Opatija

Even today, many years later, Opatija, like a beautiful lady, enjoys her riches and fullness of life. Opatija’s villas and hotels of exceptional architectural value, surrounded by the evergreen Učka, healing sea and beautifully arranged parks, have perfectly combined the modern spirit and the benefits of a top tourist offer. Because of its unique climate and temperature, Opatija is attractive not only in the hot summer months when offering refreshment, but in the winter as well, with its mild and warm temperatures because of which it was a popular resort and sanatorium of the Austrian aristocracy.

Opatija is a place rich in cultural and entertainment events, unique culinary delicacies and, in recent years, in superb wellness and beauty treatments. Opatija is absolutely the ideal destination for a totally relaxing holiday. Each visitor of the beautiful Opatija lives with its timeless beauty, carrying it with himself wherever he goes.

History
The history of Opatija goes deeply into the past. Today’s residents are descendants of the Liburni, who were present in this region from the 9th century BC. They were known as skilled navigators and builders of fast ships. The ships were built of planks that were sewn with rope. They sailed to North Africa and Asia. It is very characteristic that they particularly treasured women who sustained the cult of their ancestors. The beliefs of the Liburni were based on old deities, mostly women, of whom we know Anzotike, Ika, Irija and Sentona and they worshiped the god Silvanus as well. After a long battle with the Romans, the Liburni lost their power and this territory fell under the rule of Rome. After the fall of Rome in the 5th century, the area was occupied by the Ostrogoths, while in the 6th century the territory was ruled by Byzantium. In the 7th century the Slavs came. The Franks replaced them and in the 12th century Opatija was under the government of the patriarchs of Aquileia. Today’s Opatija was born from the church of St. James and the monastery, which were first mentioned in the mid-15th century.

Then Opatija passed into the hands of the Habsburg family. From the mid-16th century to the early 18th century, the Augustins from Rijeka owned Opatija, and at the end of the century it passed into the hands of the Church. After the arrival of Austria, a period of great progress began. In 1844 Opatija begun to develop as an elite resort. In that period Villa Angelina was built. In the same year, the Grand Hotel Kvarner opened. It is the oldest hotel on the Adriatic coast, known in that period as the favorite place of European kings and emperors of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. In 1889, Opatija was officially declared the first resort on the Adriatic Sea. Up to 1913, a dozen hotels, 44 bed and breakfasts, 83 villas and even 5 baths surrounded by beautiful botanical gardens were built here. During the First World War, Opatija begun to fall with the arrival of the Kingdom of Italy and then with the arrival of fascism. After Italy, there was the German occupation in 1943 which lasted until 1945 when Opatija was freed and annexed to the former Yugoslavia. During this period, tourism and Opatija itself throve again. In 1991 after the breakup of Yugoslavia, Opatija became an integral part of Croatia.

Recommendation
St. James Church – from the 15th century; with the monastery it is the place where today’s Opatija was born

Church of the Annunciation – it is an imposing neo-Romanesque structure built in 1906, with a great green dome and a monastery

Fontana Helios and Selena – it represents the Sun and the Moon, personified in the mythological characters of brother and sister

Villa Angelina – a beautiful building built in 1844, once a central place of entertainment for the aristocracy in that period; it lies in the middle of the botanical garden and it is now a Museum of tourism

Hotels and villas – the beauty and uniqueness of the local constructions impress at every step; the most famous are the hotel Kvarner and Imperial, Villa Amalia in which stayed European kings and emperors, celebrities like the dancer Isadora Duncan and many others

St. James Park – a beautiful botanical garden with an area of 3.64 hectares divided into 60 fields. In it about 150 plant species have been planted, which mostly originate from distant countries. Along with the beautiful magnolia, the most famous among them is the Japanese camellia (Camellia japonica), which eventually became the symbol of Opatija

The sculpture “Girl with a seagull” – set on a cliff by the sea; created in 1956

Veprinac – former prehistoric ruins with Glagolitic inscriptions and medieval buildings, of which the most famous are the city lodge, the church of St. Mark and the city gate

Učka Natural Park – a place rich in flora and fauna, which boasts several endemic species of which we point out Campanula tommasiniana and the griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus). This is also a place of extraordinary archaeological treasures where in some caves evidences of human presence before 12,000 years BC were found

Astronomy Center Rijeka – it is composed of a digital planetarium, an observatory, a small and a large hall, a multimedia workshop and a panoramic terrace on the roof of the building. As part of the project programs are offered in several languages

Events
Carnival – a traditional carnival, with a rich entertainment program – 15.01.-15.02.

Coffee Festival – Festival of coffee, with a variety of coffees, desserts and cocktails with coffee flavors – 03.04.-05.04.

Festival of young Croatian wines – enological events with a rich offer of wine from the all of Croatia 09.04.-11.04.

Flower Festival – a horticultural event – 30.04.-02.05.

Opatijske Barufe – big rock festival 21.05.-22.05.

Highland races Učka – highland car race – 05.06.-06.06.

Liburnija Jazz Festival – Jazz Festival, where big jazz guests participate 02.07.-04.07.

Kaisernacht – musical and theatrical spectacle of reviving of Austrian art, traditions and gastronomy 16.07.-18.07.

Liburnicon – science fiction convention 23.07.-24.07.

Night of St.Lovro – a traditional folk festival with a rich entertainment and gastronomic offer 10.08.

Galijola – a sailing regatta 11.09.12.09.
Chocolate Festival – gastronomic festival with a wide range of desserts and beverages made of chocolate 03.12.-05.12.