Opatija, the queen of the coast in Kvarner bay

22.10.2019.

Beautiful Opatija- who still didn’t have a chance to visit, should and must have. Easy to reach, just next to great Rijeka, yet shines like a queen.

Personally, Opatija reminds me of a beautiful time since high school till today. Of growing and learning. This lady Opatija is so elegant, particularly the promenade that leads all the way to Lovran through Ika. Live with events and tourists, Opatija really shines like a pearl in the Mediterranean.

Though awesome in summer by the sea, spring and autumn are so refreshing. Wintertime is also a cozy choice due to the Christmas events and Valentine decor. Situated below the mountain Učka, Opatija is a treasure of possibilities.

When in Opatija, don’t hesitate to visit Istria- the enchanting peninsula with Tuscany vibes;

Island Krk which lies close to Opatija, as one of the prettiest in Croatia, is also a great idea;

A brief history of Opatija

Once the refuge of the Austro-Hungarian nobles, Opatija bursts with the old villas and summer residences. Beautiful hotels enrich this lovely panorama as they discretly scatter along the town, mostly along the promenade.

The Croatian tourism started in Opatija as Ignazio Scarpa founded Villa Angiolina in 1844. This rich merchant from Rijeka gave name to the exquisite Villa by his wife. Villa Angiolina is today a museum of tourism.

In 1889. the town was established as a health resort. The first hotels appeared in this time, such as Kvarner (the first hotel at Adriatic), Imperial and Palace-Belevue. The famous guests among which Franz Joseph and Ban Jelačić came to visit. Isidora Duncan found the inspiration for her dance in Opatija’s palm trees. In 1920. Opatija was assigned to Italy and in 1947. given back to Yugoslavia. The first casino in Eastern Europe was opened in Opatija, casino „Rosalia“.

Maiden with the seagull- a symbol of Opatija

The most famous monument in Opatija is Maiden with the seagull, a statue by Zvonko Car. Nestling on the rock by the sea, now with a fence, this monument gives the town a special charm.

The promenade Lungo Mare is 12 km long, where the crystal clear sea scatters. Officially, the Franz Joseph I Promenade, it starts in Volovsko leading all the way to Lovran.

Parks of Opatija

Parks of Opatija indulge in the decorative art and romantic atmosphere. The central park Angiolina hides the intimate corners, as well as the flower treasure. Many plants came from all the corners of the world, around 159 plants.

A fountain Helios and Selena is another ancient monument, built by the Austrian sculptor Hans Rathautsky in 1889. Saint Jacob’s church is the oldest building in Opatija dating to 1420, though only little remained. It’s the benedictine abbey by which the town got name, located in the Saint James Park.

The forest path of Carmen Sylva and the Croatian Walk of Fame are spots that also deserve attention. Already mentioned Isadora Duncan left the traces of her life in Opatija in the form of dancing statue in front of Villa Amalia. It lies next to the rock with her verse and the wall with the painted faces of famous persons.

The Summer Theatre in Angiolina Park, Opatija

The Open Air Summer Theater is one of the most beautiful stages I’ve seen having the convenient location in the park Angiolina. Lying next to the sea and harbour, it offers a colourful panorama of events. This piece of romance, all in stone, shines in the embrace of greenery.

The Summer Theatre hosts plentiful number of festivals. Some of them include: Opatija Music Festival, Liburnia Jazz Festival, Melodies of Istria and Kvarner, Solo Positivo Film Festival (about music documentaries but it doesn’t happen anymore in Opatija), Liburnicon (festival of science fiction).

You can also enjoy here in operas, ballets, folk-dance performances, concerts, New Year’s Celebration and so on. In winter it’s transformed in the skating ring along the Christmas Fair.

Events in Opatija

Opatija is charming in every time of year, not only by its natural beauty. The numerous events enrich the life of Opatija with sweet decorations. The gift of magic exist in whatever taste we choose.

