Opatija has this spirit inside it that somehow makes it a location that has attracted the members of elite society and those who know what true style and hedonism are.
Since its beginning as an elite tourist destination in the 19th century, Opatija has seemed to attract members of the jet set of that era and future generations of the members of the elite.
What Opatija sincerely offered to all those generations who came back to this magical coastal heaven from summer to summer? Is it only the climate, greenery, and villas, or is it something more?
Well, glamour has been imperative since the start of the tourist rise in Opatija. Since the 20th century has had loads of periods which scream „GLAM!“, Opatija was no excuse.
The terrace of Hotel Kvarner was the place to be in the 50s, 60s, and 70s when one of the biggest stars in Europe of that time, Ivo Robić, sang his evergreen hits there.
You could cut the glamour, romance, and class with a knife. Many people of older age still remember those concerts; not only Croatians but also many Germans, Austrians, and Italians came there to enjoy the perfect merge of Mediterranean charm and Middle-European class on one beautiful terrace.
The same hotel, Kvarner, as well as the Lungomare promenade, had been for years a catwalk for many domestic and foreign designers. Even to this day, many designers choose precisely those locations to show their designs.
And speaking of fashion and beautiful women, did you know that most of the beauty pageants that were held in Croatia for decades actually took place in Opatija, in many of its luxurious hotels.
Some of the most prominent models from these areas and broader had their first catwalk steps on the ground of Opatija.
Even today, Opatija hosts many exciting events of various famous musicians from Croatia and abroad as well as many exciting festivals such as dance festivals, coffee festivals and – chocolate festivals!
Isn’t that more than enough to book a fantastic tour and experience Opatija just the way of the town’s nickname- The Pearl of Adriatic?
