Rijeka is the largest port city in Croatia, the third largest in the country after Zagreb and Split. It is located in the north of Dalmatia, next to the Istrian peninsula.
In Croatian, “rijeka” means “river” – the city got its name because of the river Riecina that separates it.
As of 2020, there are 128,384 people living in Rijeka, and 83% of them are Croats.
Rijeka can be considered the most suitable city for those who want to combine a comfortable holiday on the beach with an intense cultural life and local sightseeing.
Places of interest in Rijeka
What kind of cultural program does the city of Rijeka in Croatia offer? There are a lot of different architectural and historical monuments, museums and churches here. Next, we will talk about the most famous sights that are included in the list of must-see places.
By the way, every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday local enthusiasts organize a tour of the most interesting sights located in Rijeka-the tour starts at 10: 00, gathering at the fountain in Jelacic Square.
Korzo Street
The center of tourist life and at the same time the historical center of Rijeka is the pedestrian Korzo Street and the nearby old alleys. Here are the best restaurants with excellent cuisine, the most popular discos and night bars, there are good shops and boutiques. While walking along Korzo, you can see many beautiful old buildings with unique architecture from different eras. This street is a favorite place for walking both tourists and citizens.
The main attraction of Rijeka is located on Korzo Street – this is the City Tower, which was originally part of the city gate complex and served as the entrance to the city from the sea. The tower has the appearance of a rounded structure decorated with hour dials: in the middle there are clocks with Roman numerals and openwork hands, and on both sides of them – with Roman numerals and standard hands. The lower foundation of the building is decorated with baroque elements containing images of the coats of arms of the Austrian kings Lepold I and Charles VI.
Under the main clock of the City Tower there is another unique attraction – the old gate of Rijeka. They look like a wide powerful arch made of large stones. This gate is one of the oldest city monuments of antiquity, but historians have not agreed on its purpose.
Croatian National Theatre
City of Rijeka, Uljarska street 1-this address is home to the magnificent building of the National Theater of Croatia named after. Ivan Zaitsev.
The project of this building was developed by well-known architects Fellner and Helmer, who have over 45 public buildings in European countries. The Theater in Rijeka, like the rest of their creations, is a luxurious building that successfully combines Renaissance and Baroque styles.
The theater was named after conductor and composer Ivan Zaitsev in 1953. In 1991, the theater received National status and added to the list of 4 similar buildings in Croatia.
The theater hosts opera, ballet and drama performances. The ticket offices are open from Monday to Sunday from 09: 00 to 19: 00, and on Saturday from 09: 00 to 13: 00.
In front of the building there is a beautiful square with flower beds and benches, in which a monument to Ivan Zaitsev is installed.
Capuchin Church of Our Lady of Lourdes
At Kapucinske Stube 5 (it is near the main entrance to the port) there is the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, one of the main attractions of Croatia.
It was built between 1904 and 1929 by monks of the Capuchin order. The Capuchin monastery is located in the immediate vicinity of the church – it is separated from the western part by a stone wall.
Initially, it was planned that the building should be completed with a 75-meter-high tower, but this idea was abandoned during construction. But even with its current appearance, this shrine impresses everyone who sees it. The facade, designed in a quaint neo-Gothic style, is decorated with beautiful reliefs, mosaics, and stained glass windows. Paintings on the inner surface of the walls depict Croatian saints.
Astronomical Center of Rijeka
In 2009, the Astronomical Center of Rijeka was opened in the old fortress building located at Sveti Krizh 33.
This is the only center of its kind not only in Rijeka, but also in Croatia – an observatory and a planetarium work here at the same time. Visitors can enjoy a variety of interactive programs, lectures, and films about the solar System and the history of the telescope.
There is also a rooftop cafe-bar with an outdoor terrace and beautiful city views.
The ticket price for visiting the planetarium is about 3 €, the observatory-1.4 €.
Central Market
The central market is located in the central part of Rijeka. It occupies several Art Nouveau buildings decorated with patterned interlacing of reinforced concrete and glass.
