The video features some lovely shots and wise comments – have a look:

Jazz will be heard at eight town locations. Evening concerts will take place at the Large Stage of the Open Air Theatre and  Street Jazz Festival will fill your afternoons with music played live on Opatija’s hotels and cafes terraces along the main street.

Lovers of the sea will have the opportunity to sail along the Opatija’s coast on the Jazz Boat having a drink and listening to good music.

The 10th Liburnia Jazz Festival can thus announce a total of twenty concerts on eight stages.

Besides the Street Jazz Festival, six concerts will take place on the stage of the Open Air Theatre during the three Festival days.

More info on Liburnia Jazz Festival & Workshops page  http://www.liburniajazz.hr/

Above Mošćenice is the hill Preun, named after the supreme ancient Slavic god of thunder, while the Mošćenice gardens and meadows outside of the city walls are decorated with the Croatian national flower iris. The town offers an amazing view over Krk and Cres Islands and the entire Kvarner. At night,  the city lights of Rijeka can be seen in the distance. 

The town of Mošćenice has its successor twin town on the coast – Mošćenička Draga. They are connected in two ways: by a stream flowing down the Draga river canyon all the way to the town beach where it enters the sea and by stairs that connect the two towns.

Mošćenička Draga, just as the nearby Opatija and Lovran, is a tourist destination. It features promenades along the sea and elegant villas. Pebble and shells from the beach are the most favourite decorative items of local homes, which is not surprising seeing as they are literally built on the beach. Tourism and hospitality services are the main business activities, and Mošćenička Draga features one of the most beautiful beaches on Kvarner.

Accommodation in Mošenička Draga can be found in the four and three star Hotel Marina and  Hotel Mediteran. Hotel Marina is located almost in the centre of the town, around 50 metres from the sea and pebble beach. It features 178 rooms and is completely air-conditioned. It also offers a wellness centre. Hotel Mediteran is located in the very centre of Mošćenička Draga, right next to the small harbour, offering an amazing view of the beautiful beach and the island of Cres. Of a slightly more intimate atmosphere, this hotel features 69 rooms.

Campsite Draga offers the possibility of accommodation in tents and caravans. It can accommodate up to 400 people and is open between March 15th and October 15th. Slightly detached from the town centre, it offers visitors the possibility of enjoyment, tranquillity and relaxation.

Visitors of Moscenicka Draga can also enjoy a scuba diving and other water sports, while numerous restaurants and traditional taverns offer culinary and wine pleasures. Mošćenička Draga Tourist Board: http://www.tz-moscenicka.hr/

The Northern Velebit National Park

Representatives of 22 European tourist towns and regions from as many countries have received the 2009 European Destination of Excellence (EDEN) awards. For this year’s awards, 20 EU Member States and Turkey and Croatia put several hundred candidates forward to compete for the best destination under the theme of “tourism and protected areas”.

The awards were handed out in Brussels couple weeks ago by European Commissioner Pawel Samecki, responsible for regional policy. For the third consecutive year, the EDEN awards promote European high quality tourist destinations which care for their culture, their history and their environment. The winning destinations, chosen by national juries, are located in protected areas and areas bordering them, where an economically viable tourism product has been developed using the protected area as an asset, while respecting its protected environment and at the same time meeting the needs of local residents and visitors. EDEN helps to promote Europe as a world-class tourist destination and allows destinations to enhance their attractiveness.

The Northern Velebit (Sjeverni Velebit) National Park is situated in the north-western part of Croatia in Croatian regions of Lika and Kvarner, just a few kilometers from the Adriatic Sea .

At the beginning of March, Opatija, a prominent tourist destination in the Kvarner Bay, celebrated its 120th anniversary as a health resort.

In the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, extensive research that was carried out 120 years ago into the characteristics of this region’s climate led to the official proclamation of Opatija as a health resort.

 The climate of Opatija is unique in the Mediterranean, with specificities that come from the region’s rich vegetation cover and Opatija’s position in the lee of the forested Mountain Ucka. In addition, Opatija is sheltered from the direct impact of winds, including winter storms, which means that there are no unbearable heat-waves during the summer. This makes a stay in Opatija
particularly pleasurable and contributes to the development of year-round tourism.

