FIT4NOVI 2026 turns May in Novi Vinodolski into a month of sport, health and active holidays
During May, Novi Vinodolski once again becomes one of Kvarner’s recognizable centers of recreation, healthy living and spending time in nature. The FIT4NOVI 2026 event brings together sports, educational, gastronomic and entertainment content taking place throughout the entire month, with an emphasis on accessible activities for different generations and levels of physical fitness. The program is conceived as a combination of recreation, movement, local natural features and social events, and it will reach its peak at the end of May, when a series of sports tournaments, Novi Trail, children’s races, a gastronomic program and a concert by Zsa Zsa will be held. According to the announcement by the Tourist Board of the Town of Novi Vinodolski, FIT4NOVI once again combines sport, education, nature and entertainment this year, continuing the concept of an event that has become an important part of the town’s spring program over the past years.
An event that combines sport, recreation and local identity
FIT4NOVI is not conceived only as a series of individual sports events, but as a broader program through which Novi Vinodolski positions itself as an active-holiday destination. The Town of Novi Vinodolski states that the event was launched in 2015 with the aim of promoting sport, recreation and healthy eating, while involving local sports and recreational associations in creating the program. Such an organizational model is important because it does not reduce the event to a one-day occasion, but turns it into a platform for the public-health, tourism and social promotion of movement. The program therefore includes activities for recreational participants, competitors, families, children, nature lovers, but also for those who want to learn more about nutrition, body care and recovery after physical activity.
This year’s edition began on Saturday, May 2, with Nordic walking along the Degenia Trail, one of the most naturally recognizable routes in the Novi Vinodolski area. The trail is named after the Velebit degenia, an endemic plant associated with karst terrain and the natural values of the wider Velebit area. This emphasized, already at the beginning of the program, one of the key features of FIT4NOVI: sport does not take place in a closed and isolated space, but in a landscape that allows visitors direct contact with nature, viewpoints, trails and specific vegetation. For those planning a stay in the town during May,
accommodation in Novi Vinodolski can be a practical starting point for taking part in morning and daytime activities.
Nordic walking through medicinal herbs, stone labyrinths and viewpoints
After the introductory tour along the Degenia Trail, the Nordic walking program continues on Saturday, May 9, with the Medicinal Herbs Route. This is a moderately demanding tour on the Klenovica – Vinište – Žrnovnica – Klenovica route, passing through a landscape in which natural values are connected with recreational movement. Such routes have added value because they offer participants not only physical activity, but also an experience of the area beyond the best-known coastal points. Moving through the hinterland, with the scents of medicinal herbs and views of the landscape between sea and land, enables a different way of getting to know the area of Novi Vinodolski and the surrounding settlements.
The third Nordic walking tour is scheduled for Sunday, May 17, when participants will explore the Heavenly Labyrinths. This route has been announced as an easy trail, adapted to a wider group of recreational participants, and it leads through the area of stone labyrinths, past the Glass Chapel and to viewpoints offering views toward Kvarner Bay, Velebit, Učka and the Novi Vinodolski hinterland. Unlike classic sports competitions, Nordic walking in this program has a strong experiential dimension: the pace is adapted to recreational participants, equipment is provided for participants, and registration is not required. All tours begin at 10 a.m., making them accessible also to visitors who come to the town specifically for the weekend or combine recreation with a shorter holiday.
Including several different walking routes in the program shows that FIT4NOVI does not focus only on sporting results, but also on spreading a culture of movement. In recent years, Nordic walking has become increasingly present in recreational programs because it is accessible, does not require competitive experience and can be adapted to different age groups. In the Novi Vinodolski edition, it gains additional value because of locations that connect the sea, karst, hinterland and viewpoints. For visitors who want to stay several days and take part in different tours,
accommodation near Novi Vinodolski trails and meeting points is useful, especially if they plan to attend several programs during the month.
Workshops on healthy eating and natural body care
The sports part of the event is complemented by educational content dealing with nutrition, recovery and body care. On Thursday, May 7, starting at 6 p.m., a culinary workshop will be held under the guidance of Marina Obradović, known through the project Stories of One Wooden Spoon. Participants will prepare homemade Nutella, healthy small breads, granola, a special spread and a healthy dessert, and after preparation, tasting of the prepared dishes is planned. The participation fee is 10 euros, and the workshop is held in the premises of the Tourist Board of the Town of Novi Vinodolski.
