There are kilometers of hiking routes around Opatija which slowly climb from the sea coast to the slopes of Učka. Next to them, and partially on them, there are also hundreds of kilometers of bike routes, which may take us to extremely interesting places, belvederes, lead us through interesting landscapes and offer unexpected pleasures in contact with untouched nature of the Nature Park Učka. You may set out on interesting and exciting routes through nature with your bike from the center of Opatija, Ičići and surrounding tourist and excursion places. Hundreds of kilometers of bike routes, arranged forest paths and unsurfaced roads provide unlimited possibilities of recreation and enjoying the magic of nature. You can take the bike to the top of Učka (1401 meters above sea level), where you will be rewarded with a wonderful view of Kvarner on the one side and Istria all the way to Trieste on the other. You can get down on the other side to the valleys Boljunsko Polje and Čepić Polje. Or you can take the forest unsurfaced routes and roads and by marked bike routes go around the entire Ćićarija – a unique area where completely wild nature lives side by side with carefully balanced human hand work, which knew how to keep the natural values.

The city's mild climate makes the region an enjoyable stay all year around.The close proximity to the sea and mountains provides countless options for activities and entertainment for all ages. Opatija has always been known as a destination for wellness. Some of the top revitalizing wellness and spa centers in the region can be found here. Add in the coastal promenade Lungomare, clean beaches, green parks, fine dining and the cultural aspect, and you get a city packed with enjoyable and entertaining options. Countless monuments and sites fill the city including Villa Angiolina, St. Jacob's Church, Slatina Fountain and the Croatian Walk of Fame, among many others.

The history of Opatija goes deeply into the past. Today's residents are descendants of the Liburni, who were present in this region from the 9th century BC. They were known as skilled navigators and builders of fast ships. The ships were built of planks that were sewn with rope. They sailed to North Africa and Asia. It is very characteristic that they particularly treasured women who sustained the cult of their ancestors. The beliefs of the Liburni were based on old deities, mostly women, of whom we know Anzotike, Ika, Irija and Sentona and they worshiped the god Silvanus as well. After a long battle with the Romans, the Liburni lost their power and this territory fell under the rule of Rome. After the fall of Rome in the 5th century, the area was occupied by the Ostrogoths, while in the 6th century the territory was ruled by Byzantium. In the 7th century the Slavs came. The Franks replaced them and in the 12th century Opatija was under the government of the patriarchs of Aquileia.

Today’s Opatija was born from the church of St. James and the monastery, which were first mentioned in the mid-15th century.Opatija passed into the hands of the Habsburg family. From the mid-16th century to the early 18th century, the Augustins from Rijeka owned Opatija, and at the end of the century it passed into the hands of the Church. After the arrival of Austria, a period of great progress began. In 1844 Opatija begun to develop as an elite resort. In that period Villa Angelina was built. In the same year, the Grand Hotel Kvarner opened. It is the oldest hotel on the Adriatic coast, known in that period as the favorite place of European kings and emperors of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. In 1889, Opatija was officially declared the first resort on the Adriatic Sea. Up to 1913, a dozen hotels, 44 bed and breakfasts, 83 villas and even 5 baths surrounded by beautiful botanical gardens were built here. During the First World War, Opatija begun to fall with the arrival of the Kingdom of Italy and then with the arrival of fascism. After Italy, there was the German occupation in 1943 which lasted until 1945 when Opatija was freed and annexed to the former Yugoslavia. During this period, tourism and Opatija itself throve again. In 1991 after the breakup of Yugoslavia, Opatija became an integral part of Croatia.

Opatija has always been ‘the place to be seen at’ in Croatia and nightlife in Opatija offers a little bit of something for everyone. Whether it is an art show in one of the popular galleries, a pop concert at the almost legendary open-air summer theater or maybe just a couple of drinks in Opatija’s nightclubs – the possibilities are abundant in Opatija! Partying is never good on an empty stomach. Fortunately, there are numerous restaurants in Opatija that offer exquisite delicacies of Istria and Kvarner, as well as high quality wines from the best Croatian wineries. Pleasant atmosphere, good company, excellent food and drink… What else could you need for a better start of your night in the town? There are numerous slot machine clubs all over Opatija. Casino Admiral and the casino at the hotel Imperial are located in the town center, while more experienced players will probably hit the tables and try their luck at the live games in casino Adriatic. The night is still young and it is time to get the show on the road. Bars Leonardo and Mimoza in the centre of Opatija, Kon-Tiki and Surf bar in the nearby small town of Volosko… Numerous bars and small clubs offer a perfect setting for a warm-up in good company of friends and locals from surrounding towns who frequent Opatija on a regular basis. Regardless of the time of year, the atmosphere is always great on the Riviera! The Galija, Hemingway and

Tantra su popularni noćni klubovi smješteni uz opatijsku luku, gdje hladni morski povjetarac osvježava toplu ljetnu noć, dok se stotinu boja miješa u koktele, a DJ sa svakom novom pjesmom postaje sve glasniji. Disko klub Colosseum udaljen je samo nekoliko koraka od glavne gradske plaže Slatina i šetnice Lungomare, a popularni hitovi i house glazba neprestano sviraju od sumraka do zore. Oni koji traže elegantnije okruženje vjerojatno će se odlučiti za noćni klub Lord Byron, jedan od najstarijih opatijskih klubova. Hemingway bar na plaži nalazi se na samoj obali mora i jedno je od najpopularnijih ljetnih mjesta u regiji, posebno među mlađe mnoštvo. Samo sjednite u taksi i bit ćete tamo za par minuta.