Free educational excursions for private accommodation providers: “Get to Know the Apsyrtides” brings the focus back to knowledge, heritage, and archipelago sustainability
The Tourist Board of the City of Mali Lošinj will once again organize, in March 2026, a cycle of one-day, free educational excursions for private accommodation providers and other tourism stakeholders under the name
“Get to Know the Apsyrtides”. According to the organizers’ announcements, the program is carried out through four thematically designed Saturdays from
7 to 28 March 2026, with the aim that the people who shape the destination experience every day, firsthand, deepen their understanding of the space in which they work: its history, natural specificities, cultural identity, and sustainable tourism practices.
In the tourism industry, authenticity is being talked about more and more often, but in practice it is easiest to recognize it in the detail: in the way a host explains why a certain bay is important, how they bring a story about old paths and coexistence with the environment closer to the guest, or how they interpret contemporary projects that change the destination’s standard. Exactly at that level “Get to Know the Apsyrtides” wants to make a difference – through fieldwork, encounters, and examples that cannot be reduced to a leaflet or a short recommendation.
For visitors planning to come to Lošinj because of excursions, education, or archipelago exploration, it is useful to check in time
accommodation offers in Mali Lošinj and nearby places, especially on weekend dates when interest is traditionally higher.
Apsyrtides: a name that connects Cres, Lošinj, and the archipelago’s satellites
The program’s name is not accidental.
Apsyrtides is the ancient name for the Cres–Lošinj island group which – besides Cres and Lošinj – also includes inhabited islands such as Susak, Unije, Ilovik, and Vele and Male Srakane, as well as a series of smaller islets, reefs, and rocks. In the local identity, this name has been increasingly present in recent years because it clearly communicates the archipelago as a whole and connects natural and cultural heritage with today’s development priorities, among which is sustainability.
In that context, the educational excursions are not conceived as a one-day “escape” from routine, but as an investment in competencies: from heritage interpretation to understanding infrastructure solutions that are crucial for protecting the sea, the landscape, and quality of life on the islands.
If your plans include visiting Osor, Cres, or smaller islands, it is practical to look in advance at
accommodation near the departure point so that logistics are simpler, especially for early departures.
Professional guidance and “learning in the field”
According to the program available in the announcement, the excursions are led by local guide and historian
Irena Dlake, and the content is set up to combine the classics of destination interpretation (heritage, history, natural values) with very concrete topics that in practice determine the quality of tourism: municipal infrastructure, waste and water management, sustainable models in camping, sea protection, and examples recognized beyond Croatia as well.
Important note: on the official pages of the Tourist Board of the City of Mali Lošinj, a version of the program has also been published that differs in some details (including the date of the first date and certain locations). The organizer as a rule confirms final schedules through registrations and official notices, so participants are advised to check current information before departure.
Four Saturdays, four themes: what the program brings in March 2026
7 March: Osor and the archipelago’s wine story
The first excursion, according to the program announced for
7 March, is focused on Osor – a place often described as an “open-air museum” because of the layered history in a small area. A visit is planned to the
Archaeological and
Sacral Collection and the
Osor (ex) cathedral, opening the foundational story of a space that for centuries was an important point of communication and life on the border between Cres and Lošinj.
Next in the program is a visit to the shepherd’s dwelling
Parhavac in Punta Križa, which from a tourism perspective has added value: guests increasingly seek experiences that explain how people lived with the landscape, how they moved and worked in conditions that today are hard to imagine without infrastructure. Such locations, if interpreted professionally and with measure, become a powerful tool for understanding island identity.
A special segment of the first excursion brings an eno-story: a visit to
Komadina Winery, with a wine tasting including
Sansigot, an autochthonous variety from the island of Susak, as well as Syrah in a local interpretation. For accommodation providers and tourism professionals this is not only a “tasting”, but learning how a local product can be told as part of a larger story: about soil, climate, tradition, and contemporary production on the island.
