February the 13th, 2021 - Two Croatian destinations have made it onto the latest of Forbes' prestigious lists as Valentine's Day quickly approaches. The pandemic might be raging on and travel may be difficult, but we're sure many people outside of Croatia will be daydreaming about the romantic Croatian coast.

As Novac/Jozo Vrdoljak writes, as Valentine's Day 2021 approaches, the highly influential American magazine Forbes published a list of sixteen of the most romantic destinations in Europe, including two Croatian destinations, Opatija and the islet of Galesnjak, said Ina Rodin, the director of the the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) across the Atlantic in the United States of America.

Of these two Croatian destinations, beautiful Opatija, known as the old lady of Croatian tourism, is presented as a fashionable coastal resort and a jewel of the Kvarner area in the Northern Adriatic, whose tourist traditions date back to the 19th century.

The unique Opatija villas and hotels are surrounded by exotic gardens, parks and the stunning Croatian Adriatic sea, as well as the city's famous chocolate production. Then you have a tour of the islet of Galesnjak at hand, the possibility of discovering this beautiful little heart-shaped island by boat or plane with a panoramic view of the ancient Dalmatian city of Zadar and the Kornati archipelago.

Just the descriptions of these two Croatian destinations alone will surely be enough to set of a sense of longing in the hearts of anyone wishing for a romantic getaway in these difficult and unprecedented times in which just hopping on a plane with ease seems truly alien.

Croatia aside, this Forbes selection is, as stated, a compilation of some of the most romantic destinations for Valentine's Day in Europe, compiled by the European Best Destination Organisation.

Along with Opatija and Galesnjak, the list includes the Portuguese island of Porto Santo, Spicnik in Slovenia, Italian Burano, Dinard in Brittany, Oia in Santorini, Greece, Mijas in Andalusia, stunning Polperro in Cornwall, England, Lake Como in Italy, the Algarve in Portugal, Sveti Stefan in neighbouring Montenegro, Gdansk and Sopot in Poland, Rossa in Switzerland, Rothenburg Ob der Tauber in Germany, and Preveli on the Greek island of Crete.

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January 24, 2021 – With breathtaking views of the Kvarner Gulf and island Cres, Opatija Villa Design is an award-winning triumph of contemporary architecture, its purchase a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

Sitting on the coastal road to Rijeka, only around one and a half kilometres northeast of Opatija, the village of Volosko has almost been consumed by its famous and opulent neighbour. Indeed, many today refer to Volosko as a neighbourhood of Opatija. But, that wasn't always the case.

The beautiful seaside village of Volosko and its harbour © Visit Opatija

With its own micro-climate and its own distinct bay within the Kvarner Gulf, Volosko is one of the best places in the region for windsurfing. Taking advantage of the best conditions in the very early morning, as dawn spreads a brightening light over Volosko, surfers get a great view of its harbour. Before the village became regarded as part of Opatija, it was actually tied to the great walled town of Kastav, located some five kilometres above on the mountainside. Volosko was the town's port.

Surfers eyeing the Volosko shoreline might also get a glimpse of the incredible Opatija Villa Design, sitting in the foothills above Volosko. Once you see it, it's tough to miss. It looks like literally nothing else within eyesight. An oblong box with glorious sea-facing windows, truth be told, you have to get much closer to Opatija Villa Design to fully appreciate all of its award-winning design.

While instantly noticeable because it extends out diagonally, leaving half of the dwelling floating in space, this prominent rectangular box is actually less than half the story of Opatija Villa Design. The part you can't spot from the surf is another whole half of the property - a brick-walled structure lies beneath, built into the hillside like a cave, covered atop with gardens and grass. There's also a sleek outdoor swimming pool.

Opatija Villa Design was commissioned back in 2010 and was originally called Nest and Cave House. In 2012, the villa earned architect Idis Turato the national Drago Galić award as part of the Annual Realization Exhibition for the most successful achievement in residential architecture. Later that year, Opatija Villa Design was nominated for the Mies Van der Rohe International Award.

© idisturato.com

However impressive its upper floor may look from the sea, that's nothing compared to the view of the Adriatic gifted by the positioning of the Opatija Villa Design. Stretching out before you in widescreen is the entire Kvarner Gulf – to the left, the buzzing city of Rijeka, less than 20 minutes by car, similarly perched in the rising foothills. In front of you, the island of Cres floats on the waves, beneath you the Austro-Hungarian grandeur of Opatija proper, between them the speeding sails of the windsurfers. To grant maximum time before this breathtaking view, the living space is located on the upper floor, the bedrooms hidden from the intense heat of midsummer in the cavern below.

On the upper floor's 100 square metres are a living room, dining room, kitchen, storage and toilet, beside a garage of 35 square meters. Beyond the driveway and upper lawns lie solar panels which top up the Opatija Villa Design's electricity.

An open staircase leads to the lower floor - also around 100 square metres - which contains a more formal living room for entertaining plus a double bedroom and another bedroom. Outside of the cave's patio doors lie a large outdoor dining area (shaded from the sun by the floating part of the upper floor), extensive lawn space and the pool. The entire property is surrounded by hedges or walls to maintain privacy.

