With an area of 405.78 square kilometres (156.67 sq mi),[3] Cres has the same size as the neighbouring Krk island.

[citation needed] Cres was ruled by the Greeks until the first century B.C., when the Roman Empire made the island part of the province of Liburnia.

During this time the economy developed, thanks to the olive trees, sage, and other plants becoming a key part to the success of the island.

At the end of World War I, with the Treaty of Rapallo signed in 1920, the island was handed over to the Kingdom of Italy.

Because of Italy alliance with the Axis Powers during World War II, Cres was handed over to Yugoslavia in 1947 along with neighbouring islands and the Istrian Peninsula.

A list of the villages with descriptions is below: Cres has its own fresh water lake, which is very highly guarded and illegal to swim or fish in.

Winters are cool and damp, punctuated by the Bora wind and summers are hot and quite dry, bordering on a hot-summer mediterranean climate (Csa).

Further south, Lošinj island enjoys a true hot-summer mediterranean climate (Csa) with cool and damp winters and hot, distinctly dry summers.