You can explore local customs, having a good food, relax your body, attend a concert or just enjoy at the beach. After entering the New Year’s wisdom, the ice-skating delight will wait for you at the Open Air Theatre. You will hear the New Year’s greetings in several languages by mayor at Hotel Kvarner.

The Carnival in Opatija

Carnival offers a moment for everyone, giving special attention to children. In this way they become someone else or just exist somewhere else. The carnival emphasizes Balinjerada, the type of race with the self made vehicles. Instead of wheels they use ball-bearing and create craziness. The ball-bearings are known locally as balinjere and thus came the name of the party.

The elite Masquerade Ball is the main story, where tourists and visitors can meet diplomats and celebrities under the attractive masks. Concerts in Opatija enjoy the special ambiance, whether it is the Open Air Theatre or the Arts pavilion Juraj Šporej. Even the Crystal Hall of the hotel Kvarner has a marvelous effect.

Arrival of spring in Opatija

With the arrival of spring Opatija awakens in the full sense.

„March- an Oasis of Wellness“ is the chain of events with the aim to underline the healthy living. It contains guided walking tours, outdoor exercise, and a rich offer of wellness programms in the hotels. Opatija is a delightful spa town in Europe, that you need to discover beyond the surface. The numerous food festivals give honour to the various fresh fruits and similar. The most popular are the Lovran cherries, wild asparagus and Kvarner scampi. In this time of year you can taste different types of coffee at the Coffee festival in Opatija. Independent Theatre Festival is one of the best theatre festivals in Croatia.

Summer events in Opatija

The summer is never boring in Opatija, starting with the Fireworks Festival in June. The Kastav Cultural Summer fills the entire summer from June to October. Jazz and world famous musicians interchange and inspire the locals and visitors of Opatija.

Liburnia Jazz Festival happens in July. Imperial Town Festival in mid-July is an opportunity to absorb history observing music, theatre, and fashion of the 19th century. Liburnia film festival in Ičići closes the summer time of festivals.

The Vienna Week is an interesting combination that offers original delicacies, various musical events, workshops, children’s hapennings and culminate with the traditional Vienna ball. Thus Opatija proves you don’t have to go to Vienna to be absorbed in magnificient colours of culture. Unavoidable maroons lighten the days in Lovran and attract another wave of people.

During the Christmas time in enchanting Opatija you shouldn’t miss the Chocolat Festival.

Sport manifestation

Sport manifestations are also very popular, it should be highlighted the Tennis tournament of veterans and Galijola, sailboat regatta that happen in septembre during the night.

Other attractions

In Opatija I’ve seen the most beautiful beaches, variety of choice from the biggest to the intimate ones near the promenade Lungo mare let’s you escape from all the worries. The main beach Slatina lies at the centre of Opatija just across the Croatian Street of fame and offers the wide range of gastronomic and sport infrastructure. It is partly made of concrete and partly it’s sandy. Newly opened beach Lido with the beautiful swimming pool and terrace will fullfill even the most demanded guests.

There’s a chocolate museum in Opatija where you can taste very nice chocolate from a fountain and buy souvenirs.

Day trips from Opatija

If Opatija is not enough for you or if you want to see more, there are plenty of boat and bus excursions with Opatija as a starting point. Some of them include nearby Italy (Venezia,Trieste) and Slovenia (Postojnska jama- cave of Postojna, Ergela Lipica- the origin place of the lipizzaner horses, raftig on Kupa) and some nearby seaside or continental places (island of Krk, Istria tour, Rijeka- Trsat and Kastav, national park Brioni, national park Plitvice).

Opatija indeed delights with crystal blue sea and beautifully arranged beaches, though in spring and autumn will let you more to enjoy it by foot and even take some nature escape to mountain Učka with wonderfull views.

Final thoughts

First time I was in Opatija during the high school time at one hotel. Coming back 20 years after the town significantly changed but the charm is the same even wider. Because there are so many events more, Opatija is the unique example of being itself. It shows how it is possible to embrace history and still living in the present, to discover its own sweetness. To be elegant by simply showing beauty and wisdom- it is not difficult to discover that all of this is not far away.