Tag: Croatia

The Retirees go Abroad – Croatia – Opatija Riviera – Njivice on the island of Krk, Beli on the island of Cres

It is our last day on tour and we are travelling by boat to Njivice on the island of Krk. Krk is the largest island in Croatia and Njivice is the newest town developed on Krk and this is due to tourism. It is all cafes resorts and tourist shops but it also has a traditional beach if somewhat stony. Kerry and I took the opportunity to have a swim. The water is very refreshing and extremely clear. Unlike Icici you can walk into the water but it soon gets to depths of 20 to 25 feet. A 1/2 hour was enough to drive us back to shore to the sunshine and our towels.

Here are the photos of our trip over to Krk our boat and some of the other craft we encountered.

From Krk we travelled to Beli on the island of Cres. Unlike Njivice, Beli developed as a hilltop village and with tourism developed its harbour and the recreational activities that attract tourists. It is also a wildlife haven for the Cres Griffon Vulture although we did not encounter any. Unlike Njivice, Beli has a pebble beach but like Njivice very clear water. But this time we chose to visit the village on top of the hill and take in the stunning scenery. The road to Belli was about 1 kilometre long and most of it at an 18% gradient. Here are the photos.

Our day ended with a long trip home to pack ready for the bus back to Zagreb, Heathrow and then the drive to Long Eaton. I put my camera away until our tour to the Rhine and its wine region of Mosel.

The Retirees go Abroad – Croatia – Opatija Riviera –Ičići

The next day the sky was clear and blue and the beach was beckoning. So we walked in the direction of Lovran along the coast but only made it to Icici (pronounced itchy key). Just past a large marina, Icici is a small village with a pebble beach and the more typical concrete platform. We hired two sun lounges and an umbrella and stretched out with our books. We are outside the summer season and it is Monday so very few people come to the beach and it remains peaceful. There is a gentle breeze and the sun is mild. Ultimately we work up the courage to jump in the sea -shit it was cold and with the tide coming in quite choppy. It is over 6′ deep even at the edge of the concrete beach so no standing around or lolling in the waves just constant treading water and swimming.

We dried off in the sun and then strolled up to the cafe where most of everything on the menu was “off” apart from the hamburgers and hotdogs. At least the beer was cold and the wine cheaper than Fanta. The wind picked up after lunch and the water became colder and choppier. By 4.00pm we decided to go home – 40 minutes walk along the coastline. A very pleasant day.

Here are some photos of the beach and the walk home.

The Retirees go Abroad – Croatia – Opatija Riviera – Lovrana and Moscenice

Friday and the weather is fine with not a cloud in the sky. Only a half day trip today. We will go to Lovrana and Moscenice. We took the small bus today mainly because of the number in the tour group.

Lovran is a town in Istria, Croatia. It is situated on the western coast of the Kvarner Bay. Its name derives from Laurel (Laurus nobilis), as shown in the coat of arms. Lovran is one of the oldest coastal settlements on the eastern shore of Istrian peninsula. By the early Middle Ages it was an important urban and shipbuilding centre of northern Adriatic. Following the sudden development of port towns in the vicinity (Trieste, Pula, and Rijeka) which became the new and dominant urban centres in the region, Lovran lost its significance.

However, by the mid-19th century, the area gained prominence as it becomes a fashionable resort of Austro-Hungarian nobility. The long tradition of tourism is still strongly felt in the Lovran region, and it forms the backbone of the economy. The region is rich with cultural-historical heritage. A parish church with medieval frescoes and Glagolitic inscriptions, and the 14th century tower of St George’s Square within the old urban core, as well as rural ambiances and architectural edifices – namely turn-of-the-century villas with surrounding parks, are general points of interest.

Lovran includes an old town that was once fortified and evidence of the fortification can be seen today. Beside the old watch tower is the church of St George first founded in the 12th century. Both front the old town square which includes Mustacon a wooden relief over the door of a house to protect the inhabitants from evil. Only one of the old town gates exists today and outside of the old town is St Trinity Chapel. There is also a very good coffee shop where we enjoyed an iced coffee – best choice for a hot day.

