Opatija – Things to do & places to visit

Opatija, Croatia is small town with population around 12.000 people and it is located in the Kvarner Bay, beneath the southern slopes of the mountain Ucka and around 15 km from Rijeka, Croatia’s third largest city.

The centre of the Opatija Riviera, Opatija town is surrounded by great number of small towns and villages, from Volosko to Lovran, linked by a seafront promenade Lungo mare.

Opatija is easily accessible this Mediterranean resort is now closer to Central Europe than ever before thanks to its well built road network.

Opatija
Visit Opatija “Queen of Tourism” in Croatia

However, you can choose other types of transportation – a train station, airports and harbours are easily accessible within a 40 kilometre radius.

Interesting facts about Opatija

Opatija is well known under names such as “The First Lady”, “Pearl of the Adriatic”,”Sankt Jakobi”, “Abbazia”, “Old dame”, “Queen of Tourism”.

Surrounded by a backdrop of densely-wooded hills, located on the border where the Istria meets the Kvarner bay.

Kvarner Bay
View on Kvarner bay from Volosko near Opatija

Avoiding the Austrian’s winter cold, the Hapsburg nobility of the Austro-Hungarian Empire set the fashion in the year 1844.

Attracted by the mild microclimate, Opatija’s splendid guest list included crowned heads, composers, novelists, and other celebrities of the day.

What can you expect when you visiting Opatija

They all gathered in Opatija to take in the sea air, recover their energy in hot baths, cold baths, and the sanatorium; and to dance or gamble until late night hours.

Other famous visitors included Chekhov, Puccini, and Gustav Mahler – who came to convalesce here after a case of tonsillitis.

Writer James Joyce regularly took tea on the Hotel Imperial’s terrace, Isadora Duncan danced to the swaying fronds of a palm tree outside her balcony in the Villa Amalia, an annex of today’s Hotel Kvarner.

Hotel Kvarner Opatija
First built hotel on Opatija riviera is Hotel Kvarner

Handily placed benches invite you to sit and contemplate the Adriatic where the islands of Cres and Krk loom in the shimmering blue of Kvarner bay.

Opatija retains an air of dowager duchess opulence: grand hotels with crystal chandelier ballrooms; Viennese-style pastries slathered in cream; visitors sporting old-fashioned finery. >

Beauty and elegance are passed on to each guest, and many tourists keep coming back every year for the rest of their lives, claiming that they simply feel wonderful in this place of elegance, luxury, wellness and natural beauty.

By visiting Opatija Croatia you can feel ambiental atmosphere of the 19th century.

Grand hotel with elegant facades you can easily visualizes past visitors from Austria’s Hapsburg dynasty, such as the Emperor Franz Joseph, or a long list of world royal dynasties who have over the years chosen this gem of Croatia tourism for their holiday destination.

Opatija has preserved and certainly has today is a holiday destination of elegance and style!

For summer holiday of your dreams, choose Croatia’s famous tourist destination of Opatija.

Events and festivals in Opatija

After enjoying the sun on the beach, you are invited to visit some of the numerous cultural events in town.

During the summer, Opatija becomes a Mecca for culture and the arts: multimedia events, film, literature, concerts and theatrical performances in the summer turn Opatija into a stage without boundaries between artists and audiences.

For good evening mood, it is recommendable that you visit the most beautiful terrace in Opatija – the terrace of the Hotel Kvarner, which was built in 1884 as the first hotel in the town.

The newly refurbished terrace hosts attractive musical and stage performances.

The terraces of other hotels also offer a variety of interesting musical and entertainment programs.

Those include the Remisens Premium Hotel Ambasador, the Remisens Family Hotel Excelsior, the Remisens Family Hotel Marina All Inclusive Light, and the Hotel Palace Bellevue.

Liburnia Jazz Festival

For jazz lovers, Opatija is the place to visit every year on the first weekend in July, because in that time since 2003, town plays host to the Liburnia Jazz Festival, with a program tailored to meet the expectations of even the most demanding audiences.

Liburnia Jazz Festival
Liburnia Jazz Festival in Opatija Croatia

The distinctive feature of this festival is the Jazz Boat, where you can enjoy your favour music on a trip along the coast of the Riviera on warm summer nights.

There are also numerous concerts on Opatija’s terraces. The main program takes place under a starry sky at Opatija’s Open Air Theatre.

Best time to visit Opatija

Peak of high season, July and August, are ideal for sunbathing on a beach where you can soak up the summer sun and relax body and mind.

Surrender to the magic of the sea and visit beaches that offer daily entertainment in their bars, karaoke program and a wide range of excellent culinary delicatessen.

In the evening, the town wakes up again, offering a lively nightlife to suit every taste.