Ten years after its inception, the property is once again in the spotlight because it has come up for sale. Its price tag? A not inconsiderable 3,011,806 dollars, or 18 million kuna. According to great regional portal Fiuman.hr, the property is listed on the pages of luxury real estate agent Croatia Sotheby's International Realty. For someone who can meet the asking price, Opatija Villa Design offers the chance to turn dream living into a reality.

All images © Croatia Sotheby's International Realty unless otherwise accredited

January 15, 2021 – Kvarner beauty Opatija was one of the top Croatian destinations in December 2020, taking second place in overnight hotel stays. The most beautiful Advent made Opatija a desirable winter destination.

Despite the dark cloud that reigned this winter, Opatija, with its attractive Advent program, still managed to shine as a beacon of hope. This December, the city was brighter than ever before, lit with more than 20 kilometers of lamps, over 10,000 decorations, and dozens of large decorations.

The story of the "Christmas miracle" in the cradle of Croatian tourism attracted many Opatija residents and visitors. As Opatija Tourist Board reports, in December 2020, Opatija was the best destination in Kvarner and the fourth in Croatia in terms of the overall number of overnight stays. Opatija is in second place in Croatia, right after the Croatian capital when it comes to overnight hotel stays.

Source: Visit Opatija

The magic of the most beautiful and breathtaking Advent by the sea was recorded in thousands of photos and videos, with shots of romantic evening walks, friendly gatherings, and family happiness, which passed all over Croatia and the world.

However, in addition to the city guests, Opatija Advent's magical beauty was experienced by many "virtual" visitors. Namely, many digital attractions such as virtual walks, music cards, videos, and photos, made Opatija's Advent even more attractive, measuring hundreds of thousands of reviews.

Such a campaign attracted the interest of both Croatian and foreign media. It resulted in numerous publications, especially on the Italian, Austrian, Hungarian and Slovenian markets, with a total reach of several million people. Croatian media also accompanied Opatija's "Christmas fairy tale" with hymns, declaring it the most beautiful Advent in Croatia.

Source: Visit Opatija

"This year, we confirmed that Advent in Opatija is one of the most important winter events in Croatia. The most beautiful Advent by the sea is the foundation on which we build the future of Opatija as a popular winter destination, which is in line with its tourist tradition. The city is becoming one of the most important Advent destinations in this part of Europe," said Suzi Petričić, director of the Opatija Tourist Board, the creator of Opatija's Advent attire.

Advent in Opatija is slowly coming to an end, and those who want to take the last opportunity to feel the magic of the most beautiful Advent by the sea can visit it until Sunday, January 17th. This year's edition of Advent in Opatija was recognized as a thread of optimism in these difficult circumstances and won countless hearts.

The most beautiful Advent by the sea / Source: Visit Opatija

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January 7, 2021 – From the Bay of Bakar through the beaches of Rijeka to the opulence of Opatija and up, all the way to the border with Slovenia, Kvarner residents and visitors will be able to travel with just one ticket across the whole of the Rijeka integrated rail and bus network

An existing co-operation between rail and bus operators in Kvarner was today extended, allowing the Rijeka Integrated Rail and Bus network to continue for at least another year. This holds exciting implications for travel in the region for years to come.

Planned changes to the infrastructure of the coastal part of the north Kvarner Bay mean that within the Rijeka integrated rail and bus scheme, you will soon be able to travel from the Bay of Bakar, stop off at a series of Rijeka beaches, hop back on public transport to go to Opatija and even travel beyond the coast, all the way to the border with Slovenia, using just one ticket. Passengers will not be limited in their choice to travel by either aril or bus.


An Autotrolej bus, longtime providers of local bus services in Rijeka © Grad Rijeka

The Rijeka integrated rail and bus scheme, organised through Kvarner County, Rijeka, Matulji and Bakar Town Halls, rail and local bus operators is an eco-friendly drive that seeks to encourage people to leave their cars at home and instead choose public transport. However, access to the Rijeka integrated rail and bus network is not limited to commuting workers and travelling students. Although the scheme is most cost-effective using a monthly ticket, day tickets are available for the network which may be of huge appeal to visitors wishing to explore a wider portion of Kvarner's northern coast.


The train station of Opatija Matulji © Damir Covic 1939 / Matulji Tourist Board

Rijeka integrated rail and bus: International

What makes the extension of the Rijeka integrated rail and bus scheme even more welcome is the planned overhaul of infrastructure that will accompany it.

Fifteen extra stations will be added (or reactivated) on the route between Kantrida in the west of Rijeka, along the Rijeka seafront and on to the outskirts of Bakar. Furthermore, the entire train line from Bakar to Šapjane will be brought into the Rijeka integrated rail and bus scheme with the completion of a second train track along the route.