The market offers a huge range of meat and dairy products, a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. Ribarnica offers a special abundance of fresh fish and seafood.
It is best to come here for shopping early in the morning, when the goods are just being delivered. As a rule, all trading ends by lunchtime.
The central market of Rijeka is not only a very large and rich range of farm products. Here, the chaotic and completely peculiar atmosphere of a seaside city is expressed in its fullest extent.
Trsat District
Trsat stands apart in the list of sights of Rijeka, and Croatia, too. This is part of the city of Rijeka, once a separate settlement, and now combines a number of interesting objects. Trsat is a well-known pilgrimage site for Catholics, as well as a popular tourist attraction: several interesting sites are located on this territory: the Trsat fortress, the Church of Our Lady of Trsat, the famous Petar Krujic Staircase.
Trsat fortress stands on a hill, address Petra Zrinskog bb. Here you can see not only a well-preserved castle built in the XIII century, but also the ruins of ancient fortifications. After the tour, you can go to the observation deck, which offers views of the city, the sea, the island of Krk, the canyon and the river flowing below-you can take the best photos about the trip to Rijeka and Croatia. Trsat Fortress is open to the public all days of the week except Mondays.
- The opening hours are as follows: from April to November-from 9: 00 to 22: 00, from December to March – from 9: 00 to 15: 00.
- Admission is free.
You can climb to the top of the hill where the castle stands by bus number 2, which runs from the bus station. But it is much more interesting, although more difficult, to make the ascent to the fortress gate using the famous Petar Kruzhich staircase, which consists of 538 rather steep steps. Stone steps start in the north-western part of Titov Square, under a modest triumphal arch. The staircase is laid through a steep gorge, along it there are small chapels to various saints. Built in 1531 by order of Petar Kujic, it was intended to facilitate the way of pilgrims to another landmark on this hill-the Basilica of Our Lady of Trsat.
The Church of Our Lady of Trsat (address Frankopanski Trg 12) has the honorary status of “minor basilica” – only seven churches in Croatia have such a title. This one of the oldest shrines in Rijeka was built in the 15th century on the place where, according to legend, a miracle took place: the house of the Virgin Mary appeared. In the churchyard stands a monument to Pope John Paul II, who visited the shrine.
Behind the basilica there is an unusual and original recreation of the way of the Cross of Jesus Christ. Symbolic sculptures reproduce the procession of Jesus up the mountain with a cross, and when descending from the hill, you can watch scenes of the descent from the cross. These subjects are captured in modest monuments erected in the churchyard.
City of Kastav
Kastav is a small old town located 10 km north-west of Rijeka. It is located on a separate hill, reaching a height of 378 m.
If you believe the legends, it was in this medieval city that the last witch in Europe was burned. But, anyway, now it is a very nice town that attracts foreign tourists and travelers from Croatia. Castav is quite small, you can see all the sights located in half a day. What to pay attention to:
- fortress wall with city gate;
- Lockwin Square;
- old unfinished church;
- Church of St. Helena Krizharice, located at the highest point of the city;
- Chapels of St. Michovil, St. Fabian and St. Sebastian, St. Anthony the Great, Holy Trinity.
Not far from the city on the island of Krk is the National Park of the same name in Croatia. If you have the time, consider visiting it.
Best beaches
There is a large port in Rijeka, so you should look for good clean beaches away from it. East of the port, Sablicevo, Grcevo and Glavnovo are quite suitable for recreation, and west of Rijeka – the beaches of Kostan and Ploce. Further west, 10 km from the city, there is the Opatija Riviera resort area with many pebble and platform beaches.
Kostan Beach
This beach is located closest to the center, you can reach it in 20 minutes by walking along the lively embankment.
Kostanj beach was equipped in 2008 – with its help, the authorities of Rijeka tried to attract as many tourists as possible. On its territory there is everything you need for a good beach holiday: showers and changing cabins, numerous cafeterias and bars, as well as sports centers that rent boats and catamarans. The main distinguishing feature of the beach is that it is designed for people with disabilities.
