Opatija, Croatia —
Have you ever dreamed of warm summer days spent frolicking along the Austrian Rivera? Nor have we. Of course we never would have have looked for it in Croatia. Wouldn’t have looked for it in Austria either for that matter. Yet, here it is. Twelve kilometers of Viennese coastline just north of Rijeka, Croatia.
Though Opatija remains a pretty much unknown destination for most of us, it has not lost it’s popularity among the Germans and Austrians. After Croatian independence, they swarmed back and millions of dollars of investment have returned a large part of this coastline to it’s former glory.
Now this will not be everyone’s choice for a week at the beach. That’s because there is no beach. Hotels, villas and cafes are perched on dramatic outcroppings of rock. This is no deterrent to seasoned visitors though. They stake their claims with wide, bright beach towels on some of the most uncomfortable rock formations imaginable. At mid-day, it appears as if there has been some horrific disaster at sea and scantily clad cadavers have washed up on the rocks. Still, if the sun bathing is torturous, the cafes are both warm and shady.
For walkers, the Austrain Cote has something that better known Cotes do not, a pedestrian path that follows the shore between all of the villages for its entire 12 kilometer length.
The Lungo Mare path winds away from the road, in front of all the grand villas and through small fishing hamlets. As you wander, you can catch a glimpse of what might find its way to your table this evening.
And where might that table be? That would be in the pint-sized port of Volosko. It is perhaps the most humble locale on the coast but it boasts the best restaurants and wines. AND, the most tranquil evening view. People have journeyed from Vienna for centuries to enjoy it.
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