church of St James the Great, Kornić

– Kornić Ethnographic Heritage Collection – Kornić Folk House

– “guvno” (threshing floor) outside the Kornić Folk House

– Magriž family farm

– olive groves

– dry stone wall architecture – “gromače” and “gomile”