2023-11-03 08:39:02
Liliana Stipanic briefly considers the question of good reasons for a trip to Opatija. Then she blurts out: “Because of the flair from the time of the Danube Monarchy. You really feel imperial here when you look at the old villas, feel the atmosphere, the serenity of the people.” Stipanic is a city guide. The 50-year-old also captains day-trippers on a boat through the Kvarner Bay to the port and market town of Rijeka. But in Opatija she knows every stone and every detail from history.
This began in the Middle Ages with a Benedictine monastery. On the site of the abbey, the St. Jacob’s Church reminds us of the beginnings. The nobility paved the way for tourism, which really took off in 1889 after the imperial designation of Opatija as a climatic health resort on the Adriatic.
“Air and sea” were the deciding factor, Stipanic reminds us, not thermal springs. The mild climate is still thanks to the Ucka mountain massif, which shields Opatija from the land side and protects it from winds from the west.
The fact that the town of Opatija, located on the Adriatic, was once part of the Danube Monarchy can also be seen in its architecture
Source: dpa-tmn
“Opatija was the second largest health resort in the monarchy, only surpassed by Karlovy Vary,” says Stipanic. The place became a playground for high society, associated with decorative names such as “Vienna by the Sea”, “Queen of the Adriatic” or “Bathtub of Vienna”. The influx began when Opatija was connected to the nearby railway network.
Historic villas, the twelve-kilometer-long Adriatic promenade Lungomare and the coastal monument “Girl with the Seagull” are among the landmarks of Opatija. Holly trees cast their shadows on golden yellow house walls.
“Wall of fame”: Wall paintings in the city park commemorate prominent guests such as Gustav Mahler, James Joyce, Albert Einstein and Kirk Douglas
Source: dpa-tmn
In the city park, murals commemorate prominent guests such as the composer Gustav Mahler, the writer James Joyce, the universal genius Albert Einstein and Hollywood star Kirk Douglas. Early “marketing ambassadors,” as tourist guide Stipanic calls them, were Crown Princess Stephanie and Crown Prince Rudolf, “and then everyone flocked after them.” The locals, on the other hand, became second-class citizens – which somewhat scratches the Opatija myth.
Spa guests complained about naked locals
When the Lungomare promenade was being planned, in the suburb of Volosko, where Stipanic comes from, there were “conflicts with the fishermen who were laying out their nets to dry.” She continues: “In addition, the locals were not allowed to swim here, which they often only did naked or in their underwear. The spa guests complained.”
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Bathing pleasures, well, are not Opatija’s greatest strength. The water is crystal clear – as is so often the case in Croatia – but entry into the city is only possible via concrete piers and metal stairs. It is also not hidden that the plaster on some villas is peeling and drivers can despair when looking for a parking space.
A green dome crowns the neo-Romanesque Church of the Annunciation in the upper town
Quelle: Getty Images/Westend61
Then you sit back and enjoy a cocktail at the harbor: yachts and young sailors arrive. In the time-honored Wagner Coffee House, the waiters maintain elegance with white shirts and black bow ties.
The cultural destination in the upper town is the neo-Romanesque Church of the Annunciation, which, according to an information board, “does not have the status” it deserves among residents and guests. Inside, spanned by a green dome, there are domes of light in the chancel, the sun’s rays flooding through stained glass windows.
From Opatija to the winery in Kastav
Away from the coast, a beautiful trip takes you into the heights to Kastav. Opatija lies at your feet. The view extends to the islands of Cres and Krk and through the green mountains.
The idyllic town center breathes aura and history. The stone backdrops consist of city walls, alleys and a colonnaded hall. The ruins of the Jesuit church occasionally function as an open-air stage. Cats scurry away. Locals invite you to stop by. There are terracotta plant pots next to house entrances.
More tips for Croatia:
In the Plovanic winery, Dejan Rubesa tells his unusual life journey: from paragraphs to per mille. The 59-year-old used to work as a lawyer in the civil service. He chose the option of early retirement and became a professional winemaker. He wanted to show what potential there is in the local Belica wines, which have long been produced for home consumption but have never been properly appreciated.
Belica is a blend of five grape varieties, three of which are indigenous. Inventor Rubesa started experiments that his 29-year-old daughter Andreja, who helps in the winery, affectionately calls “crazy ideas”.
He implemented one of them as follows: He imported huge, handmade clay amphoras from Georgia and had them sunk into the ground behind the winery in order to extract grape juice. After eight months of storage underground, the wine continues to age in Croatian oak barrels for a year.
The result is an orange-colored drop, deeply aromatic, rich, unique – and another good reason for a trip to Opatija and the surrounding area.
Tips and information:
Getting there: It takes about six hours by car from Munich, but from Hamburg the journey takes more than twice as long. The journey by train ends at Opatija Matulji train station and takes just under ten hours from Munich. Nearby airports are Rijeka and Pula, 40 and 85 kilometers away respectively.
Accommodations: Opatija offers private accommodation, hotels with modern touches or historical chic – self-drivers should definitely pay attention to whether there is a parking space. Alternatives include accommodation in the nearby high-altitude town of Kastav.
Additional Information: The official tourism website of Opatija provides information in German, among other things: visitopatija.com/de. You can find out more – including about Kastav – from the Croatian National Tourist Board: croatia.hr/de-de.
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