Ten reasons for visiting Opatija

This makes it a fantastic holiday choice for adults, teenagers and children.

1. Stunning architecture

Opatija is a unique holiday destination in Croatia. It was a popular holiday resort in the 19th century, when Croatia was a province of the Austrian Empire. The Austrian aristocracy and business magnates discovered this jewel of the Adriatic, so close to their own homes in Austria, and decided to build grand villas there, close to the sea. They even built a special railway line from Vienna to Opatija. This was quite a novel idea at the time, but quickly caught on. They were attracted by the natural beauty, but also by the mild climate of Opatija. The 19th century architecture and grand villas define the unique character of this seaside resort.

2. Lungo Mare 

The Lungo Mare, built by the Austrians in the 19th century, is a famous 12 km path along the sea shore. It connects Opatija with several incredibly charming fishing villages along the Opatija coast - Lovran, Volosko, Ika and Icici. It is perfect for that evening stroll along the seafront and during the day when the sun is out you can dip into the water wherever you are or stop off for refreshments by the numerous seaside cafes.

3. Beaches in and around Opatija 

You can swim at almost any point along the Lungo Mare but there are particular beaches worth visiting; notable of these is Moscenicka Draga. Fantastic swimming is in the remote coves and bays on the island of Cres which can be reached by car ferry from Brestova or by hiring a private boat for the day. Teenagers will like the Lido beach which is located next to the famous Angiolina Park. Not far from the beach there is an open-air cinema, where in summer there are films and concerts. On Lido beach you can go night swimming, do water sports and volleyball, and there are cafes and restaurants near the beach.

4. Food and wine paradise 

Opatija is not just a beach resort. It has some of the best restaurants in the world in our opinion. We have eaten in Plavi Podrum and Bevanda, two of the region's top restaurants. The food and the ambiance were exquisite. But there are many excellent restaurants and eateries, even simple street café food is delicious - kebabs in somun bread, huge slices of delicious pizza, unbelievably good ice cream, proper coffee, chilled beers and exquisite local wines. Cakes and coffee are a special attraction of Opatija, try the cafe at Hotel Millennium.

5. Ucka National Park

This national park is a wild and mountainous region that forms the immediate hinterland of Opatija. The National Park offers many activities including hiking, mountain climbing, biking and hang gliding. There is wealth of natural fauna and flora.

6. Music events and performances

Opatija is a very musical city where you can listen and dance to live music in many bars and hotels. More details on the visitopatija.com website. There is a lot of classical music, jazz, rock, pop and local folk music an Open Air Theatre and Music Festival.

7. Villas Marron and Contessa

 Two of our loveliest villas which capture the essence of the Opatija region. To stay in one of these villas is reason enough to come to Opatija. Villa Contessa is a fine classical villa in the belle epoque style in a spectacular location with its own private sea frontage. Villa Marron is a rural estate of 50,000 square metres (11 acres) on wooded mountainside above Opatija offering a sea view and total privacy.

8. Wellness

 In the 19th century Opatija attraction as a resort was very much as a spa and place to rest and recuperate. Today Opatija offers a wide range of health and wellness services. Most of the larger hotels have wellness centres and the Thalassotherapia clinic specialises in treating and preventing heart and circulatory deceases

9. Activities for children

Tomasevac beach near the Hotel Ambassador is specially prepared for children. It has a large playground with climbing frames, slides, swings and mini football. Sun loungers and umbrellas can be rented and there is a beach coffee bar. for rent, and showers. There is also an indoor Kids Corner so children can play whatever the weather

10. Easy to get to from everywhere in Europe

 The closest airport is Rijeka on the nearby island of Krk which is connected to the mainland by a bridge. Pula airport is just over an hour's drive and Zagreb airport is less than 2 hours. For travellers from central Europe the European motorway networks from Germany and northern Italy lead you to within a few miles of your destination. Trieste in Italy is a very useful airport to know, planes from many countries go every day to Trieste, which is 1 hour 35 minutes away from Opatija.