Day 13 Tuesday, Sep 24, 2024 - Overland to Opatija • Explore Rijeka
* Destination: Opatija
* Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
* Accommodations: LIBURNIA GROUP HOTELS
Breakfast: Included at the hotel.
Morning: We'll check out of our hotel and begin our transfer to Opatija. En route, we'll stop to visit Rijeka, Croatia's third largest city. A bustling seaport on the Adriatic overlooking Kvarner Bay, Rijeka has a history that goes back to Imperial Rome. Renowned for its annual Carnival celebration, this bustling multicultural city was also honored- along with Galway — as a European Capital of Culture for 2020. As we'll see during our walking tour, along with a few Roman ruins, much of the architecture reflects Rijeka's time as part of the Austrian empire, especially in some of the graceful Habsburg palaces along the narrow streets of Old Town.
After our tour, you'll have some free time, perhaps to continue strolling the marble streets of Korzo, the pedestrian friendly area lined with shops and cafes running parallel to the harbor.
Lunch: At a local restaurant.
Afternoon: We'll continue our drive to Opatija, arriving in the afternoon.
Located in the Kvarner Gulf that separates Dalmatia from Istria, Opatija is a seaside resort town situated in a heart-shaped peninsula just south of Trieste, Italy. Surrounded by landscaped parks and gardens dotted with grand villas with elegant facades, Opatija's history as a Mediterranean resort destination for wealthy European aristocrats, dignitaries, and artists stretches back to 1844.
After we check in to our hotel, you'll have some time to settle in and explore independently. Perhaps you'll grab a coffee at one of the seaside cafés, or take a leisurely stroll along the shore, passing colorful Habsburg-era villas. We'll regroup at the hotel before dinner for a short orientation walk with our Trip Experience Leader to see more of what Opatija has to offer.
Dinner: At the hotel.
Evening: For the rest of the evening, you're welcome to rest and relax or explore Opatija as you wish. Perhaps you'll grab a sweet treat in one of its many shops, such as some of Croatia's famous chocolate or fresh cherry strudel. Or, simply soak in the beauty of the surrounding Adriatic on a moonlit walk.
Sharon named this day as "the day of bad food."* Destination: Opatija
* Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
* Accommodations: LIBURNIA GROUP HOTELS
Breakfast: Included at the hotel.
Morning: We'll check out of our hotel and begin our transfer to Opatija. En route, we'll stop to visit Rijeka, Croatia's third largest city. A bustling seaport on the Adriatic overlooking Kvarner Bay, Rijeka has a history that goes back to Imperial Rome. Renowned for its annual Carnival celebration, this bustling multicultural city was also honored- along with Galway — as a European Capital of Culture for 2020. As we'll see during our walking tour, along with a few Roman ruins, much of the architecture reflects Rijeka's time as part of the Austrian empire, especially in some of the graceful Habsburg palaces along the narrow streets of Old Town.
After our tour, you'll have some free time, perhaps to continue strolling the marble streets of Korzo, the pedestrian friendly area lined with shops and cafes running parallel to the harbor.
Lunch: At a local restaurant.
Afternoon: We'll continue our drive to Opatija, arriving in the afternoon.
Located in the Kvarner Gulf that separates Dalmatia from Istria, Opatija is a seaside resort town situated in a heart-shaped peninsula just south of Trieste, Italy. Surrounded by landscaped parks and gardens dotted with grand villas with elegant facades, Opatija's history as a Mediterranean resort destination for wealthy European aristocrats, dignitaries, and artists stretches back to 1844.
After we check in to our hotel, you'll have some time to settle in and explore independently. Perhaps you'll grab a coffee at one of the seaside cafés, or take a leisurely stroll along the shore, passing colorful Habsburg-era villas. We'll regroup at the hotel before dinner for a short orientation walk with our Trip Experience Leader to see more of what Opatija has to offer.
Dinner: At the hotel.
Evening: For the rest of the evening, you're welcome to rest and relax or explore Opatija as you wish. Perhaps you'll grab a sweet treat in one of its many shops, such as some of Croatia's famous chocolate or fresh cherry strudel. Or, simply soak in the beauty of the surrounding Adriatic on a moonlit walk.
Packing up the room, we put the luggage in the hall just before 7:45 pm. After a mediocre buffet breakfast at the hotel, we met the group in the lobby at 8:30 am and loaded into the bus.
With one stop, we were in Rijeka just before 11:00 am. OATS changed the iternary from what was published. Rather than a walking tour of the city, we had a guided tour of Trsat Castle and the Church of Mary of God of Trsat.
Trsat Castle is a historic fortress located in the Trsat neighborhood of Rijeka, Croatia. It is situated atop a hill overlooking the city and the Kvarner Bay. The site has been occupied since ancient times, dating back to the Illyrian and Roman periods. In the 13th century, the Frankopan dukes of Krk fortified the site, transforming it into a formidable castle. After suffering damage from an earthquake in 1750, the castle was purchased by Austrian field marshal Laval Nugent, who restored it in a romantic neoclassical style.
After the castle, we toured the Church of Mary of God of Trsat. The church houses a venerated religious relic, the "Black Madonna of Trsat," a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary believed to have miraculous powers. According to the legend, the house in which Mary lived in Ephesus (Turkey) was miraculously transported to Trsat by angels in the 13th century.
We had lunch in downtown Rijeka at Konoba Feral. We had Pljukanci pasta with squid and a very odd sauce. It was not good.
In the early afternoon, we arrived in Opatija. We are spending two nights at the Hotel Imperial. After getting settled in the room, we went with the tour leader on a walk of the area.
After the orientation walk, Holly, Van, Sharon and I wandered the promenade. Opatija's promenade, known as the Lungomare, is a stunning coastal walkway that stretches for nine mlies along the Adriatic Sea. The four of us stopped and had a cocktail.
After some debate, we decided to join the group dinner at the hotel. The buffet was not very good.
We were back in the room early. While Sharon read, I crashed about 9:30 pm.
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