The Rijeka and Crikvenica Riviera is located in the northern Adriatic Sea. There are ten tourist towns and cities in this area with many restaurants, hotels and natural beauties. The cities that stand out in this Riviera are Rijeka, Crikvenica, Novi Vinodolski and Senj. These are coastal towns rich with cultural heritage, developed tourism and beautiful sites which enable sports activities and the exploration of nature. During the summer you can enjoy the clear waters, beautiful beaches and quality entertainment.
Rijeka is a port city as well as the center of Kvarner County. Even though it is considered to be a port town, it does not mean that the spirit of heavy industry is present. It has kept its marine charm, hidden in its streets. The symbol of Rijeka is Moretto - jewelry worn by sailors as protection from distress at sea. While staying in Rijeka you have the possibility of visiting its surroundings: the National park Paklenica Risnjak, mountains Ucka and Velebit, towns of Opatija and Crikvenica, where you can attend a variety of attractive events. There are very beautiful beaches in the city such as Bivio (public beach with lots of small beaches some of which are paved, some pebbly, but all with various facilities, one of which is designed specifically for disabled persons) and Pecine (great public beach made up of numerous smaller beaches with rich content, so you can rent chairs and umbrellas, or freshen up in one of the cafes on the beach).
Crikvenica is a town that has a long tradition in tourism, more than one hundred years old. It was named after the church (Crikvenica) of Pauline monastery, founded by Nikola Frankopan in 1412 on the Dubracine delta. During the summer months, numerous events and happenings, concerts, fashion shows, exhibitions, traditional festivities take place here. The fun starts early in the morning on one of many beautiful sandy beaches and continues in countless discotheques.
Novi Vinodolski is an attractive tourist destination. It lies beneath the lowered slopes of slightly forested Kapela, near the fertile valley of Vinodol, along the indented coast of the Velebit channel. Thanks to the evergreen vegetation and mild Mediterranean climate, clean sea and air, Novi Vinodolski became one of the first seaside resorts of the region in 1878, shortly after Opatija. If you want to enjoy the beauty of this region from the "bird's eye view" climb on one of the 6 gazebos, three of which are located in the city of New Vinodolski (Lookout "Gradina" ,lookout "Sviba" and lookout "Kuk"). During the summer months various festivals are organized in Novi Vinodolski , where you can have fun until the early morning hours. One of the most famous events is the fishing night when you can enjoy live music with good food and local wine.
Senj is a tourist town as well as a port in the Velebit Channel. It lies on the edge of a forested slope below the bare rocks of the Velebit, from where the cold wind blows very strong. Visitors of Senj have a fully equipped public beach at their disposal, the cove Spasovac and several smaller beaches with clean waters.
Be sure to visit the National Park Northern Velebit as well as the Velebit Nature Park and enjoy the beauty of the intact nature. During the summer numerous entertainment events are organized in Senj, the most famousof which are the "International Senj Summer Carnival", ( a winter carnival is also organized) , Fisherman's Festival, Senj summer of music, feast "Our Lady of the Snow" and a football tournament " Knights of Senj. "
Microclimate
RIJEKA
Number of sunny hours per year - 2151,8h
Average air temperatures
- January - 5,6 °C
- August - 22,9 °C
Maximum air temperatures
- January - 20,0 °C
- August - 38,1 °C
Average sea temperatures
- January - 11,5 °C
- August - 24,5 °C | Number of hot days > 25 °C
- May - 4
- June - 14
- July - 25
- August - 24
- September - 11 |
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Culture
Rijeka
- - Trsat - old medieval fortress and a village that hides many secrets and valuable
monuments - - Many churches, cathedrals and palaces, the city has numerous churches and palaces from all centuries throughout history, rich with works of local and foreign artists
- - The remains of city walls and city tower- walls that surrounded the city were build for defense functions, as well as a tower with four clocks, which is a symbol of the city of Rijeka
- - Maritime and History Museum of the Croatian coast, was founded in 1876. The museum shows the approximate view of the historical development of navigation (ship models, paintings of sailing ships, portraits of captain 19th and 20 century) and the culture of Rijeka and the Rijeka region.