Prior to World War I there already were 12 sanatoriums in Opatija is testimony to the incredible pace of Opatija’s development as a health resort. This is mostly due to Emperor Francis Joseph, who issued an imperial decree in 1889, officially proclaiming Opatija a health resort in the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy ( see some Old Photos of Opatija)

At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, Opatija was one of the most prominent and visited tourist destinations in Europe. Royalty and other distinguished public figures, including artists such as the Russian writer Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, American dancer Isadora Duncan, Austrian composer and conductor Gustav Mahler and Czech violinist and composer Jan Kubelik, have visited Opatija. In the many tourist guide books of the time, a stay
in the mild Opatija climate is recommended to convalescing patients, especially those recovering from severe diseases of the respiratory or cardiovascular system.

A stay in Opatija during spring and autumn was particularly recommended. These guides also mention the coastal promenade Lungomare and describe the rooms in the hotels of the time as “clean and comfortable”. “The prices are not low,” says one guide about Opatija. “On the contrary, they are higher than in other Austrian winter destinations”. However, the guide is quick to add that Opatija is worth the price and the strenuous long train journey that visitors needed to take in those times to get to it.

Continuing the tradition, Opatija still enjoys the reputation of a destination that is extremely enjoyable throughout the year on account of its favourable climate. Thalassotherapia, a leading centre for cardiologic rehabilitation in the region, is located in Opatija.  It is one of the largest laboratories for functional non-invasive diagnostics in cardiology.

Thalassotherapia features a new wellness centre spread over 2,500 square metres. Most of the hotels in Opatija boast extensive wellness facilities. It can be said, therefore, that Opatija has done justice to its 120-year long tradition as a health resort.

• Click here to browse Hotels in Opatija
• The Primorje-Gorski Kotar County Tourist Board: www.kvarner.hr
• Opatija Tourist Board : www.opatija-tourism.hr

Among other sugested European holiday castles, villas and mansions, Casa Oraj in Istrian resort of Lovran (located 5km south of Opatija), is also recommended.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

Croatia, Casa Oraj, Lovran, Sleeps 8:

Casa Oraj’s huge terrace, which overlooks the Adriatic, is crying out for a party.

A renovated stone farmhouse set high on a hill among chestnut and olive trees, rooms are basic but clean – not that you’ll notice much since open-air massage can be arranged, and afterwards a dip in the pool belonging to Villa Astra below (it has the same owner) is great for shaking off a sunbathing fug.

The caves in the hills below are not just for the brave – there are ropes to guide your way – but make sure you don’t do it after sampling Casa Oraj’s wine cellar. 00385 5129 4604, lovranske-vile.com, from £50pp per week. Nearest airport: Pula  – Read the whole article here

Medveja Beach is located in bay of Medveja  – a small fishermen’s village on Opatija Riviera, situated at the foot of Ucka Nature Park, in vicinity of Lovran and Opatija.

The Opatija-based company Hemingway Bar has been granted a 10-year concession for this pebble beach, which should be transformed into the best-equipped beach in the Adriatic. The concession covers around 50 thousand square meters, the sea part accounting for 31 000, and the land part accounting for the rest. The onshore concession includes two catering facilities – a bar and a pizzeria with a terrace.

The Medveja Beach will be renovated and divided into several parts as early as summer 2008. One section will be intended for swimming and open to everyone, another section will be provided for children, and a part of the beach will
offer onshore and offshore sporting options.

In addition, a part of the area will offer luxurious accommodation options – small houses with baldachins, big screen TVs and special service. Food from the restaurant will be delivered across the beach, and Internet access and laptops available on the beach, a first in Croatia. In addition, the beach will offer massage and beauty treatments, aerobics and beach parties.

The complete renovation works of the beach are expected to be completed by the summer of 2009, when beach will employ about 100 people.

The Hemingway Bar Company has bars in Zagreb , Rijeka and Opatija.