A week later, on Wednesday, May 13, starting at 6:30 p.m., a workshop on making a natural SOS stick for muscle recovery and pain relief is scheduled. Participants will use essential oils and plant extracts to make their own body-care product intended for recovery after physical activity. This workshop is free of charge, but, as with the culinary workshop, prior registration is required at the Tourist Board’s e-mail address. The inclusion of such content shows that the topic of health within FIT4NOVI is treated more broadly than exercise itself: nutrition, regeneration and everyday habits are presented as an integral part of active living.
The workshops also have an important social function because the program does not remain reserved only for those who compete or train. People who want to acquire practical knowledge, get to know the local community or complement their stay in the destination with a useful experience can participate in them. Such content is especially important for events that want to attract a wider audience, because interest in healthy living often develops precisely through simple, applicable and unobtrusive activities. FIT4NOVI thus gains a balance between sports, educational and lifestyle programs, without turning the event into an exclusively competitive occasion.
The grand finale from May 28 to 31
The densest part of the program will take place from May 28 to 31, when Novi Vinodolski enters the final rhythm of the event. Tournaments and sports presentations have been announced, among which table tennis, chess, futsal, a cycling ride and other sports activities stand out. Such a schedule enables the inclusion of different sporting profiles: from competitors looking for a race and a measurable result, to recreational participants who want to take part in more relaxed programs. During that period, the town will function as an open sports stage, with activities that follow one another and create a continuous public program.
Special attention is drawn by Novi Trail 2026, which will be held on Saturday, May 30. According to Run Croatia data, the race is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the start and finish are located in the center of Novi Vinodolski. The race organizers are the Tourist Board of the Town of Novi Vinodolski and Run Croatia, and official information lists two main competitive sections, of 5 kilometers and 11.5 kilometers, along with children’s races of 100 and 200 meters. The Tourist Board of the Town of Novi Vinodolski has announced that the third edition of the race begins at 10 a.m., while the children’s races will be held on Korzo hrvatskih branitelja. For participants and companions coming to the race,
accommodation for Novi Trail visitors can be an important part of weekend planning, especially because of earlier collection of race packets and traffic organization in the town center.
In a short time, Novi Trail has become one of the more recognizable sports elements of the event. The trails lead through the Novi Vinodolski hinterland, giving the race a different character from classic road races. Runners face natural terrain, changes in surface and a landscape that connects the coast with the karst hinterland. The shorter 5-kilometer section is suitable for recreational runners and those who want an easier challenge, while the 11.5-kilometer section requires greater physical fitness and experience in trail running. The children’s races on Korzo hrvatskih branitelja additionally expand the program and include the youngest participants in the atmosphere of a sports day.
Novi Trail as the sporting and tourism asset of the final weekend
The official Run Croatia website states that registrations for Novi Trail 2026 are accepted until race day, while runners who have paid entry fees by May 21 are subject to the conditions listed in the organizer’s program. According to available data, the entry fee is 25 euros, and the race is held in Novi Vinodolski with a time frame from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Such information is important for participants planning to arrive from outside the venue because the sports program extends over several hours, and the final FIT4NOVI weekend also includes additional content outside the race itself. Organizers and local partners have also announced awards for the best competitors, confirming that the event is developing into an increasingly serious sports event.
Trail races play an increasingly important role in tourism programs because they connect active holidays, the natural environment and local gastronomy. In the case of Novi Vinodolski, an additional advantage is the proximity of the sea and the hinterland, which means that participants can experience both the coastal atmosphere and the karst landscape in a single day. This is an important element for destinations that want to extend the season and attract visitors outside the busiest summer periods. May is especially suitable for such programs because weather conditions generally allow outdoor activities, and the town gains content that is not tied exclusively to beach tourism.
That is precisely why the final FIT4NOVI weekend has broader significance than the sports schedule. It connects local clubs, tourism workers, caterers, recreational participants and visitors into a single program whole. When a sports race is complemented by children’s content, gastronomic offerings and an evening concert, an event is created that can also attract those who are not taking part in the race, but come as companions, spectators or day-trippers. For a multi-day stay during the finale of the event, it is especially practical to check
accommodation offers in Novi Vinodolski in good time, because several programs are concentrated in the period from May 28 to 31.
The gastronomic part under the slogan “The Power of a Bite”
The Saturday program on May 30 will not be limited only to sport. Novi Vinodolski caterers are joining the event with a gastronomic story under the slogan “The Power of a Bite”, as part of which they will offer special healthy menus at promotional prices in restaurants. This segment of the program naturally continues the theme of healthy living because it presents nutrition as an important part of the sports and recreational experience. After a race, tournament or walk, visitors get the opportunity to taste menus that thematically fit into the event, while caterers gain additional visibility in the period before the main summer season.
