Top 5 things to do in the city and its surroundings:
Take a walk in the city
The Korzo of Rijeka is the main artery of the city of Rijeka, a place for meetings, socializing over a coffee, shopping... The Korzo is the main promenade of the city, beloved by the inhabitants of Rijeka. One of the main symbols of the city is located here: the Clock Tower, once the entrance gate to the old city.
Walk through the squares and narrow streets of the Old Town, which reveals the historical layers of the city core, its medieval architecture and ancient foundations. Experience Rijeka from the seaside, from the Molo Longo - a promenade along the pier with a fantastic view of our largest port and impressive views of the city.
Climb the historic Trsat stairs or relax in one of Rijeka's parks. The city center and the main sights can be explored on foot, and if you get tired, there are bikes and scooters for rent, as well as readily available Taxis and Uber.
Get to know the culture and sights of Rijeka
Trsat Castle is one of the oldest fortifications in the region, with its early medieval features still visible. Today, the castle hosts numerous events - concerts, theater performances, exhibitions and various other manifestations. Gradina offers a beautiful view of Rijeka and the Kvarner Bay, a place for a perfect "selfie"!
The Shrine of Our Lady of Trsat, one of the oldest in Croatia, the Cathedral of St. Vid and the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the leaning tower are the most important religious buildings in Rijeka. Definitely worth a visit!
The forum or central square of the Tarsatika principium, the ancient Roman military camp from which the city of Rijeka draws its beginnings can be reached from Kobler Square by walking under the Roman arch.
Rijeka is a city with numerous museums. Get inspired and learn something new in a fun way at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, the Maritime and Historical Museum of the Croatian Coast, the Museum of the City of Rijeka, the Museum of Natural History and the Peek&Poke Computer Museum.
Taste the local gastronomy
The best way to discover the smells and tastes of the region is at the Central Farmers’ Market. An abundant offer of seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as fresh fish, will surely tempt you to visit one of the numerous restaurants and taverns. They harbor the true wonders of the local gastronomic scene - Mediterranean and continental cuisine. Fish and seafood, meat dishes and pasta, traditionally prepared or modernly interpreted - in Rijeka even the most demanding guest will be satisfied. A taste of local cuisine is the perfect complement to a stay in Rijeka.
Take part in events
If you visit Rijeka in the so called “5th season," i.e. during the Rijeka Carnival, you will experience the biggest and most popular event in Rijeka. The international carnival parade is a showcase of traditional and urban carnival groups that vividly comment on current social events.
During Advent, the city center is transformed into a winter fairy tale. The Korzo, town squares and Trsat Castle are illuminated with thousands of lights, and Advent houses with a wide range of food and drinks attract many Rijeka residents and their guests.
Explore the surroundings of Rijeka
Rijeka and its surroundings surprise with their natural, historical, and cultural diversity.
Walk through the old lady, the city of Opatija and its Riviera, charming Kastav and Crikvenica. Explore the beaches and small towns on the island of Krk and enjoy the breath-taking natural beauty of mountainous Gorski kotar.
In the vicinity of Rijeka you will find many places for a fabulous day trip: beautiful Istria and the national parks Brijuni, Risnjak, Plitvice Lakes and North Velebit.
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Get to know the history of Rijeka
The modern day city of Rijeka was founded in 1948. During most of its history there were two settlements: “Sveti Vid on Rijeka” on the western shore of Rijeka and Trsat (later Sušak) on the eastern shore. The Roman writer Pliny the Elder (23-79 AD) mentioned in his work "Naturalis Historia" (Natural History) a fortified pre-Roman castle settlement, Tarsatika, today's Trsat. With the immigration of the Croats (between the seventh and ninth centuries), the entire area of today's Rijeka came under the rule of Croatian princes and kings. It seems that Trsat was burned down by Charlemagne's Franks in 799. Probably at that time a new fortified settlement was founded on the coast, which would be called Sankt Veith am Pflaum (Sveti Vid on Rijeka) in the 13th century. In the 11th century Europe was shaken by the conflict between Pope Gregory VII and Emperor Henry IV. Od the Holy Roman Empire. Since King Zvonimir of Croatia supported the pope, the imperial knight Vencelin attacked Croatia in 1079, conquered a large part of the Kvarner Gulf and moved the border of the Holy Roman (German) Empire to the right bank of the river Rječina. This was the border until the end of World War II. At the Paris Peace Conference in 1947, Rijeka became part of the newly created Croatia within Yugoslavia, and in 1948 Rijeka, Trsat and Sušak merged to form the city of Rijeka as we know it today.
Precisely when the name Rijeka was first mentioned is not entirely clear. It is said that the first mention dates back to 1260, when Bela IV. confirmed the granting of land up to the river and the settlement of Rika to the powerful Frankapan family, Rika, but this document is a forgery. There is a mention, however, in 1281 Venice regarding reparations for damages suffered by a Venetian merchant near Rijeka (Flumen). In the 15th century we have a document mentioning a certain Juraj Rečanin from Rijeka (Geogrius Rezanin de Recha). Austrian sources from the 15th century mention the name St. Veit am Pflaum, i.e. Sveti Vid na Rijeci, and the first official statute from 1530 is entitled Statutum terrae Fluminis sancti Viti, i.e. Rijeka of St. Vitus. While the official name, according to records on maps and in documents from the 15th to the 19th century, was Sankt Veit am Flaum in its many variants, the common people spoke of “Fiume or Reka", according to the historian and naturalist Johann Weikhard von Valvasor," a native of the Duchy of Crain, now in Slovenia.
The history of Rijeka has been connected with the Habsburg family, the famous Austrian ruling dynasty, for almost 500 years. Frederick III. Habsburg, Austrian duke and Holy Roman Emperor (Germany), inherited Rijeka with Kastav and Veprinac from its previous owner Wolfgang Walsee in 1465. Rijeka became an important port for the Habsburg monarchy, but also a target for Venetians and the Ottomans, so Emperor Maximilian granted the city the title of "the most loyal city" in 1515, and his grandson Ferdinand confirmed its first written statute in 1535. Ferdinand was elected king of Croatia and Hungary in 1527, bringing the hinterland of Rijeka came under the rule, as well. In the 16th century the city was an important trading center, however, due to frequent Venetian blockades and the Ottoman threat, Rijeka’s position worsened in the 17th century. To improve the situation, Emperor Charles VI granted Rijeka (and Trieste) the status of a free port in 1719, so that Rijeka was able to strengthen its trade again and numerous crafts and factories were established. The boom continued under Maria Theresa, who pursued a mercantilist policy from which Rijeka benefited as an important trading center. The Empress annexed Rijeka to the Kingdom of Croatia by a special decree in 1776, only to separate it again in 1779 as a separate body adjoined to the Hungarian Crown(corpus separatum)in the role of an essential port for the Kingdom. The entire 19th century was marked by tensions between the supporters of the Croatian, Hungarian and Italian factions in Rijeka, but also by strong economic growth. Before the First World War, Rijeka was the eighth largest port in Europe and had the largest refinery on the continent. The Habsburg period in Rijeka ended in 1918 with the collapse of the monarchy, and Rijeka became the object of a dispute between the Kingdom of Italy and the newly established Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.
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