More info about Kvarner + Primorsko Goranska County Tourist Board site : www.kvarner.hr

The latest Croatian nominee for the award is the well-known Kvarner area tourist destination of Novi Vinodolski, currently the only official nominee for the 2008 Golden Flower of Europe, putting it in the company of twelve of the most attractive places in Europe.

The prestigious Golden Flower of Europe award is granted by the Brussels-based European Association for Flowers and Landscape. Over 20,000 European cities and towns bid for a spot in the competition every year and the decision to include Novi Vinodolski in the official nominations for the Golden Flower of Europe – Entente Florale Europa 2008 was made by the members of the Directorate of the European Landscape Association of Croatia.

The Golden Flower of Europe is an award that includes high marks based on many criteria – from the best works of horticulture in tourist destinations to an integral image of the sustainable development of each individual town running in the competition.

In late June of 2008 Novi Vinodolski will be visited by a special commission that will make its assessment based on the set criteria, top among which are ecological awareness, cleanliness, horticulture and the happiness of the local population with the quality of life in their town.

Including Novi Vinodolski in the elite club of the 12 most attractive places in Europe is already in this phase an exceptional recognition and will further contribute to the great atmosphere in the town, especially as this well-known Kvarner area destination will in 2008 celebrate its 130th anniversary of organized tourism.

The final results of the selection will be announced in Split in September this year, as that Split is hosting awards ceremony of the selection of Europe’s most attractive towns and cities.

More info on Novi Vinodolski : www.tz-novi-vinodolski.hr

The vessel ‘Nosač’, ferry with capacity of 300 vehicles and 70 passengers will sail every day, four times a day – twice from Lopar and twice from Valbiska.

Ferry line Lopar – Valbiska current timetable is:

• Ferry from Lopar to Valbiska: sails Monday to Sunday – departs 06.00 and at 13.15
• Ferry from Valbiska to Lopar: sails Monday to Sunday – departs 07.45 and at 15.15

Ferry line Lopar – Valbiska is passenger and car ferry info and timetable

The first draft of 2007 figures are following:

• Croatia had a total of 10.8 million visits (6% increase compared to 2006), resulting in just over 57 million overnight stays.
• Istria had a total of 2.75 million visits. (5% increase compared with 2006), resulting in 18 million overnight stays.
• Kvarner had a total of 2.45 million visits (5% increase compared with 2006), resulting in 12.6 million ovenight stays.
• Dalmacija had a total of 4.5 million visits (7% increase compared with 2006), resulting in 24.5 million overnight stays.
• Croatian Adriatic Coast had a total of just under 10 million visits (7% increase compared with 2006), resulting in just over 55 million overnight stays.
• Continental Croatia (Slavonija and Central Croatia), had 400 thousand total visits (6% increase compared with 2006), with 850 thousands overnight stays.
• Zagreb had a total of 606 thousand visits (13% increase compard with 2006), resulting in 1.1 million overnight stays.

Most visitors to Croatia came from Germany, Slovenia and Austria, followed by resident of other European coutries.

Here is an extract from the article:

Somewhere more exotic?…

On the Croatian island of Cres, you can combine a holiday in a warm and beautiful place with helping to save the endangered Eurasian griffon vulture and preserve a vulnerable forest.

Eco Centre Caput Insulae (00 385 51 621 877; http://www.supovi.hr/ ) has seven ecological trails created by Goran Susic, who founded the project 14 years ago to preserve the island’s biodiversity and natural heritage.

You can get to Cres via a bus or ferry from Rijeka (served by Croatia Airlines from Heathrow and easyJet from Luton) or Pula (Ryanair from Stansted).

Read the whole article

The Grand Hotel Adriatic in Opatija has opened a 600 square metre Phytoaroma & Wellness centre featuring 13 massage parlours and 5 bathing rooms.

The wellness centre is located on the top floor of the Grand Hotel Adriatic and offers a spacious sunning area and a unique panoramic view of Kvarner Bay.The distinctive architectural solution and design and the recently launched Essentia Adriatica line of cosmetics, based on substances found in the sea and the aromatic and medicinal plants collected in the nearby Ucka Nature Reserve, are just a part of the offer accompanying this wellness centre, where everything is dedicated to relaxation.