Trains along the line at Šapjane. Next stop Slovenia! © DiningCar_

Šapjane, in the municipality of Matulji, lies 20 kilometres inland, north of Opatija. It sits right on the border with Slovenia. The train line extends across this border, through the Slovenian town of Ilirska Bistrica, and then on to Postojna and Ljubljana, Italy or Austria. This means the Rijeka integrated rail and bus scheme will be directly linked to another green, international travel network.

These routes will all be linked to the incoming, double-tracked Pan-European fast train network, which, as TCN highlighted last year, will connect this part of Kvarner with France, Spain and Portugal in the west all the way to eastern Hungary via Zagreb and Budapest. Needless to say, it will require more than a single day ticket (cvikalica) from the Rijeka integrated rail and bus network to make such a journey!

January 5, 2020 – Thanks to the imaginative coverage of local portal Fiuman.hr, more than half a million people visited Kvarner Christmas online over the 2020 holidays. From the spectacular lights of Opatija and Rijeka, to toy bears in Rijeka cafe bars, this is what they saw...

Everyone will remember the Advent of 2020 as unusual. Many were separated from friends and family. Others weren't able to travel nor visit the places or people we wanted to. The difference was noted significantly in Croatia, where family means everything, especially at Christmas.

Over recent years, Croatia has become one of the best-known places in Europe to visit for the Advent season. Zagreb's award-winning Advent celebrations have spurred on efforts elsewhere in the country and many towns and cities in Croatia now pull out all the stops during Advent, gloriously decorating their streets and holding events that draw thrilled visitors.

Under the unusual constraints of 2020, one Advent season in Croatia imaginatively continued to draw the crowds. Although, it wasn't so much the streets that were jammed as it was the internet servers. With the considerable help of local news portal Fiuman.hr, Kvarner Christmas Online welcomed tens of thousands of visitors.

Thanks to the imaginative coverage of Fiuman.hr, Kvarner Christmas Online was visited by well over half a million people in 2020. While many bars in Europe remained closed to human customers, Rijeka cake and ice cream cafe Cacao took the opportunity to fill its empty chairs with toy bears during Kvarner Christmas Online. Fiuman.hr's video of the scene was viewed almost 245,000 times.

Their video of the Advent lights in the Gradina part of the city fared even better. Always a spectacular highlight of Kvarner Christmas online, Fiuman.hr's video of Gradina got more than 300,000 views.

With its beautiful city centre parks, peaceful walks and promenade, the Advent season of nearby Opatija has become an increasingly popular choice for visitors over the winter holidays. And, in 2020, that was still the case during Kvarner Christmas online. Fiuman.hr 's video from the Opatija park near Šporer generated over 190 thousand views.

It just goes to show that while the Advent of 2020 may have been curtailed in unexpected ways, there's no dampening of the love of Christmas and the festive spirit. Fiuman.hr's video viewers will surely be lining up to visit Kvarner Christmas in person as soon as they can.

December 13, 2020 – The magical atmosphere of Advent Opatija has been transferred to the virtual world! A walk through the most beautiful Advent by the sea is now within reach of anyone who needs a little Christmas magic and warmth.

As Turističke priče reports, on the Opatija Tourist Board website, a virtual walk through the city has been set up which brings visitors directly into the scenes of the winter idyll on the seashore. From the Advent wreath in Slatina to Advent in Volosko, a walk in virtual reality provides a full experience of Advent locations, presented through 30 scenes with a 360-degree view.

Advent Opatija / Photo: Facebook Visit Opatija

With the virtual walkthrough Advent Opatija 2020, visitors can experience each of Opatija's Advent locations day and night, see the city from heavenly heights, and "enter" Opatija's churches.

Thus, visitors worldwide, who cannot feel Opatija's Advent magic live, can enjoy it via their computers or mobile phones. All those interested can walk through the festively arranged Angiolina Park, guarded by uniquely painted Nutcrackers. Then, move on to the crinoline exhibition made of greenery and flowers, and "knock on the door" of the Candy House and allow themselves to be captivated by the irresistible holiday atmosphere of each of Opatija's carefully designed Advent locations.

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In addition to the romantic night atmosphere, visitors can see the Advent Opatija in this virtual walk even during the day, when its natural beauty and architecture, which has been captivating guests for almost two centuries, come to the fore.

The virtual tour also provides a bird's eye view of the port, Hotel Kvarner, and American Gardens. Visitors can even "walk" in two Opatija churches, the one of Sv. Jakov located in the park of the same name and the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is situated on an elevated position above Slatina and below the American Gardens.

Angiolina Park during the day / Photo: Studio Saršon, Facebook Visit Opatija

In just 15 days, this campaign called "Opatija in Christmas attire" has reached more than 1.5 million internet users worldwide.

"In a year like this, we have a great desire to touch the hearts of those who want magic all over the world," says Suzi Petričić, the director of the Opatija Tourist Board.

Fairytale parks, lavishly decorated squares, streets illuminated by hundreds of thousands of lamps, romantic promenades filled with a holiday atmosphere, and numerous attractions have made Advent in Opatija the most beautiful story of this year's holidays.