For participants and visitors who want to extend their stay and combine a visit to Osor with exploring Cres and Lošinj, it is advisable to look earlier at
accommodation offers in the Osor area, especially if a weekend stay is planned.
14 March: Sustainable Lošinj in practice – infrastructure that protects the sea
The second excursion, planned for
14 March, opens a topic that in destinations with sensitive ecosystems becomes decisive:
municipal infrastructure and sustainability. The program includes visits to several points that explain how wastewater and waste are handled in practice, and how sustainability is not reduced to a slogan, but to systems that operate all year round.
Among the locations mentioned are Kijac and the wastewater treatment plant. According to data from Hrvatske vode, the wastewater treatment plant of the City of Mali Lošinj was built as part of a system with a capacity designed for loads characteristic of seasonal peaks, with mechanical and biological-chemical treatment phases and air treatment systems. Such facilities, although “invisible” to the tourist, are crucial for what the guest sees – clean sea, safer swimming, and a preserved coastal belt.
The same excursion also announces a segment on waste management (sorting facility and recycling yard), as well as a visit to
Čikat Camp. In publicly available posts about the camp, the project
“Safe Camping” is highlighted, which was included among the
Green Destinations Top 100 Stories. Such recognitions, according to reports from the Green Destinations conference, are awarded to examples that show measurable and transferable practices of sustainable destination management – from safety and risk management to conservation of space and visitor engagement.
The return from the excursion includes a visit to the
Sea Turtle Recovery Center of the Blue World Institute (Institut Plavi svijet). The Institute is one of Lošinj’s recognized institutions in the field of marine research and protection, and the recovery center plays an important role in the care, treatment, and rehabilitation of injured
loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta). In practice, this place brings participants closer to the issue of marine animal injuries (due to entanglement, plastic, hooks, or collisions), but also shows how education can be turned into content guests remember – without sensationalism, with an emphasis on responsible behavior.
If you plan to participate or come to Lošinj at that time, especially because of visiting Čikat and educational content, it makes sense to check in advance
accommodation near Čikat and availability in March, when weekend trips often depend on weather and logistics.
21 March: The cultural heritage of the island of Krk – Košljun, the Baška tablet, and wine interpretation
The third excursion, announced for
21 March, goes beyond the Cres–Lošinj archipelago and takes participants to the
island of Krk, through a series of locations strongly inscribed in Croatia’s cultural map:
Punat and the islet of Košljun,
Jurandvor and the Baška tablet,
Vrbnik, and the
town of Krk.
Such an “excursion outside the archipelago” has a clear educational logic: destinations are learned through comparison as well. Krk is an example of an island that for decades has balanced more mass tourism with heritage preservation, and certain points (such as Košljun and the Baška tablet) offer a model of interpretation that can be transferred to other islands. For accommodation providers this means concrete inspiration: how to explain to a guest “why something is important” without the story becoming too long or dry, and how to connect cultural content with local products and gastronomy.
The program also includes a visit to
Vinotel Gospoja in Vrbnik, which in public brand presentations is emphasized as a concept that combines eno-gastronomy and local tradition. Such examples in an educational program serve as “case studies”: how product and service are shaped into a complete experience, and how heritage can be integrated into a contemporary tourism product without losing authenticity.
For those who want to combine this excursion with a longer stay in Kvarner, it is useful to look in time at
accommodation for visitors departing from Lošinj, especially if traveling early and wanting to avoid transport-related stress.
28 March: The island of Unije – life in harmony with nature and a preserved island everyday
The last excursion, planned for
28 March, is focused on the
island of Unije, often cited as an example of preserved traditional building and harmonious coexistence with space. According to the program announcement, participants can expect a tour of sites that open the story of work, diet, and adaptation to island life:
Torać (an old olive mill), an ethnographic collection, the church of St. Andrew, the
Unije field, the
Vele cliffs, and the bay
Maračuol.
The program also mentions the historical fact that Unije once had almost
800 residents engaged in producing grain, wine, and olive oil. Today the demographic picture is different, but precisely for that reason such excursions gain added value: they open the question of how small islands can be kept alive, what their advantages are, and what their limitations are – from supply to seasonality and service availability.
