THE MAIN FEATURE – CROATIA – RIJEKA (Country 1, City 2, Day 3-5 covering 514km to 1,152km)

What a scenic 209km drive from Zagreb to Rijeka ! Why ? Because most of it was through the pine covered Risnjak National Park. Nice windy roads and small villages. Fabulous day hitting 26C up top and 32C by the water. What a site to see the top of the Adriatic Sea and what will become a familiar site for us as we travel the full length of the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia over the next 2 weeks.

 

Rijeka (Pop 108,622) is a Croatian port city on Kvarner Bay in the northern Adriatic Sea. It’s known as a gateway to Croatia’s islands. Korzo, the main promenade, is lined with Habsburg-era buildings. Nearby, the 19th-century Ivan pl. Zajc Croatian National Theatre has ceiling paintings by Gustav Klimt. The hilltop Trsat Castle complex, which includes a religious shrine, has sweeping views of the islands of Kvarner Bay.

 

Rijeka was founded in AD150 and to me resembles a run-down version of Italy’s Trieste only 150+ km away being a harbour-side city with dwellings extending up into sloping hills. “The Korso” is the main pedestrian road crossing and defining the centre with impressive well-kept buildings on both sides, shiny shops and large cafeterias but as you leave this wonder strip, the large classic Prussia-style buildings become more un-kept and forgotten.

 

Fuel here is 1.5EUR/L compared to the 2EUR in Germany and 2.3EUR in Greece. This is because there is a refinery here that must take in some crude from close-by. I saw this on my run. Rijeka is also the main port of Croatia taking the unsightliness of cranes and container ships away from the idyllic towns of Zadar, Sibenik and Dubrovnik amomst others that we will see in the next two weeks - very clever.

 

A defining feature of Rijeka is its market which is in the best possible location on the waterfront and features produce from the local region highlighted by the freshest fish I have seen to date !

 

Paris and I struggled visiting today with sunny skies but temperatures hitting 38C which required and afternoon nap on return to our apartment. Balkanopoulos uses apartments instead of hotels – not only are they cheaper but bigger and better equipped than hotel rooms and help the local families that own them.

 

Rijeka is a great base for a day trip to the Croatian Western Peninsula containing the medieval seaside fortress towns of Pula, Rovinj and Polec. We completed a 296km triangular day expedition of all three towns and witnessed some terrific buildings and ancient ruins, the highlight of which was the Pula Arena (Colosseum) built between 27BC and 68AD and in the top 6 of best preserved Roman Colosseums in the world.

 

Paris and I even attended our first Catholic Mass in Croatian in Rijeka - a great experience with an angelci choir and thunderous pipe organ in the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary just 10min walk from our apartment. Nearly all our Balkan stays will be in apartments.

 

Paris and I finally had our first taste of Croatian grilled meats with bean stew, a specialty of Rijeka. There are heaps of grill houses everywhere and the Croats still smoke like chimneys !!!

Enjoy the sights of Rijeka and the Western Penisula…

 RIJEKA:

PULA ARENA:

ZAGREB TO RIJEKA:

PARIS'S FIANCEE:

RIJEKA MARKETS

THE KORSO - RIJEKA:

RIKEJA PORT:

TSAT CASTLE - RIJEKA:

RIJEKA TO PULA:

PULA ARENA:

TEMPLE OF AUGUSTUS - PULA

POREC:

THE ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN MARY - RIJEKA:

RIJEKA:

PULA ARENA:

ROVINJ:

POLEC:

RIJEKA: