Mali Lošinj

Lošinj’s Fragrant Garden

Revitalize your body and soul in a healing climate, a unique blend of marine aerosols, enjoying the rich biodiversity of medicinal herbs and essential oils. In Lošinj’s Fragrant Garden, where over 250 species of wild fragrant plants grow, the company of an expert guide allows one to get to know the diverse flora of the island and its medicinal properties. The Garden also offers spectacular views of the bays of Lošinj and Velebit Mountain.

Museum of Apoxyomenos

One of the most prominent attractions of the town is certainly the Museum of Apoxyomenos, completely dedicated to the sculpture of the same name, which was found in 1996 at a depth of 45 meters in the seabed of Orjul, a small island near Losinj. The Apoxyomenos is an ancient sculpture, a bronze statue of a young Greek athlete of inestimable value, a work of art that amazes with the integrity and beauty of its performance, and represents the continuity of maritime connections since prehistoric days. The name of the Greek athlete comes from the word Apoxyomenos, which refers to a representation of an athlete being cleansed of oil, sweat and sand after an exercise or a competition.

The statue is believed to have been thrown into the sea nearly two millennia ago, during a storm in which it posed an excessive burden on the ship. The Louvre, the British Museum and the J.P. Getty Museum are world-famous museums that had displayed the statue of Apoxyomenos after conservation and restoration work. Today, the beautiful ancient sculpture is the symbol of the island of Lošinj, and Apoxyomenos’s timeless beauty, his intriguing story and the distinctive museum material delight every visitor.

Nerezinac Lugger – open-air museum

In front of the Apoxyomenos Museum, a sailing ship is moored. The ship represents an open-air museum, an interpretive navigation centre of the maritime heritage of the island of Lošinj. In the 17th century, shipbuilding became an important economic branch in Mali Lošinj. Two centuries later, it has as many as six shipyards, which makes Mali Lošinj a European shipbuilding and shipping power.

In the open-air museum there is an information board with basic details about the ship, along with a section designed as a workshop where curious visitors can try out some of the skills of traditional shipbuilding or some sailor skills, such as mending sails, nailing, tying sailor knots, blowing into a horn and raising sails.

Beauty of the town and its surroundings

The beauty of Mali Lošinj and the whole island can be explored on walking, cycling or kayaking tours, boat trips, by snorkelling, diving, climbing or tandem jumping. Visitors will experience an unforgettable vacation on the pebble and sandy beaches of Lošinj, enjoying the shade of a dense pine forest, the crystal clear sea and numerous entertainment facilities.