Location

Renowned as a secluded seaside resort of the rich and famous, the town of Opatija, in western Croatia, lays west of the city of Rijeka on the Adriatic coast. Opatija means “abbey” in Croatian, and the town gets its rightful name from an abbey that was established by Benedictine monks in the 14th century. This abbey has since been abandoned, although its centre-point, St James’s Church, still stands. There is a 12 km-long promenade along the entire Riviera, which runs between the towns of Volosko, via Opatija, to Lovran. Angiolina Park, covers an area of around 3.5 hectares, and contains over 150 species of plants from all over the world. Rijeka is the closest city to Opatija, just a 20 minute journey along the coast, and is the principal seaport, and third largest city, in Croatia.