Rijeka

​I am coming from Croatia, a small country in Central Europe and the Mediterranean. This small country is rich in natural beauty – from breathtaking national parks and natural parks to beautiful cities on the coast which are full of life during the season. My friends and I have recently visited two towns like that – Rijeka and Opatija on one-day trips.

Rijeka is the third-largest city in Croatia. Its name comes from the word "rijeka "which means river. So, the name was obtained from river Rječina which pours into the Adriatic Sea in that city. On one part, of the confluence of the river, was built the so-called Dead canal which is used as a harbor for boats and smaller ships. There is a palace called Modello near the Dead canal. The palace was built in an area in the former Italian part of the city. That is reflected in its style of construction that has elements of Renaissance and Baroque. I personally like it. Today there is a city library on the ground floor. We didn't get a chance to go in there but I'm sure it's nice just like on the outside. When you're walking towards the palace, you will pass by a small, cute park full of greenery.

 At the dockside, we saw a big old ship. We learned that was the ship Tito used to sail in. Its name is "Galeb "which means seagull in English. I heard the city is planning to renovate it and open a museum so it will be open for everyone. There is a famous street in the town called "Riječki korzo ". The road is full of life, filled with cafes and shops that provide people with various opportunities.

In our sightseeing, we came across an unusual and fascinating fountain - a fountain with an old paper mill. This is actually a monument to a famous paper factory in Rijeka. We didn't stay too long in Rijeka, but we saw most of the central attractions.

After that, we went to Opatija. It's very close to Rijeka, about 30 minutes drive. When we got there, we went on a boat that took us to a place called Mošćenička Draga. That place is beautiful. It's great for vacation and relaxing. The atmosphere is very tranquil. The beach is lovely, and the colour of the sea is astonishing. If you want a good rest, I recommend it. It's definitely worth visiting, although there is not much entertainment for young ones. But if you want to get away from everything and every one, this is the place. That was my first time there, and I was thrilled. The nature is so beautiful. I hope that was not my first and last time there. After a while, we went back to Opatija. When we got there, we went on a stroll through a park called Angiolina. The park is enormous, so we didn't have time to see all of it. But the part we went through is beautiful. We found out there are about 150 plant species in the park. A large number of these plants originate from distant parts of the world and are not typical for this climate. Then we went to the Park of St. James because we wanted to see the statue of a Girl with a seagull. The figure is really unique because you can only see it from its back. If you want to see it on its front side, you'll have to be on a boat.

One advantage of Opatija is its positions. It's near Rijeka, the city which can offer young people things they like. And in that way, we can enjoy nature and fun. Croatia is known for its delicious food. And I can tell you the food in Opatija is also delicious. I can't say about seafood because I personally don't like it, but I heard it's good here.
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What I can tell you with certainty is this: travel, see everything you can, come to know new things, new people, gain new knowledge, experience things and do every other thing you can. It's really worth it. I love travelling, and I recommend it to every person in this world. If you can afford it, do it. I know it's hard sometimes and we often don't have much time but use every opportunity you have. You will never regret it. Trust me. Even if we need to prepare for the travel, and we need to travel at night, get up early in the morning, be tired, we'll be happy at the end, and we'll be more productive for that one little travel. That travel will be just what we needed – charge our batteries to keep ongoing.

Author,

This article and photographs were provided by ​Rebeka Risek.