With the growing number of premium wellness centres across the country, Croatia is becoming competitive not only on the regional, but also on the global wellness market.

Along with the many luxuriously appointed wellness centres in Dubrovnik, Split, Biograd, Lovran, Porec, Rovinj, Zagreb and other Croatian towns, yet another new Opatija wellness centre is slated for opening in the near future, this time the Five Elements at the Hotel Ambasador.

Also scheduled for opening are the Wellness & Active at the Hotel Aurora in Mali Lošinj and the City Wellness Centre Outfit in Samobor.

Grand Hotel Adriatic web : www.hotel-adriatic.hr + Opatija Tourist Board www.opatija-tourism.hr

The event includes two competitions, the Winter Cup of Cities and the European Cup of Nations, and this year it will be hold from 28th to 30th of December.

The Winter Cup has been held 47 times and the European Cup 37 times, pooling spearfishermen (underwater fishers) from ten nations.

The bond between Mali Lošinj and underwater fishing is attested to by a monument to the spearfishermen -  the work of sculptor Ante Starcevic of Zagreb, who created the monument based on the original by sculptor Vinko Matkovic of Rijeka.

Spearfishing  – Underwater fishing or apnoea (temporary cessation of breathing) fishing is numbered among the extreme sports as it entails many hours of extreme exertion at great depths, working at the limits of physical strength the fishers are subjected to, and the many potential dangers present in these conditions. It is the most selective kind of fishing as the fisher chooses the fish he or she will catch.

And while it is a sporting discipline, spearfishing knowledge has always been passed on among a small body of enthusiasts. Fish rich locations are kept a top secret.

Spearfishing is attracting a growing number of hobbyists and professionals from year to year.

The New Year’s Cup in Mali Lošinj, like some other international events, are an indicator of the excellence of the top athletes and their exceptional physical and psychological preparedness.

Kvarner Map + Losinj Travel Guide + Mali Lošinj Tourist Board : www.tz-malilosinj.hr

Opatija has become the home of the Croatian Museum of Tourism.

This newly opened Museum is housed in the Villa Angiolina that contains permanent as well as temporary exhibitions.

The first floor of the Villa Angiolina features a two-part permanent exhibition.

One is dedicated to Opatija as the cradle of Croatian tourism, while the second part offers an overview of the history of tourism in Croatia. It has all been presented with settings, documents, old photos, postcards and other exhibits.

The staircase features the story of the Villa Angiolina itself, the first villa in Opatija, while the ground floor has retained its current function.

The Museum of Tourism of Croatia also collects data on all relevant sources and potential museum exhibits, and the goal of the institution is to create a system for the evaluation of museum material and the creation of a database.

The museum is also the reference centre for the logging of data on tourism related museum material.

The summer tourist season in Croatia has closed and hoteliers are again turning their attention to investments into upgrading the existing offer.

Large-scale investments are to kick off soon on the island of Krk, which – as it is linked to the mainland by a bridge – many do not consider an island in the typical sense of the word.

The Hotel Koralj, for example, operating as a part of the Valamar hotel group, will as of next year feature a 200 square metre out door pool. This investment will significantly upgrade the level of quality offered by the Hotel Koralj.

A key round of investments is also expected at the Krk Hotels Company (Hoteli Krk), whose top management is announcing the complete overhaul of the Hotel Marina – a hotel situated in the Krk town. Construction is scheduled to kick off in November and, as the owners have announced – the hotel will offer a slate of services in the coming peak season in
keeping with a four star rating.

The hotel will retain its current outer appearance, but there will be a complete renovation of the interior giving the hotel larger rooms and suites. The number of accommodation units will drop from 18 to 12, but the improved content and services offered after the reconstruction will see the hotel’s doors opened year-round rather than just in the peak season.

Read more about Island fo Krk and check Island Krk Travel Directory

 Gorski kotar, a highland region located North of Kvarner coast of Croatia, is attractive tourist resort for winter sport enthusiasts.

As we are approaching winter breaks, Gorski Kotar, with its growing number of highland ski trails, is an ideal place for skiing holiday in Croatia.

