

Here’s a real hands-on attraction that will be right up your street if you’re into vintage computer hardware (and even if you’re not!). Peek & Poke Computer Museum Source: davidmarkerickson Peek & Poke Computer Museum If you’re coming to Rijeka then you could check the website to see if there’s something that tickles your fancy.ħ. The National Theatre is a multi-use venue, hosting ballet, concerts, opera and drama. The theatre’s slightly unwieldy official name comes from the Croatian composer Ivan Zajc, described as the Croatian Verdi and one of the country’s major cultural figures in the late-19th century. This lavish neoclassical building wouldn’t be out of place in one of the great Central European cities, so you won’t be shocked to learn that its construction was conceived by a Viennese studio in the 1880s. Zajc Source: wikipedia Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. In the meantime you could just revel in those vistas that go out to the islands of Krk and Cres, and down to Rijeka. Check local listings to see what’s going on if you drop by. There’s a blues festival and a guitar festival, as well as the Kastav Summer of Culture, which runs throughout the season. The streets of the 16th-century core are just right if you want to escape Rijeka in fact, many Rijekans come to Kastav in summer for the many concerts and festivals held at this scenic spot. Ten kilometres up the coast from Rijeka is this little stone town on high ground, 365 metres above the sea.

What you see at the summit today are the romantic additions made by Nugent in the late-1800s. The castle changed hands between the Venetians and Habsburg Empire in the 1500s, but was forgotten until the 19th century when it became the residence of Field Marshall Nugent, an Irish commander of Austrian forces (it was a complicated time!). There’s been a watchtower or stronghold at this elevated location since the time of the Ilyrians, who ruled much of the Balkans before the Romans arrived. You need only stand at the crest of this steep hill next to the Rjecina Gorge to appreciate that this must have been a useful lookout point in ancient times. Trsat Castle Source: africanahgirl Trsat Castle Let’s have a look at the best things to do in Rijeka: 1. And of course, if you need to unwind then Blue Flag beaches and their cobalt waters are minutes away. Rijeka is a city where you can soak up Croatian daily life: You can mingle with locals over a cup of coffee, meal or night out on Korzo, Rijeka’s busy promenade, or shop like a true Rijekan at the lively central market.Īlthough it’s next to the Adriatic, Rijeka is more reminiscent of a Central European city like Budapest or Prague, with its striking neoclassical palaces and theatre. Croatia’s third city, Rijeka is a low-key destination less popular with tourists than cities like Dubrovnik and Split, but this only makes it more “real”.
