KVARNER AND HIGHLANDS is an area that, due to its heterogeneity of climate and vegetation; its combination of shores, islands and highlands, architecture and culture; and its proximity to several European tourist-generating regions, has been developing tourism for aruond 160 years. The longest tourist tradition in Croatia, the year-round range of varied programmmes and the development of unique forms of tourism, constitute a variety of tourist attractions which meet the needs of present day tourists, with all their different requirements, throughout the four seasons.

Along with quality accommodation, a rich gastronomic range and many sports programmes, numerous events enriching the tourists' sojourn are also held in the region. The Kvarner & Highlands is also one of the leading conference destinations in Croatia, with excellent conditions for the organization of congresses, meetings and conferences. To sojourn in the Kvarner & Highlands region means to enjoy nature on the coast, the islands and in the mountains.

The Kvarner Coastline

WELLNESS IN KVARNER AND HIGHLANDS

Owing to its exceptionally favourable climatic features, it was precisely with the construction of climatic resorts that Kvarner & Highlands made its first tourist steps (at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century). We speak of course of the resorts in Opatija and Crikvenica, but also in Veli and Mali Lošinj, in Rab and in Gorski Kotar (Skrad and Delnice). Today, building on this tradition, Kvarner & Highlands is - by Croatian standards - an area with significant health tourism resources. Highly skilled medical services and various recreational programmes, aiming at both recovery and illness prevention - are combined with (diet) gastronomic programmes and present the range of the entire Kvarner & Highlands area, throughout the year, particularly on the Opatija and Crikvenica Rivieras, and on the Kvarner & Highlands islands, too. There are antistress programmes, vital programmes, massages, natural aromatherapies, picking medicinal herbs and walks in nature which are healthy for each guest’s body and soul. Even the Croatian Olympic and world champions, the skiers Janica and Ivica Kostelić, recuperated after their sports strains here in Kvarner & Highlands, in the polyclinic "Terme Selce" in Selce, known for its programmes for preventing sports injuries’ and for treating them, and for numerous other "health and wellness" programmes.

Update: Wellness – Obesity Treatment Centre – opened in fully reconstructed and modernized hotel "Villa Dubrava" in Opatija – first health hotel in Croatia (three stars), first obesity treatment centre under the auspices of Thallassotherapia, a specialized hospital for the medical rehabilitation of cardiac, pulmonary diseases and rheumatism.

Cultural Heritage

Croats made their home in the Kvarner & Highlands region as far back as the 7th century, and it is precisely due to its geographical position that this area has been an important meeting point of various peoples and cultures since ancient times, from the Liburnians and Greek seafarers to Romans, Venetians, and the Austro-Hungarian nobility, who all left indelible imprints of their civilisations here. A special atmosphere has thus been created in which history can be read from the open pages displayed by monuments and works of art.

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Opatija - Opatija, often called the Nice of the Adriatic, is one of the most popular tourist resorts in Croatia and a place with the longest tourist tradition on the eastern coast of the Adriatic. Situated below the mountain and Nature Park Ucka, Opatija (old name: Abbazia) is a fantastic choice for a great vacation during the summer and winter season. Beautiful nature, parks, old Austrian villas, seaside promenade and lovely beaches have attracted tourists from all over the world for more then 160 years. When it comes to congress organization, Opatija is the leading tourist destination in the Republic of Croatia. Admiral Marina has 200 berths in the sea and 40 places on the land, and it is open all year round. Along with festivals, concerts, exhibits and other cultural and sport events Opatija offers attractions worthwhile visiting!

Lovran villas - The series of villas on the seaside and along the famous promenade "Lungo mare" (especially in the street currently named Viktor Car Emin) are an example of Austro-Hungarian architectural heritage, and some are today accommodation facilities providing predominantly high level services. For example, there is the fully reconstructed villa "Astra" here, with an outdoor swimming pool, restaurant and wellness programmes, categorized with 5 *, and several villas with apartments managed by the Company "Lovranske vile" (www.lovranske-vile.com), as well as the villas "Magnolija", "Eugenija", "Liana", "Santa Maria" and others. The revitalization of these facilities represents a contribution to the pursuit of Kvarner and Croatian business objectives, namely the upgrading of the quality of tourist services, thereby creating a new product that significantly changes the image of this destination. The intention is to combine Croatia's natural and civil heritage with its cordial personal approach, friendly environment and high living standards in order to help increase creativity, strength, health and life balance in the course of holidays. Near the old Austro-Hungarian villas and hotels high-grade facilities the famous "Lungo mare", winding from Volosko to Lovran, has been built in front of the oldest promenade of the area, in the midst of Mediterranean vegetation that provides natural aromatherapy and pleasure for the body and soul.

Rijeka - a centre of Central European culture and tradition, the biggest Croatian port and capital of this region, its inhabitants accounting for 51% of the total Kvarner population. Recently attention has increasingly been paid to industrial heritage as having a great tourist potential. This is a town of sumptuous architecture (from Baroque palaces, monumental buildings from Historicism, Secession to modern, urban architecture), art galleries, museums, theatre, restaurants and cafes, and beer halls – an atmosphere of fascinating tradition mixed with city buzz and liveliness. Rijeka is famous for one of the oldest sanctuaries in the world - the famous Franciscan monastery in Trsat, with a precious treasury and arts gallery and a chapel of votive gifts. (The Pilgrimage season starts on 10th May with the celebration of the main church holiday of St. Mary (Majka Milosti) from the Holy House of Nazareth, and lasts until the holiday of Christ the King).                     

The Always Beautiful Rijeka

Island Cres - While Croatia is arguably Europe’s best kept secret, island Cres would definitely make it among Croatia’s best kept secrets. If you are looking for that last European unspoilt piece of paradise, then island Cres truly is Croatian eco-tourism at its best. Island Cres hosts some of the most beautiful beaches and lagunas in Croatia (Valun, Lubenice - Sv Ivan, Meli, Mali Bok and many other small secluded beaches). Furthermore, Cres is the second biggest Croatian island, situated at the northern tip of Kvarner gulf. Island Cres is long and narrow mountainous island stretching 66 km in length and only from 2 to 12 km in width. The coast is indented with the total length of 248 km. This means plenty of coves, bays and fine mainly pebbly beaches for you to explore on its western and southern side, while northern and eastern shore is rather steep and rocky, with some spectacular scenery, inhabited only by the biggest bird in Europe, the endangered griffon vulture, which could be often seen gliding in the clear skies. Although scarcely populated, island Cres has been inhabited since later stone age. This is why island Cres is rich in historical and cultural sites, including ancient cities and buildings remains, early roman-catholic churches and chapels, Glagolitic engravings in stone, Venetian heritage buildings and recent monuments and sculptures. Island Cres is connected with a short narrow bridge to the smaller but much more populated Island Losinj. On the way along these two islands, the scenery keeps changing dramatically, from steep shores and high peaks to low plains and lagoons. Vegetation is incredibly diverse: from scarce rocky pastures, scattered olive and fig trees, to dense shrubs, coastal forests and finally rich pine forests. Island Cres is also famous for its self-sufficient water supply: a huge freshwater lake Vrana has enough water to comfortably supply both islands, Cres and Losinj with potable water of excellent quality. Immediate access to the lake is not allowed for obvious reasons, but there is plenty of scenic spots around offering breathtaking views of the lake. Numerous ancient (Iliric) remains in the area indicate the lake was important not only as a water resource, but was also used for fishing and transport.