Opatija

Opatija is a town and tourist resort in western Croatia, located on the Adriatic coast in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, at the eastern end of the Kvarner Gulf, about 15 kilometers northeast of Rijeka. It sits on a sheltered stretch of sea and has a mild Mediterranean climate that has long attracted visitors seeking sea air, promenades, and spa treatments. The historical core and its waterfront have earned it the label of the Austrian Riviera due to its development as a resort during the 19th and early 20th centuries under the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The settlement was known as Abbazia in Italian, and its resort boom was tied to the construction of hotels, parks, and the prominent Lungo Mare promenade, which links hotels, villas and public baths along the coast.

Historically, Opatija began to attract aristocratic visitors in the 1840s and 1850s and expanded rapidly in the late 19th century. The town features a concentration of historic architecture from that era, including late 19th- and early 20th-century hotels and villas along the seafront, as well as green spaces such as Angiolina Park.

Today, tourism remains the main economic activity, with accommodations, wellness facilities, and conference venues catering to domestic and international visitors. The town is connected by road and rail to Rijeka and other parts of Croatia, and serves as a popular base for exploring the Kvarner Gulf and the Istria region.