Ploce Beach
Ploce Beach is located a little further from the city center than Kostany.
It covers an area of 14 km2 with a well-equipped promenade: a volleyball court, numerous cafes, showers, changing rooms, as well as a very popular swimming pool complex.
The quality and safety of Ploče beach has been awarded the Blue Flag.
Like the previous one, this Rijeka beach can be considered an exception for Croatia: it is covered with small pebbles, not rocky or concrete blocks.
See also our selection of the best places for a beach holiday in Croatia.
Opatija Beaches
Opatija has stony beaches, and the slopes to the sea on them are laid out with concrete slabs – for Croatia this is a common phenomenon. The Opatija Lungomar embankment stretches along the coast for 12 km, where you can not only walk and admire the seascapes, but also have a delicious meal in one of the many restaurants, buy souvenirs in numerous shops. The best beaches in Opatija are Lido, Slatina, Tomasevac, and Skribici.
Read more about Opatija on this page.
Prices for holidays in Rijeka
Among tourists, Rijeka is not very popular, so prices here are much lower than in other cities of Croatia.
Accommodation
For a room for two in a hotel, you need to pay from 60 €, an overnight stay in a hostel for one person will cost from 15 €. Rent an apartment via Airbnb will cost 40-50 €, and rooms-from 25 €. By the way, in the season prices remain approximately at the same level.
Not far from the National Theatre. Ivan Zaitsev apartment is located in Guver. Guests of Rijeka are offered free Wi-Fi, a well-equipped kitchen, and a bathroom with all necessary toiletries. A room for two people per night will cost from 90 €.
For the same price, you can rent a room in the 3* Riva Rooms hotel, also located in the immediate vicinity of the Croatian National Theater. The rooms are equipped with air conditioning, TV, refrigerator, private bathroom. A continental breakfast is also included in the price.
Omladinski Rijeka Hostel was renovated in 2006 and is an attractive villa dating back to the 1940s. Visitors can choose to stay in 2-and 6-bed rooms, with one bed per night costing € 18, while a double room costs €43. The hostel is located at Setaliste XIII divizije 23.
Food
Lunch for two in a mid-level restaurant will cost around 40 €. For a cup of coffee, you need to pay about 1.5 €, and for a glass of beer-2.5-3 €. You can get a good meal at a McDonald’s or similar fast food restaurant for just 6 €.
Holidays in Rijeka can be made even more budget-friendly if you buy ready-made food in supermarkets, or cook with products purchased at the market. For example:
- 1 kg of locally produced cheese can be purchased for 7.5 €,
- 1 kg of potatoes – only 0,9 €,
- bananas and oranges will cost 1,3 € per 1 kg.,
- apples – 1,2 €.
How to get to Rijeka from Zagreb
The closest airports to Rijeka are Pula and Zagreb. You can get to the city from one point or another.
You can get from Zagreb to Rijeka by bus, train or car.
How to get from Zagreb to Rijeka by bus – there are no problems here. The bus departs every half hour on a given route, and the journey time is 2.5 hours. Departure takes place from the central Zagreb bus station, arrival – at the Rijeka bus station.
There are several carriers, but the most comfortable buses are offered by Autotrans and Brioni. The cost of travel is 12.5-17 euros. You can buy tickets at the bus station ticket office or online on the carrier’s website (www.arriva.com.hr).
The Zagreb – Pula railway line runs through Rijeka, so you can get to Rijeka by train. But there are only 1-3 flights per day, the trip takes 3.5 hours, and the ticket price is 7.5-19 € depending on the class of car. In addition, trains in Croatia are quite old and uncomfortable. However, if you want to travel by train, you can buy a ticket at the ticket office of the railway station or on the website of the Croatian railway.
Since there is a toll on Croatian roads, you will have to pay about €10 to travel from Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, to Rijeka by car. The distance between the cities is 165 km, you will need 13 liters of gasoline (you need to find out the cost for the duration of the trip). The journey time is about 2 hours.
