2014 PATHS FOR VEPRINAC AND OTHER HIKES FROM THE OPATIJA RIVIERA UP UČKA TOURISM OFFICES GRATIS 1 Slatina (Gortanov trg) behind the Hotel Palace, along OPATIJA TOURISM OFFICE Rakovčeva ulica to Nova cesta, 5O m to the right by stairs to V. Nazora 3, 51410 OPATIJA the Slavići Route, then by forest path to the bridge above the tel. 271 710, fax. 271 699 road for Učka tunnel, Travičići, Tumpići, Veprinac to the Church TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE M. Tita 128, tel. 271 310, fax. 712 290 of St Mark’s, Vidikovac 519 m a.s.l., -1 h 30 min. www.opatija-tourism.hr, e-mail: [email protected] TOURISM OFFICES TOURISM Info Free Wi-Fi spot: Tržnica Opatija • Luka Opatija • Luka Volosko 2 Slatina (Gortanov trg), along Rakovčeva ulica, first lane off Park Angiolina • Villa Angiolina • Kupalište Slatina • Plaža Ičići •Ika (mul) Volosko • Opatija • Ičići • Ika to the right Veprinački route to Nova cesta, continuation by Lovran • Medveja • Mošćenice Veprinačke stube, path to Plahuti. Uphill through pine forest, KASTAV TOURISM OFFICE Mošćenička Draga • Brseč after 500 m turn right to Kolavići, passage under the road for Turistički informativni centar the Učka tunnel to Vas village, then Lukovići and further by Trg Matka Laginje 5, 51215 KASTAV Matulji • Kastav • Veprinac steps, to the Church of St Mark’s on Veprinac -1 h 30 min. tel. 691 425, fax. 691 330 www.opatija-riviera.info www.kastav-touristinfo.hr, e-mail: [email protected] DESCRIPTION OF MOUNTAIN TRAIL DESCRIPTION OF MOUNTAIN Free Wi-Fi spot: Lokvina • Trg Matka Laginje • Fortica • Voltica • 3 From the main Post Office (HPT) left along Kumičićeva ulica to Nova cesta, by the J. Pilat steps to the Zora estate, go on Crekvina by forest path left to the Anđeli viaduct (road to Učka tunnel), MATULJI TOURISM OFFICE under the viaduct by steps right to Zatka. -1 h 30 min: than Trg M. Tita 11, 51211 MATULJI Info by road to Veprinac. tel. 276 789, fax. 276 221 www.tzmatulji.hr, e-mail: [email protected] Mini Travel Guide 4 From main Post Office (HPT) right to Nova Cesta and continue Free Wi-Fi spot by the steps, route for Bregi, Stanići and to the Orljak peak Useful Information 706 m a.s.l. -2 h 15 min. Continuation via Vedež, Zagrad, LOVRAN TOURISM OFFICE to Veprinac. Trg slobode 1, 51415 LOVRAN Town Maps tel. 291 740 5 www.tz-lovran.hr, e-mail: [email protected] Calendar Of Events Ičići - by steps alongside the post office, Poljane, Sv. Petar, TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE MEDVEJA Strmice, Banina, Poklon 3 h. Left hand variant: by the falls of Medveja bb, 51415 Lovran, tel. 291 296 Tourist Map Banine, Rečina, Poklon -3 h 30 min. e-mail [email protected] Free Wi-Fi spot: Trg slobode •Lovranski mul (luka) 6 Ika - Poklon links up with the Ičići - Poljane path -3 h. IČIĆI TOURISM OFFICE 7 Lovran - Liganj - Rečina - Poklon -2 h 45 min. Via Vojak to Liburnijska 30, 51414 IČIĆI Poklon -5 h. tel. 704 187, fax. 705 624 www.tourism-icici.hr, e-mail: [email protected] 8 Medveja - Lovranska draga - Poklon -4h 30 min. MOŠĆENIČKA DRAGA TOURISM OFFICE Aleja Slatina bb, 51417 MOŠĆENIČKA DRAGA 9 Mošćenička Draga - Vojak -5h 30 min. tel. 739 166, fax. 737 533 www.tz-moscenicka.hr, e-mail: [email protected] 10 Mošćenice - Grabrova - Trebišća - Mala Učka - Poklon -4h 30 min. KVARNER INFO - VRATA JADRANA Odmorište Vrata Jadrana -South service area, tel. 623 333, 11 Mošćenice - Rovini - Perun - Poklon -5h. Mošćenice - e-mail: [email protected] Kremenjak -3h 30 min. Publisher: “Rima” Rijeka, April 2014 Volosko • Opatija • Ičići • Ika Editor and Design: Oliver Kamenečki 12 Brseč - Sisol -2h 30 min. Editor: Željko Jerneić Lovran • Medveja • Mošćenice Design: St. Valter Photographs: Ž. Jerneić, St. Valter, Ž. Černelić, Ž. Gržančić, R. Kosinožić, P. Trinajstić, Mošćenička Draga • Brseč 13 arhivi turističkih zajednica, Državni arhiv u Rijeci M. Draga - Sv. Petar - Potoki - Trebišća -1h 30 min. Text : A. Marić, Ž. Jerneić Copyright “Rima” Matulji • Kastav • Veprinac The information contained in this publication is subject to change. The publisher shall not be liable for any errors. 