Opatija became fashionable almost by accident. In 1844 a wealthy merchant from Rijeka built a villa among the laurels on this sheltered stretch of the Kvarner coast and called it Villa Angiolina, after his late wife. Within a few decades the Austrian Southern Railway had arrived, doctors were recommending the mild climate, and the resort had become the seaside playground of the Habsburg empire. Grand hotels in cream and ochre went up along the shore, with balconies, domes and palm gardens, and the Viennese aristocracy came to take the sea air and be seen.
That elegance remains. The Lungomare, a coastal promenade of about twelve kilometres, runs from Volosko to Lovran along the rocks, past villas, bathing platforms and the famous bronze statue of the Maiden with the Seagull. The town itself is small, under eight thousand people, and dignified, with a good selection of cafes and cake shops that suit a rest after a hard ride.
For motorcyclists, Opatija is a gateway to two very different roads. Behind it, the mountain of Učka rises steeply, and a narrow road climbs to a viewpoint at about fourteen hundred metres with panoramic views of the islands, the gulf and the Istrian peninsula. It is a series of tight bends through beech wood, and it can be cold and windy at the top. Along the coast, the old coastal road runs south toward Lovran, whose chestnut festival fills the streets in October, and north towards Rijeka, a busy port city with heavy traffic.
Fuel is easy in and around Opatija, but prices on the coast tend to be a little higher than inland. Parking in summer can be tricky, so aim to arrive early. The tunnel under Učka is a toll route, but the mountain road is free.
Spring, with camellias in flower, and autumn are the best times; in July and August the coast road is crowded and the heat is intense. Winter days are often mild and quiet, with the mountain sometimes dusted with snow.