September the 22nd, 2025 – There’s a 100-year-old tower perched on top of a mountain that connects Kvarner and Istria, and it’s the topic of many myths and legends.
As Putni kofer/Martina Hrupic writes, they say that it is home to the most beautiful viewpoint in all of Croatia, that it abounds in numerous legends and is home to mythical creatures like fairies and giants. Indeed, it’s one of the most beautiful views in the entire country… The Vojak peak, the highest peak of Učka, but also of the Istrian peninsula.
It’s a real decoration of the nature park that bears the name of that massive mountain and is a favourite destination for hikers and lovers of beautiful views.
from a military asset to a souvenir shop and a hikers’ paradise
Goran Kovacic/PIXSELL
Towering above its surroundings at a dizzying 1,401 metres high, Vojak is the highest peak of Učka. Its summit, according to the Croatian Mountaineering Association, is bare, rugged and grassy with steep slopes, while at its peak there is a 10-metre-high stone observation tower. This is the Vojak tower, a symbol not only of the aforementioned nature park but also of the wider area.
This building was constructed back in 1911 by mountaineers and the members of the then Austro-Hungarian organisation “Oesterreicherischer Touristen Club”. During the First World War, it served military purposes and was used as an observation post to monitor the sea area. The tower was renovated in 2004, and even before that, when in 1999 the Učka mountain range and part of Ćićarija were declared a nature park, the tower became its trademark. Today, it serves as an information centre, a souvenir shop and, what everyone comes for, a truly beautiful viewpoint.
an expansive view which encompasses several countries
Goran Kovacic/PIXSELL
The most beautiful view in Croatia, as they say, is from the tower’s terrace, which is reached by climbing up 30 steps. It stretches far, offering views in all directions. In good weather, it’s as if everything is in the palm of your hand: Istria, the wider Rijeka area, the entire northern Adriatic, mountainous Gorski kotar, the striking Velebit mountain range and even the Gulf of Trieste, the Julian Alps and the Dolomites. Nearby are also a telecommunications tower and a military radar.
The Vojak Tower on top of the mountain which connects Kvarner and Istria is (quite understandably) a popular destination for hikers. The most popular trail is the one that leads from Poklon, lasting an hour and a half. There are a number of other options as well. Vela Učka – Sedlo – Vojak, Mala Učka – Sedlo – Vojak and Lovranska Draga – Mala Učka – Vojak are three more that are offered to those interested, and those who collect stamps will be able to add one to their hiking book right at (or in) the tower. You can also get to the Vojak tower by car. On paper, access is prohibited, according to a number of sources, but many also claim that this so-called prohibition is not actually set in stone.
The Učka Nature Park encompasses the Učka mountain range and part of the Ćićarija area, and extends over 160 square kilometres of unspoiled nature. It’s home to 200 fascinating speleological objects, and its heart is considered to be the Poklon pass that connects Učka and Ćićarija. It is located at 922 metres above sea level, and was named after the pilgrims. The first mountain hut on Učka was built there way back in 1887, and today it is also home to an information centre for all those who choose to visit it.
the hatched egg in the nest…
As for the park’s attractions, the Vojak peak and the tower, or rather the lookout point on it, are just one of many. There’s also Veli Planik, the highest peak of Ćićarija, as well as the Korita spring under a steep cliff called Brajkova stijena. The mountain shelter and bird observation post called “Izvaljeno jaje u gnijezdu” (The hatched egg in the nest) certainly attracts plenty of attention with its unusual appearance.
One of the most famous locations of all is the stunning Vela Draga, a canyon known for its limestone towers that climbers instantly fell in love with back at the beginning of the last century. Today, Vela Draga is also a favourite climbing destination, one of the most popular in all of Croatia, and the two-kilometre-long geological educational trail bearing the same name is also connected to it.
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