Mošćenice is a village in the municipality of Mošćenička Dragain Primorje-Gorski Kotar County on the Istrian peninsula, close to Opatija, Croatia. I thought I would give all you secretly Croatian types a chances to get your tongue around a few Croatian names.

It is a typical hilltop village with stone houses and narrow streets situated 173 metres above Mošćenička Draga. From Mošćenice one has a nice view across the Kvarner Gulf to Rijeka and the islands of Krk and Cres. The village is connected to the Mošćenička Draga by road and 750 steps which lead from St. Ivan beach to the centre of the village. Besides the old St. Andrew church, places of interest are the local ethnographic museum and an old olive extraction mill.

The town is typically built as a concentrically conceived settlement with outer walls consisting of houses whose outside walls function as walls of the fortress. In such an enclosed environment, space is precious and all houses are built close to one another, separated by narrow streets and sometimes linked by covered passages. Much of the medieval structure is still visible now.

Our tour starts at the loggia outside the village. Here the village council met and the court was convened and the markets were held. From there we went through the gate under the Austro Hapsburg Crest. The village relied on refining olive oil for most of its life. One of the oil crushing plants from 500 years ago still exits and we were able to visit this establishment.

The parish church of St Andrew Apostle is very intriguing. The resident priest visited us at the church to speak to us in Croatian whilst our local guide translated. The church has been operating on this site since 800AD has been restored many times and added to by Italian soldiers during WW2 with frescos and repainting. It includes the remaining pillars from the original 8th century church and some odd objects including a cross adorned with all the instruments of the crucifixion of Christ.

Then a visit to the local ethnographic museum in the old watch house. Here we found that there is a Scotsman everywhere. If you look closely at the feet of the shepherds coat there is the Croatian form of the bag pipes which our guide said predated the Scots and Irish and made more of a din. The other costume is the typical married woman’s attire. A yellow sash indicated an engaged woman and white sash – a virgin? Perhaps just still looking said our guide.

Back to the hotel and down to the beach. The water is warm said our guide. Bullshit – bloody freezing but still we climbed in and swam around for about 1/2 an hour in water variously 6 feet to 25 feet deep. Then we sat in the sun, and watched the boats go by, before touring more of Opatija visiting the fountain and then the Museum of Tourism located in the first villa built at Opatija in 1820s with its impressive gardens and its Swiss Cottage in the yard. We also passed the Mozart Hotel the prettiest villa on the coast.

And so ended Friday.

The Retirees go Abroad – Croatia – Opatija Riviera

By the time we meet our tour guide and wait whilst the rest of the tour collect their luggage we don’t get away till 12.00 noon. It is a 21/2 hr bus ride to Opatji on the Croatian Riviera. The trip from Zagreb to Opatija took over 21/2 hours through the countryside and then the mountains onto the Adriatic coast.

Our hotel is quite reasonable and well located overlooking the sea. There is a path that follows the water front and it was enjoyable to stretch our legs. We visited the 15th century church of St Jacob which started life as a Benedictine monastery. The Croatian word for Monastery – Opatija – gave the town its name. The coast line is quite attractive with its clear water splashing against the side walk wetting passers-by.

We have met Avis, a single Scottish lass who lived 18 years in Melbourne then moved to Holland and now lives in Norfolk and has the most complex accent and we have also met brother and sister David and Joy from Rutland the UK’s smallest county. Joy is widowed but has done quite a lot of travel with her husband and after he died has travelled with her brother. So we all have stories to tell and share.

After settling into the hotel, we walked along the beach front. The beach front is a stone and concrete wall with various little harbours and swimming nooks stretching for some 7 kilometres with a walking path atop of it. Opatija has only found fame as a tourist destination in the mid-1800s. Up till then it was a small unimportant fishing village. Our walk took us past many of the villas and hotels from that period and an ancient church the church of St Joseph with its golden Mary outside. There are larger and more modern churches but the favourite is St Josephs.