Some 20 miles (32km) southeast of Rijeka as you head along the coastline, one comes to Crikvenica. It was a very fashionable resort before World War II, particularly with Czech tourists and nowadays still retains a lot of charm. It is well known for its mild climate and clean air, and people go there to seek relief from illnesses such as bronchitis and asthma. There is also a lovely beach there which is over 1 mile long.

Getting to Crikvenica
Rijeka Airport is the nearest airport to Crikvenica, so see our Getting to the Kvarner Riviera page for more details on various flight options if you're heading to Croatia by plane.

From Rijeka Airport, you can then get one of the buses that wait outside the terminal building to the main bus station in Rijeka. From here, you can then another bus to Crikvenica - the journey time between the two is about 45 minutes, see timetables at the Autotrans website.

There are some direct buses to Crikvenica from other parts of Croatia; alternatively, take a bus or train to Rijeka and then make your onward journey from there.

History of Crikvenica
Crikvenica's name comes from the Croatian for church - crkva, or crikva in local dialect - as a church was built on the town's site in the 14th century.

Crikvenica's growth really came about in the late 19th century as it developed into a popular tourist resort, near to the large port of Rijeka. A harbour was built there in 1877 and a bathing beach followed in 1888.

Much like the resort of Opatija, Crikvenica was also developed as a health and wellness resort due to its temperate climate, as was given official status as such in 1906. A number of hotels emerged in the early part of the 20th century offering guests facilities along these lines.

Crikvenica's glamour may have faded somewhat since then, but it is still a lovely resort to holiday in and is popular because of its pretty riviera and is easily reached.

Sightseeing in Crikvenica
As it is - and was - primarily a holiday resort town, there's not too much to see in Crikvenica. So why not head instead to one of the town's beaches and relax!

Historically, one of the main sights in the town was the Frankopan Castle (Kastel Frankopan in Croatian). Built in 1412 by Count Nikola Frankopan, it is considered one of the founding buildings of Crikvenica. Over the years it has had various uses including a monastery; a place for convalescing soldiers; and a children's home. Today it is the Hotel Kastel - with such a history, why not stay there?

Accommodation in Crikvenica
See details on our Accommodation in Crikvenica page.

General info
Tourist Office details: Trg Stjepana Radica 1c, 51260 Crikvenica, tel: 051 241 867 or 051 241 051, Fax: 051 241 867, email: info@tzg-crikvenice.hr.

More info can also be found at the Crikvenica Tourist Office website, Crikvenica.net and Crikvenica Info.