Rab
The local people are involved in organized tourism for more than 120 years, and accompanying activities such as fishery, stock breeding, olive growing, wine making, ship building, etc.
Besides the old town of Rab, there are 7 more places on the island: Lopar, Supetarska Draga, Banjol, Barbat, Palit, Kampor, Mundanije.
There are about 9 000 inhabitants living on the island. The local people are involved in organized tourism for more than 120 years, and accompanying activities such as fishery, stock breeding, olive growing, wine making, ship building, etc.
The first and foremost factor that enabled the development of tourism in the island was the pleasant Mediterranean climate, the main features of which are warm summers and mild winters.
The average number of sunshine hours on the island is 2 497 hours annually. The average summer temperature is 26 ºC, while the average bathing temperature from May to October reaches to over 23 ºC.
ABOUT RAB
The first thing many people think of when they think of the town of Rab must be the four famous bell-towers of Rab and the representation of the town as a ship with four masts: the bell-tower of the Church of the Assumption of Mary – the Cathedral, the bell-tower of St. John the Apostle (located next to the remains of the church), the bell-tower of the Church of St Andrew the Apostle and the bell-tower of the Church of St Justina.
The tumultuous and glorious history of the island and the town resulted in a rich cultural and historical heritage, which is reflected in the architecture of sacral and other objects, monumental heritage, and archaeological findings, tradition and customs. The spirit of the past times can still be felt if you take a walk down the streets of the town. During the summer months, the streets and town squares are flooded with tourists and street vendors.
If you start in the direction of Kampor, near the end of the St Euphemia cove, you will find the St Bernardino Franciscan monastery with its two churches (church of St Euphemia and church of St Bernardino) and the museum, where you can see paintings, valuable old books, church art, an ethnographic collection, a numismatic collection, etc…
The patron of the island is St Christopher: according to the legend, the island was saved from attackers for several times by his intercession.
The reliquary (chasse) for the saint’s scull dating from the 12th century is kept in the sacral collection of the Rab cathedral.
Rab has won numerous awards
One of the leading cultural events in the island is the Rab fjera (traditional fiesta) which is visited by several thousands of tourists each year. During the fjera (from 25 – 27 July), the streets of the town of Rab become a stage where actors in mediaeval costumes demonstrate old skills and crafts. The last evening features a knight tournament on St Christopher Square, where arbalists compete in crossbow shooting, demonstrating their skill, precision and a steady hand. The arbalists of Rab perform more than once during the season.
Rab has won numerous awards, among which these stand out: 2004. Rab – the best tourist destination in Croatia, 2005. “Silver Flower of Europe”, as one of the most arranged and desirable European destinations in general. Local people are particularly proud of its Blue Flags.
