Punat
About this place
Punat sits deep inside Punat Bay on southern Krk, facing the small island of Košljun, so the sheltered inlet shapes both the scenery and local life. Its nautical tradition is visible in the large marina, but the settlement also preserves older landmarks: Stari toš recalls olive processing, the parish Church of the Holy Trinity dates from 1777, and the Church of St Andrew stands by the cemetery. The most distinctive excursion is the short boat trip to Košljun, where a Franciscan monastery and collections provide the tiny island’s main cultural focus. On the road towards the town of Krk stands St Donatus, a small early medieval church with an unusual circular plan dating from the 9th–10th century. The inner bay is calmer than the open sea, while the landscape towards Stara Baška becomes steeper and barer. Punat therefore works well for travellers combining boating, sacred heritage, waterfront walks and the rugged southern coast while staying close to Krk town.
Punat is shaped around the deep, sheltered Punat Bay on south-western Krk, placing its old core, marina and excursion-boat departures along the same curve of coast. Narrow lanes, vaulted passages and stone houses distinguish the inner village from the broad waterfront, while the olive groves behind it explain Punat’s strong olive-oil tradition. Marina Punat gives the settlement a modern nautical identity, yet the everyday view across the bay remains dominated by Košljun. The town beach lies inside the protected inlet, whereas the shore changes markedly farther south, becoming a succession of pebble coves on the route towards Stara Baška.
Stays nearby
ApartmentApartmeni Klenovica.eu
Klenovica
20 km from Punat
up to 4 guests · 1 bedroom
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Things to see
Košljun is the best-known cultural destination associated with Punat. A short boat ride reaches the islet, where the Franciscan monastery and its collections make the visit about much more than views across the bay. Within Punat, Stari toš from the 18th century can be combined with the parish Church of the Holy Trinity, built in 1777. The small Church of St Andrew stands at the cemetery, while St Donatus lies outside the settlement on the road towards Krk town. This 9th–10th-century church is especially notable for its circular plan. Punat’s landmarks are therefore spread between the waterfront, sacred sites and a brief journey across the water.
Franjevački samostan na Košljunu
Landmark · Punat
The Franciscan monastery on Košljun is a centuries-old spiritual and cultural centre on a small island in Punat Bay, with a church, library and museum collections.
Beaches
Bathing water quality nearby
- Punta debij · 680 mexcellent · season 2025
- AK Pila - kupalište · 690 mexcellent · season 2025
- AK Konobe · 2.2 kmexcellent · season 2025
- Uvala Trojna · 2.3 kmexcellent · season 2025
- Uvala Tomaževo · 3.0 kmexcellent · season 2025
- Uvala Malo more · 3.0 kmexcellent · season 2025
Source: European Environment Agency (EEA); data from Croatian authorities. · bathing water profile
Things to do
Begin in Punat at Stari Toš on Stara Placa, then head down to the waterfront for a boat to Košljun. The islet lies 750 metres offshore and can only be reached by boat. At the Franciscan monastery, see the Annunciation church, cloister, ethnographic collection and a library of more than 30,000 volumes. Back in Punat, follow the narrow lanes towards Puntarska Draga. End with the 9th-century chapel of St Dunat, just before the turn-off for Punat.
Food and drink
Punat’s cooking naturally combines fish, island olive oil and Krk wines. Šurlice, hand-shaped pasta once closely associated with celebrations, are a distinctly local choice with žgvacet or another meat sauce, while fish appears boiled, grilled or in brodet stew. The tourist board’s official list includes K Ribaru, Marina, Ulika Punat and Vele Vode among the restaurants, alongside taverns such as Maslina, Sidro and Ladići. Restaurant Marina serves the nautical side of town within Marina Punat, whereas waterfront venues nearer the old core are easier to combine with an evening walk through Punat’s lanes.
Practical information
Practical information
The Punat Tourist Board is at Pod topol 2, where visitors can obtain a town plan, guides and other local publications. The scheduled-bus stop is also in Ulica pod Topol, allowing tourist information and a departure towards Krk to be combined without crossing the settlement. Boat trips to Košljun and the southern coves leave from the harbour and waterfront area. Punat Bay itself is highly sheltered, whereas beaches beyond its mouth face more open water; the choice between the town beach and the southern coves is therefore best adjusted to the day’s wind conditions.
Parking
Punat uses several smaller parking areas around its centre rather than one large waterfront terminal. The municipality’s 2026 documentation identifies sites by the old cinema, on Trg Placa, opposite the Holy Trinity bell tower, at the Prgon–Drena junction and in 17. travnja Street near the shipyard. Some bays at these locations are reserved for leaseholders, so drivers need to follow the markings at each individual space. In 2026 the municipality was also preparing a redesign of the Vele vode car park and park; current entrance signs are therefore the most reliable guide to works or altered arrangements.
Getting there and around
Punat is linked by road with Krk Town and onward through the island network towards Krk Bridge. Arriva operates year-round services between the Punat stop in Ulica pod Topol and Krk bus station; the route covers ten kilometres and is scheduled to take about 13 minutes. This makes arrival without a car feasible and provides connections to other island routes. Košljun has no road access, so the final leg is always made by boat from Punat. Taxi boats also leave the harbour for secluded beaches towards Stara Baška, avoiding the limited overland access to individual coves.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get from Punat to Košljun?
Košljun is reached from Punat by a short boat ride across Punat Bay.
What makes the Church of St Donatus unusual?
St Donatus is a small 9th–10th-century church distinguished by its unusual circular plan.
When was Punat’s parish Church of the Holy Trinity built?
Punat’s parish Church of the Holy Trinity was built in 1777.
What does Stari toš reveal about Punat’s traditions?
The 18th-century Stari toš recalls Punat’s local tradition of olive processing and oil production.
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Photo credits
- Punat — Fabian Schedler · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Kornić — eowoniel · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Krk, Franjevački samostan na Košljunu — Berthold Werner · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Lakmartin — Lan G. · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