Crikvenica
- - Castle Frankopan – was built in 1412 by duke Nikola Frankopan
- - Parish of Mary’s Assumption, built on the site of the old Gothic church
- - Pauline Monastery -a very important historical site which contains valuable objects and documents on the very beginning of Crikvenica and Vinodol areas- the monastery is a church which is a symbol of this city and after which Crikvenica was named.
Novi Vinodolski
- - Old town - was built in the XIII. Century, in which the families Frankopan and Zrinski lived-the most influential Croatian noble lineage
- - The remains of the old town Lopar -located on the coast
- - Tower "Kvadrac" - the medieval tower is all that remains of the castle Frankopan which was demolished
Senj
- - Fort Nehaj- medieval fortress from the 16th century, it served to defend the city against the attacks of the Turks
- - The City Museum- was founded in 1962 and holds the historical cultural documents of Senj.
- - The Gothic Town Hall- located on the square Mala placa, with the city loggia from the 14th century
- - Carina Palace - dates back to the 18thcentury, it is a rectory, which holds the Bishop archives,a large library and a collection of religious art.
Excursions
While staying in one of the places or cities of the Rijeka and Crikvenica Riviera, visit and explore the surrounding area and familiarize yourself with the beauty of the Croatian coast. Visit Biseruljka on the island of Krk, which is deep below the surface and contains a splendid hall and gallery, and see the stream flowing over its bottom. Visit the Postojna cave, the largest and most spectacular cave in Europe, located in Slovenia. Take a trip to the ancient city of Pula and see the Roman amphitheater, built in the 3rd century b.c., one of the most famous preserved edifices on the Adriatic. If you are an enthusiast of nature and natural beauties, take a tour of the surrounding islands on boat trips or of the Velebit botanical garden located in the foothills of the Zavizan Mountain, located at an altitude of 1480m. Here you can see rare and indigenous plants, as well as the endemic flower Velebit Degenija. History lovers can visit Trsat (old medieval fortress and a village that hides many secrets and valuable monuments, also a famous religious shrine) , located in Rijeka. We recommend Venice (Italy), to romantic couples, because it is the most romantic city in the world, as well as Opatija, where they can enjoy the beautiful parks, lighted coastal promenades, landscaped beaches, fountains and numerous centuries-old villas.
Adventure
The Rijeka and Crikvenica Riviera offers great opportunities for recreation and active leisure. Sports fans can enjoy rafting on the river Kupa, sport fishing on the river Gacka in Lika, hiking in the mountains of Vinodol hinterland, hunting, fishing, skiing, in Gorski Kotar and Bjelolasica during the winter, mountain biking on nearby trails, diving (diving clubs in Rijeka, Crikvenica and Novi Vinodolski) and tennis (tennis court in Rijeka, Crikvenica and Novi Vinodolski for recreation).
Gastronomy
The Riviera is proud of its rich gastronomy, which is primarily based on seafood specialties. Out of many dishes, we have selected a few that characterize this area.
- - Shrimps in wine - shrimps cooked with wine and olive oil, served with toasted bread - an old sailor recipe
- - Fried fish with garlic, olive oil, wine, onion, bay leaf, carrots, celery
- - Batuda- traditional coastal dish, cooked beans, corn, potatoes and finely chopped dried
meat - - Cake Frankopan - excellent traditional dessert of the Croatian coast, named after the dukes of Frakopan.
Fun & Nightlife
The Rijeka and Crikvenica Riviera offers a wide range of entertainment for all ages. Those who want to party until the early morning hours can visit numerous nightclubs and bars such as "La Noche", "Club Boa "," El Rio "," Capitano ", Pub River" and numerous others. For those who prefer a romantic atmosphere there is a rich offer of restaurants and bars. After enjoying the specialties of this region in one of the restaurant, take a walk and relax with the melodies of street musicians. If you enjoy good food go to the restaurant Moslavina in Crikvenica, which has received numerous awards for its quality of gourmet offerings. During the summer, numerous events, festivals and summer music evenings are organized in all the cities of the Riviera.