Veli Lošinj is one of two larger settlements on the island Lošinj in Kvarner bay; Veli (Big) Lošinj and Mali (Small) Lošinj. Although Veli means Big, the town is actually smaller than Mali Lošinj; it has just 900 something residents, whilst Mali Lošinj has six times more. Veli Lošinj is not developed as Mali, although today the whole island has a great number of visitors, especially during the peak summer months, due to the mild sunny climate conditions with averagely seven daily hours and clean warm sea. Lošinj and Cres were one whole island in the past, but islands were separated by digging a canal in order to shorten the way from mainland to the open sea, probably even in Roman time.
Veli Lošinj is 3 kilometers away from Mali Lošinj where all the catamarans and ferry boats dock. It is possible to reach Lošinj from Cres since those two islands are connected by drawbridge. Lošinj is distanced less than 300 kilometers from Zagreb, 250 something kilometers from Ljubljana and 225 from Trieste. Veli Lošinj is founded in 1280. The town was under the Venetian authority for centuries, and people were well known as sailors. The old stone houses of Lošinj`s captains are still dominating in the center of the town, resisting the time as the town resisted historical and economical turbulence. Today Lošinj is developing its tourist offer through the number of quality small hotels, apartments, restaurants and bars. Already in 1892. Mali and Veli Lošinj were pronounced as the climate rehabilitation centers.
Since then, Lošinj was recognized as a place of great ecological preservation; it is the sea surrounding Lošinj that is the cleanest in north Adriatic with visibility up to 12 meters. Thus, Veli Lošinj is a headquarter of the association `The blue word` with the mission of observing and preserving the environment of Common Bottle-nose Dolphin, the frequent guest in the bluish sea of Lošinj.
