Opatija - the pearl of Kvarner
Opatija (Opatija) - the famous Croatian Nice, the most fashionable resort in Croatia. Unique warm and mild climate, uncharacteristic for the northern Croatian coast, subtropical greenery of parks and squares, dozens of luxurious hotels lined up along the famous "langomar" (promenade), exclusive boutiques of European companies, expensive restaurants and prestigious villas built back in the days of Austria-Hungary - all this
Opatija is one of the few Croatian resort towns where an active tourist life takes place almost all year round. This is facilitated by a developed hotel network, the presence of numerous
entertainment, the European level of comfort and the extraordinary beauty of the northern part of the Kvarner Bay. Not without reason, back in the 19th century, the Austrian and Hungarian nobility so appreciated this seaside town, the importance of which for tourism in Croatia was not lost even during the difficult 90s of the last century. If you want to feel like a part of the European beau monde and at the same time have a good rest in a Slavic-speaking environment, then you are here - in Opatija!
Pompous Opatija, unlike many other Croatian cities, cannot boast of an ancient history and a heroic past. However, there are numerous legends and fascinating historical twists in the fate of this "cult" resort.
The most famous of the legends says that it was here that Queen Medea, abandoned by Jason, settled in ancient times. It is no coincidence that one of the villages on the coast of the Opatija Riviera (Liburnian Riviera) is called Medveja (Medveya). According to legend, it is from here that the tribe of Liburnians originates, descendants of Medea, who gave this part of the Kvarner Bay the name Liburnia.
The very name "Opatija" means abbey, the city got it thanks to the Benedictine monastery, which was founded in these parts at the beginning of the 15th century. The real history of Opatija begins only at the end of the 19th century, when from a tiny village on the Adriatic Sea, it began to rapidly turn into a prestigious resort and a famous sanatorium for the Austro-Hungarian nobility.
The foundation was laid in 1844, when a wealthy and successful industrialist from the city of Rijeka (Rijeka) Ignio Scarpa built a luxurious villa here for himself, where he rested with his family, and also spent time with his influential and even crowned friends. The villa was named Angiolina, it was visited at different times by Archduke Maximilian, Maria Anna - the wife of Emperor Ferdinand I and other influential persons. In 1882, Friedrich Schü ller, who was in charge of the construction of the railway from Ljubljana to Rijeka, purchased Villa Angiolina. The enterprising engineer, whose interests extended far beyond the area of laying the railway track, decided to create a fashionable health resort for the aristocracy and the highest ranks of the Austrian army in this stunningly beautiful corner of the Adriatic. The most interesting thing is that the resort was originally conceived as a winter resort and it was supposed to receive guests from October to May. This was facilitated by the mild climate of Opatija, its amazing healing air and good location. In this regard, the city subsequently had only one competitor - the town of Mali Loš inj (Mali Loš inj), located on the island of Loš inj, which also became the center of treatment and prestigious winter recreation for the Austrian military elite.
Under the leadership of Schü ller, the first two Opatija hotels were built - Kvarner (Kvarner) and Crown Princess Stephanie (Kronprinzessin Stephanie), which is currently called the Palace-Bellevue. The resort developed very quickly and soon gained wide popularity in Europe. Hotels were built along the sea, and Art Nouveau became the main architectural style. Until now, guests of the city are amazed by the luxury, grandeur and imperial power of the Opatija villas. Opatija has always been popular with famous people. In 1894, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary negotiated here. Anton Pavlovich Chekhov rested at the Kvarner Hotel. At the beginning of the 20th century, the famous dancer Isadora Duncan lived in the Kronprinzessin Stephanie. According to her, it was the palm tree that grew in front of the hotel that helped her invent the famous “hand flutter” movement. The French composer Jean Charles de Paer wrote a polka in honor of Opatija, which he called "Villa Angiolina". The sudden outbreak of the First World War seriously slowed down the growth and development of Opatija. Until the end of World War II, the resort was in some decline. The young Yugoslav state found a unique way to give Opatija its former luster again by opening the Tallas Therapy Institute here in 1954. Thanks to this, the fame of the seaside health resort has spread all over the world.