Petehovac ski resort, located near Delnice, features Alpine and Nordic skiing trails, ski tows and a small ski jump. There are three ski resorts on offer in the area of the small town of Mrkopalj, allowing skiers to enjoy the terrain of Begovo Razdolje, situated at about 1100 metres above sea level. Celimbaše grounds, with some three kilometres of maintained ski trials and four kilometre long trail of the Zagmajna Biathlon Centre are also in near vicinity.

In the village of Tršce, home of the Rudnik ski resort, skiers can ski on two trails and on cross-country skiing trails.

Similar trails are maintained in the area surrounding Ravna Gora, where there are other grounds available suited for sledding, children’s activities on the snow. Trails have been set up there for recreational skiing and night skiing.

Skiers can try their hand at the Platak ski resort’s trails where some nine kilometres of trails are maintained with five ski lifts, a children’s ski lift and a cable car. The resort offers guests ski and snowboard lessons and cross-country skiing and hiking.

Under the highest peak in Gorski kotar on the southeastern part of Mount Bjelolasica (1534 m) is the largest winter sports centre in Croatia, the Bjelolasica Olympic Centre, with trails for all types of skiers – from beginners to top-trained recreational skiers.

More info Gorski Kotar and more links to various resorts - Gorski Kotar Travel Directory + Skiing in Croatia into page.

The hotel is located at a much-frequented location in the very heart of the city, right next to Rijeka’s well-known Korzo promenade, in the city centre with many shops, offices, museums and cultural monuments, only a few steps away from the Adriatic coast.

The Hotel Bonavia is one of the busiest hotels in Rijeka, but it has more than just its location to thank for that – it also has a long tradition behind it and a high level of services on offer.

The hotel boasts a four-star rating and offers 114 luxuriously appointed rooms and seven suites, including a presidential suite.

Besides its classic tourism offer the hotel is also targeted to the organisation of conferences. Rijeka is sought out more and more as a congress destination, and the Hotel Bonavia’s offer of three multi-functional conference halls definitely fits into this concept.

The cuisine offered by the hotel’s restaurants is well suited to the needs of larger conference groups.

More info on Rijeka and Hotel Bonavia at Grand Hotel Bonavia web site: http://www.bonavia.hr/ and Adriatic Luxury Hotels web site: http://www.als.hr/

Opatija has the oldest tradition of tourism, dating back to the year 1844 when Rijeka aristocrat Ignacio Skarpa built a
summer residence frequented by numerous guests. That was followed by the construction of the many hotels of Opatija, the oldest of which is the Kvarner, built in 1884, the first modern hotel on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea.

The other Rivieras of the Kvarner area also boast a long tradition – the island of Cres has a legacy of 162 years of tourism, the Novi Vinodolski Riviera boasts 129 years of tradition, the island of Lošinj 122 years, the Crikvenica Riviera 119 years, while on the mainland Gorski kotar has a 133 year old tradition in tourism.

Primorje-Gorski Kotar County currently offers tourists 150,000 accommodation units, which is about 20 percent of the total tourism capacity of Croatia.

Of that number 30,000 beds are offered in the about 80 hotels and hotel resorts. The area also features some 50 camps, 12 thousand guest houses offering lodging and the like. The Kvarner area is exceptionally attractive for sailors – 19 nautical tourism ports attest to this fact, including 8 modern and well-equipped marinas with almost 3,000 sea berths and 2,000 berths on land.

The Kvarner area s a favoured destination for many tourists –that this region accounts for about a quarter of the total tourism turnover in the country bears witness to this fact. Alongside vacation tourism – still the most frequent motive for tourist arrivals– a growing number of visitors are following tourism tradition and coming outside of the peak summer period. The wide range of offers and content related to the customs, the natural surroundings and recreation, is drawing tourists throughout the year.

In Opatija, for example, a well-known congress destination, the infrastructure, quality of services and additional facilities of the hotels makes them ideal hosts for numerous international and national-level congresses, many of which have been held there for many years running. Healthcare tourism has also been developed here, thanks to the favourable climate and to tradition – more and more often a reason to come to the Opatija and Crikvenica Rivieras and to Lošinj, where expert staff has joined forces with the advantageous climatic conditions.

