The old town of Rab occupies a narrow peninsula that juts into the sea, its skyline punctuated by four Romanesque bell towers that have served as a landmark for sailors since the Middle Ages. From the water the silhouette is unmistakable: the towers rise in a line above a tight cluster of terracotta roofs, with the sea on both sides.
Three parallel streets run the length of the peninsula. The Upper Street (Gornja ulica) passes the most important monuments — the ruined fifth-century Basilica of St John and several Romanesque churches, each with a tower of slightly different character. The tower of the Church of St Mary the Great, at 26 metres, is the finest. The Middle and Lower Streets are quieter, lined with Renaissance palaces and stairways dropping to the sea.
The Cathedral of the Assumption (originally twelfth century) stands at the southern tip of the peninsula. Its treasury holds a reliquary of St Christopher, patron of the island.
Allow a full afternoon to wander without a plan. The streets are stone-paved and traffic-free. In the morning, before the day-trippers arrive from the mainland, the old town is genuinely peaceful. Every July, the town hosts Fjera, a three-day medieval fair with costumed craft demonstrations and a crossbow tournament.