The Opatija (Liburnian) Riviera stretches for more than 12 km from the village of Volosko (Volosko) on the border with the largest regional city of Rijeka (Rijeka) in the north to the town of Lovran (Lovran) in the south. There are several resort villages on the coast, the boundaries between which are very conditional, because. they have long been part of a single whole - Big Opatija, these are Volosko (Volosko), Opatija (Opatija), Ič ić i (Ichichi), Ika (Ika) and Lovran (Lovran). A little further, somewhat apart, is the legendary Medveja (Medveya), which is famous for its beautiful pebble beach. In fact, hotels, motels and villas are lined up along the coastline throughout the Riviera.
A feature of the Opatija Riviera is the extremely mountainous terrain. Only a narrow strip along the coast with a width, on average, no more than 300 m, is a relatively flat area on which the main tourist sites are located. Further on the slopes of Mount Uchka, numerous private houses, mini-hotels and apart-houses nestled. The famous Opatija "langomar" (promenade) is an ideal place for walking in the fresh sea air and exploring the beauties of the resort. During the 14 km route, you can swim on the numerous beaches of Great Opatija, admire the exquisite St. Jacob Park with its bright flower beds, relax in cafes and restaurants.
The comfortable climate of the Liburnian Riviera is due to its location. The Uchka mountain range shields the coast of Opatija from the cold winter winds blowing from the continent, while the sea breeze in the Kvarner Bay provides coolness and freshness in summer. Opatija is still a great place for a winter holiday. Warm weather, evergreens, a well-developed infrastructure for recreation and entertainment will not let you get bored, and if you suddenly want to take a walk in fresh snow or go skiing, then you only need to drive 30 km and you will find yourself in Gorski Kotar, where winter reigns supreme. You can visit the Platak ski resort or visit Risnjak National Park, walk around the town of Delnice (Delnice) and try hunting trophies in one of the mountain restaurants.
Most of the beaches in the Opatija area are specially equipped concrete platforms. In the very center of the city is the largest of them - Slatina (Slatina), which is very easy to recognize by the famous umbrellas, painted in rainbow colors and installed on terraces descending to the sea. Two children's "paddling pools" are also equipped here, there are attractions, several beach cafes operate.
Thanks to the rocky terrain, the water in the Opatija Riviera is always clean and clear, despite the large number of swimmers and the proximity of the big city. Tourists who categorically do not accept swimming from the platforms will like the most beautiful pebble-sand beaches of Medvei and Ichichi. Opatija is traditionally famous for its expensive shops, fine restaurants and prestigious casinos. Life in the city boils until late at night, many bars, nightclubs and discos are open until the last visitor. Most of the entertainment facilities are located directly in the hotels on the main street of Opatija - Marshal Tito, most of the fashion boutiques and pastry shops are located here. In autumn, the city is filled with the smell of roasted chestnuts, which are cooked and sold in small stalls located on the resort's embankments. Opatija hosts concerts, festivals and art exhibitions all year round. After the New Year holidays, carnivals begin here.
Opatija has long been a city that traditionally attracts Russian-speaking buyers of “houses by the sea”. And this is not surprising. Developed entertainment infrastructure, excellent restaurants and shops, full of life all year round, the proximity of the largest city of Kvarner - Rijeka and an exceptionally convenient location with respect to transport arteries leading to Slovenia, Italy and Austria - all this makes Opatija a kind of "Croatian Rublevka". Moreover, real estate prices in Opatija are not at all as astronomical as in the aforementioned area of the Moscow region. For a more than reasonable price, you can get a unique house with a sea view, which can be built according to an individual project, equipped with exclusive furniture and a swimming pool. For connoisseurs of antiquity and high style, it will be interesting to look at the old Austrian villas, which are located in the best places of the Opatija Riviera. These unique buildings are more reminiscent of small palaces built in the Art Nouveau style than seaside dachas. Of course, you will need to invest a lot of money in the reconstruction of an old building, but you will be rewarded with the extraordinary atmosphere of a colonial villa and will surely cause a storm of admiration from your friends and relatives.
