After a wonderful time in Slovenia, I traveled south towards Croatia. Rather than doing the tourist hot spots of Dubrovnik, and Hvar, I opted for Northern Croatia – an area that is pretty much undiscovered. My first stop was Rijeka. I’ve always wanted to go to Rijeka because my grandfather, and dad were both stationed in the city during their time in the army.
I arrived by train – Ljubljana (6:35 am) to Rijeka (9:20 am) and it costed 17€ per person. Croatia is definitely a place that is both cheap and expensive at the same time (especially after joining the EU) – you just need to know where to go.
Accommodations in Croatia and the rest of the Balkan peninsula are also a little different than the rest of Europe. Instead of “hotels” there are guest houses, or villas. Nonetheless, everyone is super friendly, and willing to give a helping hand. I stayed in a private room at Hostel Kosy while paying $50 CAD/night. It was right in the middle of the city center/Korzo which was perfect.
Rijeka is Croatia’s third-largest city, and is known for its historic music and arts scene. Along with it’s Austo-Hungarian palaces, Venetian townhouses, baroque cathedrals, Roman fortresses, and beaches this city is bustling with art spaces, bars and restaurants. Because of its port, Rijeka has always been a melting pot of people and different influences.
Overall, there’s plenty to do in this small city for both young and old. I was only in Rijeka for 1 night – 1.5 days, but wish I had stayed longer.
During my 1 night stay in Rijeka, I visited the following sites:
Korzo: Main city square/walk way. Every Balkan major city has one of these – just your typical area to sip coffee, chat, and people watch.
Trsat Castle: 138 meters above sea level, it was first mentioned in 1288. At this time there was a Liburnian observation post from prehistoric times used for monitoring the roads leading from the coast. It was redesigned/restored in 1824 by Laval Nugent, a commander in the Austrian army, in a romantic neoclassical Biedermeier design. Currently it houses a gallery, and an underground exhibit center (a former dungeon).
City Market: Built by fisherman at the end of the 19th century.
Ivan Kobler Square: Main square
Ploce and Kostanj/Losinj Island: There are many different beaches you can visit along the coast. They vary between rocks, sand, etc. I would highly recommend Glavanovo!
Food:
Pizza Place DESTINO, Restoran Na Susaku, Ristorante Spagho