Including local gastronomy in a sports event is not merely accompanying content, but also a form of destination presentation. Food, sport and spending time outdoors together create an experience that can motivate visitors to stay longer. In this sense, FIT4NOVI differs from one-day recreational programs because it seeks to connect several sectors of the local offer. Sunday morning will be dedicated to healthy smoothie drinks and advice from nutritionist Martina Linarić, continuing the finale of the event in an educational tone even after the most intense sports day.
Such a schedule carries a clear message: health is not reduced to a single training session, but to a combination of movement, nutrition, recovery and socializing. From a public-health perspective, it is especially important that such messages are conveyed through open, accessible and unobtrusive programs. Instead of formal campaigns, the event uses town events, trails, workshops and the hospitality offer to encourage more active habits. This is also the reason why FIT4NOVI has the potential to remain an important spring brand of Novi Vinodolski.
Zsa Zsa for the musical finale in the town center
For the musical conclusion of the Saturday program, a concert by Zsa Zsa has been announced, and she will perform on May 30 as part of the event finale. This rounds off the sports day with an evening entertainment program, while Novi Vinodolski gains the atmosphere of a town event that goes beyond the framework of the race itself. The concert is also important for visitors who come to the town as companions of competitors or as spectators, because it allows them to continue the sports day at a more relaxed pace. In combination with gastronomic offerings and the all-day program, the evening performance contributes to the impression that the final FIT4NOVI weekend has been designed as a complete experience.
The musical program in the finale of the event also has a promotional function. Sports events often attract a specific audience, while a concert broadens the circle of interest and includes those who might not come only because of the trail race or tournaments. Such a combination of programs shows that Novi Vinodolski during May does not rely on one type of content, but builds an event that can simultaneously be sporting, family-oriented, educational and entertaining. This further emphasizes the role of the event in the pre-season revival of public spaces and the local offer.
A program that extends the season and opens space for active tourism
FIT4NOVI 2026 fits into the broader trend of developing active tourism, in which destinations increasingly emphasize walking trails, trail races, cycling routes, local gastronomy and healthy-living programs. In this context, Novi Vinodolski uses its natural and spatial advantages: proximity to the sea, the hinterland, viewpoints, promenades, the historic core and the accessibility of sports locations. The event therefore has multiple effects. On the one hand, it encourages the local population and visitors to engage in recreation, and on the other hand, it creates additional reasons to come in the period before the peak of the tourist season.
The program also shows an effort to include different groups without major obstacles. Nordic walking does not require prior registration, poles are provided, workshops are practical and thematically linked to health, and the sports finale includes competitive and recreational content. Such an approach increases the accessibility of the program and makes it attractive to a wider audience. At the same time, Novi Trail attracts more serious recreational athletes and runners looking for a clearly defined sports race, official registration and challenging sections.
Novi Vinodolski also retains its cultural recognizability. The town is known for the Vinodol Code from 1288, one of the most important medieval legal monuments in the Croatian area, and contemporary programs such as FIT4NOVI show how historical identity can be complemented by active, recreational and tourism content. Such a combination is important for destinations that want to offer more than a seasonal stay by the sea. When the historic core, natural trails and sports events are connected into a single program, the town gains added value for visitors seeking a more content-rich stay.
According to available announcements, May in Novi Vinodolski will be marked by movement, education, sporting challenges, local gastronomy and evening entertainment. FIT4NOVI 2026 thus confirms the status of an event that does not build recognizability on a single attraction, but on a series of connected events. From the Degenia Trail and the Medicinal Herbs Route, through the Heavenly Labyrinths and workshops, to Novi Trail, children’s races, healthy menus and the concert by Zsa Zsa, the program offers enough reasons to come throughout the entire month. For those who want to combine recreation, nature and a stay in the town,
accommodation near the center of Novi Vinodolski can make it easier to participate in several events and turn the end of May into an active spring holiday.
Sources:- Tourist Board of the Town of Novi Vinodolski – official announcement of the FIT4NOVI 2026 program (link)- Run Croatia – official information about the Novi Trail 2026 race, registrations, schedule and sections (link)- Tourist Board of the Town of Novi Vinodolski – announcement of the Novi Trail 2026 race as part of FIT4NOVI (link)- Town of Novi Vinodolski – information about the FIT4NOVI event and its launch in 2015 (link)- Town of Novi Vinodolski – additional information about Novi Trail 2026, organizers and partners (link)- Official tourist website Visit Novi Vinodolski – tourism and cultural context of the town (link)- Novi list – news context of May events in Novi Vinodolski (link)
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