With a population of about 10,000 and lying about 9 miles (14km) west of Rijeka, Opatija is the grand dame of Croatian tourism. It was the most fashionable seaside resort during the Austro-Hungarian Empire and many fine hotels, residences and houses were built there during that period. European royalty also stayed there then, as did famous celebrities such as singer Gigli, the dancer Isadora Duncan, and composers Mahler, Puccini and Lehar.

Opatija has still kept its glamour and hotels are pretty pricey. Therefore, if on a budget, private accommodation is a suitable choice - more info can be obtained from the tourist office in the centre of town.

Getting to Opatija
Rijeka Airport is the nearest airport to Opatija, so see our Getting to the Kvarner Riviera page for more details on various flight options.

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 Opatija - journey time is about 20 minutes, see timetables at the Autotrans website. You could, alternatively, get a taxi from Rijeka bus station to Opatija as the journey is so relatively short, or even a taxi from the airport to Opatija - this journey takes about 50 minutes, however, so can be a little pricey. A pre-booked transfer might be a better option.

You could also fly to Trieste in Italy as there are direct buses from Trieste Bus Station to Opatija with SAF and Autotrans.

The Autotrans website is also your best bet if you want to check bus timetables for routes from elsewhere in Croatia to Opatija.

History of Opatija
Opatija emerged from an abbey that was built on the present-day site of the town. The Abbey of St Jacob or Opatija Sv. Jakova in Croatian - as you can see, the Croatian word opatija means abbey - was built in the 14th century.

Its proper emergence as a town occured in the 19th century, when it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A wealthy Rijeka businessman, Iginio Scarpa, built the Villa Angiolina in 1844 as a holiday home and to entertain clients and Austrian nobility.

From this point on, Opatija emerged as a popular tourist destination especially as it and nearby Rijeka were linked to Vienna by rail. Further hotels and villas were built in the later part of the 19th century, including the Hotel Kvarner and the Hotel Imperial, as well as a 12-km long promenade by the sea. As mentioned, Opatija became something of a upscale, elegant resort and was popular with nobility, royalty and celebrities of the time - even becoming known as the "Austrian Nice"! Its positioning meant it has - and still does - have a temperate climate, and so was also considered a spa and health resort, suitable for treating a variety of ailments.

Sightseeing in Opatija
St Jacob's Church is built on the site of the abbey from which Opatija grew. Parts of the church stem from the early 16th century, but the majority of its current structure was was reconstructed in 1937.

Villa Angiolina, the first major building to be built in modern-day Opatija - in 1844 - and still exists today in good condition. It is surrounded by a beautiful nature park, with plants brought (at that time) from India, China, Japan, South America and Australia.

The lungomare is the 12-km seaside promenade that was initially constructed in 1889, which stretches all the way to Lovran. Originally intended for use in physiotherapy (as mentioned, Opatija was a health resort) the path winds past many of Opatija's attractions and is a wonderful along the sea.

One of Opatija's most famous symbols is the Maiden with the Seagull, a sculpture from 1956 of a girl, with her hand stretched out to a seagull, looking out to sea.

Accommodation in Opatija
Opatija is considered one of Croatia's premier resorts, and so has quite a few 4- and 5-star hotels. For full listings of accommodation options, see our Accommodation in Opatija page.

General info
Opatija Tourist Office: Vladimira Nazora 3, tel: 051 271 710, fax: 051 271 699, email: info@opatija-tourism.hr.

Find out more at the Opatija Tourism Office website, the Opatija City Guide or Opatija.net.