Kubus

Kubus is a viewpoint above the coastal road at Karlobag, a small town on the Adriatic Sea coast at the foot of the Velebit mountains, in Lika-Senj County, Croatia. From it you look across the narrow Velebit Channel to the island of Pag, whose pale, stony, treeless profile stretches along the horizon, and down onto the rugged shoreline where the mountains drop into the sea.

The scenery is the whole point. Velebit is the longest mountain range in Croatia, a limestone wall running parallel to the coast for more than a hundred kilometres, and on this side its slopes are steep, dry and rocky, with scrub and patches of woodland clinging to the stone. The seaward face is exposed to the bura, the cold, dry, gusting wind that descends from the mountains in winter and sometimes in summer, and this shapes both the vegetation and the look of the landscape, scoured and open. Across the channel, Pag appears like a low, bare ridge, a sight that changes with the weather and the time of day, from silver in the haze of midday to deep brown and violet at dusk.

Visitors will find that stopping at Kubus is easy. Travellers on the coastal road, the old Adriatic Highway that links Karlobag with Senj to the north and with Zadar to the south, can pull over and take in the view in a few minutes. Most people stay less than an hour, but the spot rewards a longer pause for photographs, particularly in the golden light of early morning or evening. While the stop is short, several walking paths start nearby and lead up into the rocky hills, so hikers can use it as a starting point for longer outings, though they should be prepared for steep, stony ground and strong sun.

The town of Karlobag, which takes its name from the Habsburg Charles, has its own attractions. The remains of the old fort, known as Fortica, overlook the harbour, the Capuchin Monastery and the Church of St. Charles Borromeo are historic landmarks, and the town’s beaches, among them Tatinja Beach, offer swimming in clear water. Archaeological finds from the second to the fourth century BC record a much older settlement on the coast.

There is no entry fee, and the place can be visited at any time, though care should be taken near edges and on windy days. Bring water, a hat and good shoes. It suits drivers on the coastal road, photographers and walkers who enjoy dramatic landscapes, and it is best in clear weather, when visibility to the islands is greatest.