The best things to do in Malinska

 As protector Saint Apolinar’s designated day, July 20 marks an important celebration in the Malinska-Dubašnica municipality – and every summer, Malinska proves it knows how to make merry. The port town’s streets become packed with happy people, enticing food and drink stands, and the sweet sounds of live music performances. The highlight of the day is a spectacular fireworks show, which is carried out and carefully monitored by local firefighters.

Party seekers should head downtown to Boa, a cellar-turned-club artfully done up in the colour black. Boa draws a young crowd looking to groove – here, local and guest DJs and play commercial electronica and techno-based dance music all night long. Opened in 2006, Boa is currently the only nightclub in Malinska. One of Boa’s main bonuses? It features a real boa living in a terrarium right inside the club.

Situated right on the seafront and looking out over Kvarner's peaceful bay, Mulino restaurant offers something for everyone; from pizzas and meat to seafood. Don’t miss their homemade pasta ‘šurlice’ and grilled burgers and fish. The house wines, at 70 kuna per litre, paired with a three-course meal, between 130 and 200 kuna, proves Mulino offers a real bang for your buck – especially given the lovely location.

Along with boats, Malinska’s harbour is home to a tiny floating house – which is, in turn, home to a flock of adorable ducks. The cute birds swim and quack around the port, bringing joy to kids and melting the hearts of grownups as well. You can return the favour with a piece of bread; a simple delight sure to make the ducks’ day. Wondering why this usually freshwater species lives on the sea in Malinska? Simply walk along the main street, home to the chapel and gallery of St. Nicholas, to find out – there’s a freshwater canal here which serves as the ducks’ water source, while the sea offers food aplenty.

Surrounded by crystal-clear sea and nestled among dense greenery, but only a five-minute walk from the centre of Malinska, Hotel Malin offers colourful and modernly designed rooms and suites with air conditioning and satellite TV. Most lodgings also include a balcony with views of the Adriatic. The elegant, spacious property provides a beach with kid-friendly facilities, boat docking stations and entertainment programmes. Restaurant Royal, serving fine dining fish and pasta dishes as highlight, is located on the highest floor of the hotel. Hotel Malin’s onsite spa centre provides diverse facial and body treatments, including anti-cellulite and lymph drainage therapy.

Malinska lives and breathes art. Walking through the  town's Riviera on a summer night, you’ll be ogling the dazzling Adriatic on one side and endless stands selling pretty paintings and illustrations on the other. Don't miss the chapel-slash-gallery of St. Nicholas, which hosts regular exhibitions of renowned modern Croatian artists, from May to October each year. Outside of the summer season, discover featured works by amateur and upcoming artists, too.

Krk island hosts Malinska Trail race event with two route options: Dubašnica 14-kilometre and Malinska 24-kilometre. Taking you through narrow pathways close to the sea where you’ll discover small coves and hidden beaches, gravel paths and ancient roads, and lush and wild island vegetation. Re easy-moderate in terms of terrain (there are no steep inclines), but they're lengthy – so go at your own pace and remember to bring lots of water. This trail is a great way to get active while experiencing the island in all its glory.

Featuring a heated outdoor pool and hot tub, the four-star, family-owned Vila Rova hotel is set in Rova bay on the northwestern coast of Krk island. The hotel’s wellness centre sits a few metres from the sea and offers a Kneipp bath, Turkish and Finnish saunas, and beauty treatments such as massages with olive or immortelle oil and fitness facilities. Vila Rova’s rooms include complimentary WiFi access, air conditioning and satellite TV. Local cuisine, including various fish specialities is served in the property's à la carte Mandrač. The onsite beach features a bar for cold drinks, olive groves for shade, and pristine waters for all-day swimming. Just two kilometres from Malinska centre, Vila Rova also provides free parking on site and is surrounded by cycling and walking paths.

Considered the oldest-known Slavic alphabet, the Glagolitic script (glagoljica) was created by the saints Methodius and Cyril in the 9th century. In Croatia, the most famous example of the Glagolitic script is the 13th-century Baška tablet (Baščanska ploča), discovered in the Church of St. Lucija in the municipality of Baška on Krk. Glagoljica is, therefore, one of the most important elements of the island’s local heritage. A few kilometres from Malinska, the Franciscan monastery of St. Magdalena in Porat is host to a museum that holds 76 Glagolitic manuscripts as well as an ethnographic collection reflecting what everyday life was once like in the region. A well-preserved toš (mill) from 1846, once used to refine olives, stands out with incredible art carved into it.

The municipality of Dubašnica whose centre is Malinska, boasts a bulk of bike trails suitable for the whole family. Many of the pretty pathways pass next to the sea and take you through oak trees and olive plantations. Easy in difficulty, the trails have minimal changes in altitude and promise a relaxing ride. Along with natural eye-candy galore, the trails feature marked routes that will point you in the direction of rich sacral heritage spots, too.