For private accommodation providers and other tourism stakeholders, Unije also offer an important lesson in how to explain to a guest the “slower” rhythm of the island: instead of promises that are not realistic, the emphasis is placed on peace, nature, walks, and respect for space. In a time when part of the market seeks exactly that kind of experience, clear interpretation becomes just as important as the location itself.
If you are considering a visit to Unije or connecting a stay on Lošinj with an excursion to a smaller island, it is good to check in advance
accommodation for visitors touring Unije and transport options, because weather conditions and sailing schedules can affect plans.
A broader support package for accommodation providers: marketing, education, and the “Lošinj Flower”
Alongside the field excursions, the Tourist Board of the City of Mali Lošinj is also running, in parallel, other activities intended for private accommodation. Among them is the
Public Call for co-financing the marketing activities of accommodation providers for 2026, in which – according to the published conditions – investments are co-financed up to
200 euros and up to
50% of total costs, while accommodation providers on Ilovik, Susak, Unije, and the Srakane islands have the possibility of co-financing up to
70%. The list of eligible activities includes photography and video production, purchasing software for managing family accommodation, advertising, producing promotional materials, eco certificates, professional literature, and education related to doing business in tourism.
Such a model, although financially limited, has a clear message: the quality of communication and presentation of accommodation becomes a standard, not a luxury. Good photos, clear information, and professional management of an accommodation profile are often the difference between an average and an above-average season – especially in the segment of guests who seek reliability and transparency.
It has also been announced that during March a series of professional trainings will be held, while in April the traditional distribution of seedlings follows within the program
“Lošinj Flower”, as an incentive for landscaping and raising the overall quality of the accommodation offer. In practice, such “small” measures are often visible to the guest at first glance, and help the destination retain a recognizable identity.
For guests who come because of trainings or events and want to stay for a few days, it is worth checking in time
accommodation offers on Lošinj that are close to key locations and with good transport connections.
Why the program matters: interpretation as a quality tool
In a statement related to the program, the director of the Tourist Board of the City of Mali Lošinj
Dalibor Cvitković emphasized that investment in knowledge, heritage interpretation, and personal experience are key elements of long-term and sustainable tourism development. That message in the context of island destinations has a very practical dimension: private accommodation is not only “capacity”, but also the destination’s communication channel. The accommodation provider is often the first to explain to the guest what to visit, how to behave in nature, where sensitive habitats are, why it is important to sort waste, or to respect rules in protected areas.
In March, when the season is only being prepared, such programs have added value: they create a common language among stakeholders, align standards, and open space for good practice to be transferred from one location to another. And that is precisely why “Get to Know the Apsyrtides” is not only a series of excursions, but an attempt to build destination quality from within – through the people who represent it.
Sources:- Tourist Board of the City of Mali Lošinj – program announcement “Get to Know the Apsyrtides” (official post) (link)- Tourist Board of the City of Mali Lošinj – Public Call for co-financing the marketing activities of accommodation providers for 2026 (conditions and eligible activities) (link)- Istrapedia – Apsirtidi/Apsyrtides as the ancient name of the Cres–Lošinj island group (name context and archipelago coverage) (link)- Croatian National Tourist Board / thematic information about the archipelago (general context of the destination and Kvarner) (link)- HRTurizam – “Green Destinations Top 100 Stories” recognition for the “Safe Camping” project of Čikat Camp (recognition context) (link)- Blue World Institute (Institut Plavi svijet) – official information on the Institute’s work and the sea turtle recovery center (mission and programs) (link)- Hrvatske vode – information about the wastewater treatment plant of the City of Mali Lošinj (technical and operational context) (link)- Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure – contracts/projects related to remediation and closure of the “Kalvarija” landfill (official project context) (link)- Gospoja (official website) – Vinotel Gospoja and the concept of connecting wine, gastronomy, and heritage (context of the program visit) (link)
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