Vrbnik is undoubtedly one of the most famous Croatian villages. It became famous thanks to its Glagolitic heritage and famous popular song with its special melody and content which is played and arranged in variety of performances and is called “Vrbniče nad morem” (Vrbnik above the sea). 

As with the other castles on the island, Vrbnik too is, situated high up, at almost 50 metres and on truly special place, on a cliff that literally dives into the sea. With Šilo, located in the area of Dobrinj, it is the only large village on the east coast of the island of Krk. It was first mentioned in 1100. The inhabitants were mainly farmers, then navigators and fishermen.

Today the most important product of Vrbnik’s fields and of Vrbnik in general, is its golden yellow wine – the Žlahtina; which has become famous even in wider Croatian circles.

According to stories told by the old people of Vrbnik, before the wine became famous, the fields were cultivated with cereals in order to feed the local families that were larger than those today. In such conditions the grapevine was cultivated on the edge of the fields as the wine market did not yet exist and wine was only produced for personal needs.

Vrbnik is still principally an excursionist village, which is a kind of advantage, even though it provides accommodation in the rooms and apartments of private houses as well as in a number of hotels.

With its rich history, Vrbnik is known as the cradle of Croatian literacy and it is surely one of the oldest villages on the island of Krk.
Narrow streets prevail in Vrbnik, so it is not strange that the world’s narrowest street should be located exactly here.
Blaž Baromić was the founder of the first famous Croatian glagolitic printing-house in Senj, through which he greatly contributed to Croatia’s cultural heritage. As he was born in Vrbnik, a monument was raised in his honour.