66 67 EN CONTENTS UČKA TOURIST MAP INTRODUCTION 3 NATURAL CHARACTERISTICS 4 CONTENTS A SHORT HISTORY 6 FRANJO JOSIP, ISADORA DUNCAN I VI 8 SPECIAL EVENTS AND CONGRESSES 9 GASTRONOMY 10 UČKA NATURE PARK 12 LUNGOMARE 14 CARMEN SYLVA WALKING TRAIL 15 VOLOSKO 16 OPATIJA 18 IČIĆI 24 IKA 26 LOVRAN 27 MEDVEJA 30 10 MOŠĆENIČKA DRAGA 31 9 MOŠĆENICE 33 8 5 13 7 6 1 3 BRSEČ 34 2 MATULJI 35 4 KASTAV 38 VEPRINAC 42 GENERAL INFORMATION 43 FOR THE BODY AND SOUL 44 EXCURSIONS 45 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 46 UČKA TOURIST MAP 62 DESCRIPTION OF MOUNTAIN TRAIL 66 TOURISM OFFICES 67 2 65 INTRODUCTION Welcome to the Riviera in which Opatija is the body, Lovran is the heart and Mošćenička Draga is the soul. The Opatija Riviera has been writing its history since the 12th century, from the times of skilled pirates and sailors. If you stop for a moment and close your eyes, almost always will you be able to feel the spirit of long ago times, hear the footsteps of the Austro-Hungarian gentlemen, the Emperor Franz Joseph, Isadora Duncan or a long list of world dignitaries who INTRODUCTION chose this gem of the Adriatic Sea as their vacation site. This encounter with the past is an unforgettable feeling here. Developing alongside Opatija were the towns of Volosko, Ičići, Ika, Lovran, Medveja, Mošćenička Draga and Brseč, beautiful maritime towns located under the slopes of Učka Mountain, the greenest mountain on the Adriatic Sea. The Opatija Riviera is lovely in the summer and magical in the winter, when it plays host to numerous congresses, conferences and seminars. In the warm summer months, you will be greeted by the clean sea, nice beaches and good entertainment, while in the winter you can walk along the 10 kilometre long waterfront, hike along forest trails or visit one of the health and wellness centres. Spring and fall are ideal for bicycling, hiking or just sightseeing all the sights described within this guide. 3 NATURAL CHARACTERISTICS With its proximity to Slovenia, Austria and Italy, the Opatija Riviera has an advantage over all other tourism destinations. Just kilometres before Opatija is Preluk, an inlet where the Mediterranean Sea cuts deepes into central Europe, thus bringing the continental and Mediterranean climates together on the Riviera. Due to the climate, the mild winters, bearable summers, constant air circulation, sea aerosols and the rich vegetation, Opatija and Lovran have developed as climatic rehabilitation centres. The average summer air temperature is 21.9°C and winter air temperature is 7°C, while the summer sea temperature NATURAL CHARACTERISTICS NATURAL climbs to 26°C. The winds blowing most frequently in Liburnia are the bura (northwesterly) and jugo (southerly) while in summer, the maestral (westerly) is common as is the morning tramontana (northerly), to the delight of windsurfers and sailors. The most beautiful photographs of Opatija were taken while the strong jugo wind, which blows from land to sea, was blowing. Due to the position of the Riviera and Učka Mountain which dominates over it, the sun sets earlier in the summer months, allowing for carefree time on the beaches. The Riviera averages about 2100 sunny hours per year. Of special note are the pleasant summer nights, when the temperature drops to about 17°C before dawn, ensuring a good night’s sleep. 4 The Opatija Riviera can boast having lush vegetation, coniferous and deciduous plants, laurel and rosemary bushes, cherry and chestnut trees, as well as numerous exotic plant species in the Angiolina and St. Jacob Park in Opatija, which for many years has been granted the title of the most beautiful park in Croatia. The Riviera stretches over 25 kilometres of coastline, and is divided administratively into the City of Opatija with 11,759 residents, the Municipality of Lovran with 4,056 residents, the Municipality of Mošćenička Draga with 1,641 residents, the Municipality of Matulji with 10,544 residents and the City of Kastav CHARACTERISTICS NATURAL with 10,440 residents. 5 A SHORT HISTORY Traces of history have been well preserved in this region. There are numerous caves still to be explored on Učka Mountain and in its foothills, towards the settlements present today, are the remnants of stone cities, such as Knezgrad above Lovran, the oldest settlement mentioned in the Liburnia region. Old Lauriana was allegedly inhabited back in the times of the Romans as the residence of patrician A SHORT HISTORY Marcus Vispanius Agripa, and the first written traces date back to the 7th century. Nearby Medveja also has its legends, as it is said to have received its name from the sorceress Medeja who disembarked on the pebble beach upon returning with Jason and the Argonauts after obtaining the golden rune. Opatija received its name from the Benedictine Abbey (Opatija) of St. Jacob which was first mentioned in 1453. This small church received its current appearance in 1506 as the Church of St. Jacob in the centre of town. St. Jacob was proclaimed the patron saint of the city. In the 19th century, the neighbouring city of Rijeka experienced an economic boom, and the road network LOVRAN VOLOSKO 6 was extended towards Opatija, thus marking the beginning of tourism development in 1844. Forty years after the construction of Villa Angiolina, in 1883, the Society of Southern Railroads from Vienna began to build the first tourism facility on the eastern coast of the Adriatic “Hotel Kvarner” in Opatija.