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Today we’re in Opatija! A beautiful, elegant coastal town in Croatia. We had a stunning, clear day to explore, and saw so much of the city!
Opatija is located in Kvarner Bay, which is located at the foot of Mount Ucka. It’s about 15km from the bigger port city of Rijeka.
The Maiden of the Seagull
This statue has become a symbol of Opatija. Anyone that comes here definitely has a picture with the Maiden of the Seagull! It was built in 1956 by the famous Croatian sculptor, Zvonko Car. There was actually a fish in the seagull’s mouth when the statue was first made, but it mysteriously disappeared, and they don’t know exactly how. It’s believed that it was either stolen, or washed away by the sea. I think it was probably stolen, what about you?
The Lungomare
This is the beautiful and famous promenade that lines the seafront in Opatija. It actually goes on for about 12km, and connects two other villages on either side of Opatija. It’s a stunning place for a walk, a stroll, and they even have great little look out points that you can just sit at and relax before continuing on your way.
Hotel Kvarner
This is the oldest hotel on the East side of the Adriatic Sea. It was actually built in 1844 and was originally intended as a sanatorium to treat lung diseases. People with money would come and stay in this gorgeous hotel while they treated their illnesses. Opatija as a city wanted to be known as a health tourism destination, so when this hotel went up, many other luxury hotels and guest houses started to be built. Hotel Kvarner was really what sparked tourism in Opatija, which then sparked tourism throughout the rest of Croatia.
Villa Angiolina
This gorgeous villa used to be a summer residence way back in the day, but now it’s turned into Croatia’s tourism museum. It usually has a beautiful garden park right in front of it that is filled with color, and various kinds of flowers, but now it’s all been trimmed back for the winter. The greenery is still lovely to admire, though! You can just picture what it might look like with colourful flowers between all of the green edges.
St. James’s Church
This church sits in the center of Opatija, and it’s very important to the city’s history. It was built in the Benedictine Abbey around 1420, by a colony of Benedictine refugees. Opatija even got its name from the Abbey, because abbey in Croatian is actually the word “Opatija” so that’s how the city got it’s name. It’s very connected with the church and a very central part of Opatija.
St. James’s Park
This park sits right in front of St. James’s Church, and it’s a peaceful place to walk through, sit down and enjoy the immaculate landscapes throughout. The park is well known for the lovely fountain that sits in the middle. There are figures of Selene and Helios, which are the goddess of the moon and the god of the sun.
Hotel Milenij
This hotel has the best terrace in the city, we think! Great views of the sea, beautifully designed and decorated, and they have delicious cakes and coffee! Perfect for a little stop while you’re exploring Opatija!
The Chocolate Museum in Hotel Continental
Definitely the most delicious museum we’ve ever visited! There are so many different types of chocolate, along with breathtaking sculptures made of 100% chocolate. In fact, the horse statue shown in the video started from a block of 400kg of chocolate that was sculpted down into the statue as it stands now.
We really had a lovely day in Opatija. It really has so much to offer, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! We come here once in a while when we need a break from Zagreb and a dose of the sea, because it’s just a quick 2hr drive.
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