Rijeka is the third largest city in Croatia after Zagreb and Split, located along the north coast on the Kvarner Bay. Many Europeans have visited Rijeka but other than that many visitors to Croatia seem to overlook this city, which is unfortunate because Rijeka has so much to offer. It was even honored with the title, European Capital of Culture, in 2020. This travel guide includes all the visitor information you need to know and highlights all the best sights to see to fulfill your time in Rijeka.
A classic European city on the Adriatic Sea with endless history and culture to be discovered. Rijeka is one of the leading seaports in the Adriatic and is also home to one of the largest Carnival parades in the world bringing travelers from all over to visit the festivities in the winter. Located only a 20 minute drive from our apartments in Crikvenica on the highway or a 35 minute drive if you take the scenic route along the coast. Rijeka translates to river in English and fittingly a river, called Rječina, flows down from the mountains, travels through the middle of the city and ends in the Kvarner Bay.
Here's another Travel Guide for the posh city of Opatija, just a 15 minute drive away.
The history of Rijeka goes all the way back to Roman times. Besides Croatians, many others have been part of the city's history at different points throughout time including the Romans, Frankopans, Walsees, Habsburgs, Franciscans, Venetians, Ottomans, Jesuits, Austrians, Hungarians, Italians, Yugoslavians and Germans. Due to the Italian occupancy in the early 1900s, there is a blend of Italians and Croatians living in Rijeka today. There is even an Italian high school and the Croatian dialect in the region has an Italian language influence with words like pomidor which means tomato, however, in Italian tomato is pomodoro and in official Croatian tomato is rajčica.
The Korzo is the main pedestrian promenade where you can find endless designer shops as well as copious amounts of cafes, bars and restaurants. Almost all of them have outdoor seating to sit at and people watch. If you are looking for even more store options, there are two large shopping malls located at each end of the city, Tower Center Rijeka and Zapadni Trgovački Centar (ZTC). Here you can also find the City Clocktower and the Old City Gate.
The City Market is open Monday - Saturday, year round, except holidays, from early in the morning to early afternoon. A place like this is hard to find in the United States, so for Americans it's really a sight to see this fresh market selling endless amounts of local farmer's vegetables, fruit, meat, cheese, grains, nuts, baked goods and fisherman's fresh catch every morning right from the bay.
Architecture surrounding the city reflects the Roman era, medieval era and today's modern era. One of Rijeka's most unique churches due to it's shape is St. Vitus Cathedral (Katedrala sv. Vid). Built in the 17th Century by a Jesuit architect, it was pictured on the Croatian 100 kuna paper bill before Croatia changed its currency to Euros.
Another distinctive landmark is found next to the Church of the Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary (Crkva Uznesenja Blažene Djevice Marije). The bell tower located in front of the church is noticeably leaning, so it's fair to say Rijeka has its own leaning tower similar to the well known one in Pisa, Italy. The Croatian flag patriotically hangs down from the top windows.
For more day trip ideas check out how we toured around Istria, Krk, Cres and Lošinj Islands and Plitvice Lakes National Park.
A short walk from here towards the center of the city you can explore ancient Roman ruins that have been turned into an archeological park, called Tarsatički Principij. If you are a fan of museums, definitely check out the nearby Maritime and History Museum of the Croatian Coast, located in what used to be the Governor's Palace during the 19th Century.
Another must-see sight is Trsat Castle, located on a hilltop high above the city. This medieval fortress is a great place to take a photo of the entire city below. At Christmas time, the castle is covered in twinkling lights and turned into a winter wonderland. Here you can also see the Franciscan monastery and large pilgrimage center, Our Lady of Trsat and a statue of Pope John Paul II after he visited in 2003.
You can actually walk from downtown all the way up to Trsat if you are in the mood to climb 538 stairs, called the Petar Kružić Stairway (Stube Petra Kružića). Petar Kružič was a Croatian Captain who battled the Turks in the 16th Century and constructed the lower part of the staircase. This is a picture of me before the climb. I regretfully wore sandals that day. I highly suggest wearing sneakers if you are going to make the trek. It's a great workout! If you don't want to take the stairs, you can take a local city bus, taxi or drive yourself up to Trsat.
If sports is your interest, how about watching a HNK Rijeka soccer game? The team won the national title in 2017 and plays in the UEFA European league. Their original stadium was named as one of the top 10 most distinct soccer stadiums in the world due to its unique location between the sea and a rocky cliff. They currently play games at their practice stadium further inland while the original stadium waits for renovations due to regulation changes.
I would compare Rijeka's climate similar to that of Seattle in the United States. The city has all four seasons and is known for having a lot of rain but also beautiful sunny days. There are a few smaller beaches on each end of the city, however, I suggest you travel outside of the city to the Crikvenica Riviera if you're looking for quality beach time.
Check out 8 Great Places on the Crikvenica Riviera for a great day at the beach!
Keep your eyes peeled because Rijeka is also known to have eccentric murals sprinkled throughout the streets. Following this artistic side is Rijeka's music scene, known for its rock music with many famous Croatian bands getting their start here performing in bars and clubs.
Rijeka over the past few years has had a growing food scene. In the past downtown had limited options because the focus was on the industry surrounding the port. Now, more and more restaurants are opening that cater to everyone, not just sailors. Here are my recommendations:
Brunch:
A hole in the wall place located right next to the city market serving the freshest seafood, pulled from the Adriatic Sea that morning, called Konoba Fiume. The word "Fiume" is how Italian's call the city, which also translates to river in English.
Lunch:
Head over to the city marina where you can sit outside and watch the boats come in and out of the harbor at Restaurant Boonker. They offer delicious pizza, grill and seafood.
Dinner:
Check out Batak located on the Riva, which is the main street that runs along the marina. Offering elevated Croatian food in elegant surroundings.
Coffee or Dessert:
Cacao Coffee & Sweets is located right next door to Batak. They have a huge assortment of cakes, coffee drinks and ice cream sure to cure any sweet tooth. My favorite ice cream they have is the yogurt with cherries, my husband loves their pistachio.
Use this travel guide to lead you all around this eclectic city. However you choose to spend your time visiting Rijeka, you will without a doubt come away with a better appreciation of why this part of Croatia has attracted so many different inhabitants over the years and why it still has the ability to captivate tourists from all over the globe.
Many have been to the southern coastal part of the country, like Dubrovnik to take a "Game of Thrones Tour", visited the city of Split as one of their cruise itinerary ports, or stopped off at one of the islands, like Korčula, Hvar and Brač, but most have not seen the north coast regions of Croatia and we highly recommend you do.
Whether it's your first time traveling to the country or just the next time you're here wanting a more authentic, less touristy experience. Europeans have been vacationing at this hidden gem for decades but others seem to completely overlook it. Come see for yourself what makes the north coast so special.
North Coast Croatia Travel Agency specializes in travel to Croatia and surrounding European countries. Providing consultations, custom itineraries, pre-designed theme itineraries, summer beach rentals and a travel blog. Booking flights, accommodations, cruises, tours, rental cars, transfers, bus/train/ferry tickets, travel insurance and more!
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Happy Travels! Sretan Put!
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