The mountain starts behind the house
Učka is the mountain at our back — 160 km² of protected nature park, and the reason the air up here smells different. You don’t drive to the trailhead; you walk out of the garden gate and turn uphill.
Vojak
The summit, at 1,401 m with the stone lookout tower of 1911 on top. On a clear day the view runs across the whole Kvarner, over Istria, and — the locals insist, and they’re right — as far as Venice. From Lovran it’s a solid day’s hike up and down; start early, carry water, and one of the guests’ favourite rewards is the sunrise from the upper trails. There is also a road most of the way up, if you’d rather drive to the view.
Gentler than Vojak
The Slap trail from Medveja through the chestnut woods to Lovranska Draga ends at a waterfall, with signs along the way about the plants that grow only here. The village at the top, 360 m up among terraced vineyards, has a konoba waiting — which is the right order of operations. Beyond walking: 180 km of marked mountain-bike routes, paragliding launches, climbing crags, and ranger-guided tours if you want the park explained properly.
Where next?
The beachesClear water, white pebbles, and the honest hill back.