Sailing around the Island of Unije
Unije is the largest of the islands surrounding Lošinj and is car-free. It was populated throughout all historical periods due to its favorable geographic and traffic position at the entrance to Kvarner, several sources of fresh water, and vast fertile land.
The northern and eastern sides of the island are steep and rocky, overgrown with evergreen holly oak, while the southern and western sides are flatter and form a bay.
The only settlement on the island is Unije village. In the village, there are several restaurants, patisseries, bakeries, a post office, and grocery stores. The northern part of the island is of exceptional ecological value because it lies along migratory bird routes. Three species of chipmunks and the gray falcon nest on Veli and Mali rocks, which is also the westernmost population of the endemic Illyrian chipmunk. This area is rich in diverse flora and specific vegetation and was proposed for protection as a botanical reserve in the 90s.
If you would like to visit Unije during your sailing holidays, you can find a mooring place in Unije village, which is a wide bay with a long breakwater. However, it is extremely dangerous in the bay when there are strong winds from the 3rd and 4th quadrants and during summer squalls. Then you should leave the bay. A more protected anchorage bay on the eastern coast of the Unije island is Maračol. The bay is sheltered of all but the strong south-wind Jugo.
Away from the hustle and bustle of the city and mostly untouched nature, the island of Unije is a sailing haven.