Most of the hotels in the area also feature high quality wellness facilities and the option of a therapy particular to the area – long walks in the fresh air on well-maintained promenades. Opatija’s Lungomare, for example, is 12 kilometres long.

Besides a wealth of possibilities for excursions and active vacation options, there are a number of fascinating events held throughout the year in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County. After the autumn Marunada chestnut festival in Lovran and the Olive Days in Punta, November features wellness programs, while December will be marked by winter fun in Gorski Kotar and by Christmas concerts and exhibitions in many townships and settlements…

An invitation to bring in the New Year in the sun – which numerous tourists have accepted for years now – is joined by the New Year’s World Cup in underwater fishing held in Mali Lošinj.

February is traditionally remembered by the exceptionally attractive Rijeka Carnival which will run from January 17th to February 3rd in 2008, and much more, while the coming months will feature the always popular seaside promenades or hikes in Gorski Kotar, the Asparagus Days in Lovran, bicycle tours of Kvarner, the Chivalric Games of Rab, fisher’s festivals, organised excursions, music events and more.

In short, there is plenty of fascinating content year-round that at tracts visitors to this diverse, fascinating and beautiful area.

More detailed info at Kvarner Travel Guide and Gorski Kotar Travel Guide as well as at Primorje-Gorski Kotar Tourist Board http://www.kvarner.hr/

As of this autumn, along with the existing attractions, tourists can also tour the new Heritage Museum (Zavicajni muzej) in Martinovo selo. Situated next to an attractive mill, the Heritage Museum portrays a rich ethnological collection of the entire region – especially attractive is the kitchen, which appears to have sprung forth from the 18th century. Tourists will be able to see a collection of old implements, weapons, folk garb, clothing, traditional decorations, tools and household utensils.

Old paraphernalia, customs and trades, which tourists can see for themselves if they visit an old blacksmith‘s shop in Dražice, are just a small part of the tourism offer in the Grobnik area. That is precisely why several new specialised guidebooks are in the works, like a guidebook for cyclists, already in print, and brochures that will acquaint alpinists and interested hikers with the most attractive outdoor locations in the area, among which are most certainly the Rjecina River, which has become a favourite place for gatherings of fishers and excursion-goers, and the alpine house on Hahlic.

More info : About Kvarner & about Rijeka + Gorski Kotar + external links: Primorje-Gorski kotar Tourist Board http://www.kvarner.hr/ & http://www.jelenje.hr/

Venezia Lines is no longer operating from Opatija to Venice and is no longer operating departures from Rimini/Ravenna. Instead, thier 3rd vessel is redirected to operate new ferry line between Bari (Italy) and Albania (Durres).

Venezia Lines are from now concentrating on their main ports – Porec, Rovinj and Pula.

They will also operate ferry lines from Venice to Piran, Rabac and Mali Losinj.

Rimini and Ravenna ferry lines are no longer in use.

Venecia Lines will operate more then 185 trips in 2007, with 2 high speed catamarans – San Pawl and San Frangisk.

Ferries from Venice (Italy) to Croatia booking

The Carnival features street parties, concerts and contests for the best “ugly mask” leading up to the parade, when floats cram the streets of Rijeka.

Traditionally, during the Carnival, the mayor of Rijeka will hand over the keys of the city to the carnival representatives.

Rijeka Carnival will run from January 17 to February 21.

The future Museum of Croatian Tourism will be created in Opatija (a town on the Kvarner Gulf, near the Croatian port of Rijeka)

The beginning of the project is expected to start in March 2007 in Opatija’s Villa Angiolina - a beautiful Opatija villa, surrounded by mature Mediterranian gardens, where various artefacts from the history of Croatian tourism will be displayed.

Above image: Old Photo of well known sight of Opatija – click for more old photos of Croatia

This part of Rijeka bypass was due to be opened in July, but was postponed because of the land slide on some sections of the road.

New Rijeka bypass is about 8.5 km long, includes 13 viaducts and 3 tunnels and due to its complex construction works was one of the most expensive road sections in Croatia.

The continuation of the construction works on the new stretch of the bypass (to Krizisce) is expected to start next spring.