Croatian Travel: Rijeka

Rijeka: The Nightclub Capital of Croatia

A small expanse of land called the Kvarner region separates the Istrian peninsula of the north from the Dalmatian coastal regions of the south. This area is mountainous and offers more mild temperatures than the rest of the Croatian coast. The city of Rijeka is the largest shipping port in Croatia and it serves as a major transportation hub for those traveling to, from, and within the country via bus, train, ferry, car, or plane. In other words, if you travel to Croatia you will probably at some point pass through Rijeka.

Originally an important Roman town, the modern city is now more reflective of its Austrian and Hungarian occupation starting in the 15th century. The most popular tourist attraction, particularly for faithful Catholics, is the Our Lady of Trsat church which was built in 1453 to honor the Miracle of Trsat. As the story goes, angels were carrying the house of the Virgin Mary to Loreto, Italy, but on their way they landed at this site. Religious pilgrims have visited the area for centuries, but it wasn’t until the local nobility built the church to house a famous painting thought to have been painted by St. Peter, that the site became world famous.

On the other end of the spectrum, Rijeka is more recently known as the bar and nightclub capital of northern Croatia and really seems to come to life after the sun goes down. Due to Croatia’s strict, no-tolerance drinking and driving laws, Rijeka has built a large collection of bars and clubs along the Riva and Korzo streets where bar-hoppers can make their way by foot to all of the hottest nightspots.