Today was
spent exploring Opatija, mostly wishing to see what the seaside had to offer.
We headed east from our place looking for an easy access down to the waterfront
and eventually located a route requiring few stairs and a smooth sidewalk
with a gradual descent.
We strolled
along a very pleasant walkway which continued to show beautiful hotels and
manicured gardens just above us. It is a very popular area with many others
enjoying the same experience as us. There are several benches along the walkway
for those who wish to stop and gaze out at the Adriatic Sea. It is a very
relaxing place for sure. As we continued on our journey, we arrived at a marina
which had many small boats, not as large as we’d seen previously, and a number of waterfront
cafes. Though we were looking for breakfast, the most they had to offer was a
croissant and coffee, but we wanted more. One restaurant advertised they were
opening at 11:00, so we wandered a little more and at 11:00 discovered the
kitchen only opened at 11:30!
A little more
wandering brought us to a tableau announcing we were at the small fishing
harbour of Volosko. We had actually walked to a nearby area which was the start
of the Lungomare coastal promenade. While waiting for a much anticipated meal,
we wandered into a shop which specialized in sales of various truffle
delicacies which looked very interesting. These, in various forms, are served
here in meals with pasta. Truffles are found in Istria, in the Mirna River
Valley. It is the truffle capital.
Once we had
finally eaten, we headed towards the west side of Opatija to see what we had
missed yesterday while the shops were closed. We wandered back up towards the
main street but after some time decided down by the waterfront was more
interesting so returned to see areas we had missed before. It is certainly
peaceful and enjoyable to watch the activity amongst the people, dogs, sunbathers
and general activity though little was happening on the water.
We
eventually sat at a café on the waterfront, enjoying a cool one. We sat next to
a couple from England who soon engaged us in conversation, of course suggesting
we were American. We soon set them straight. They are world travelers, so had
much to share.
When we’d
finished our drinks, we headed back to our place for a bit of a rest before
heading out for dinner to the restaurant nearby which was closed last night! We enjoyed sea bream, caught in the Adriatic sea, which was excellent, along with a Greek salad and a local beer. We were very satisfied with our choice.
Tomorrow we plan to peruse a little more of the Istrian Coast which is purported to be worth a visit.
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| Our stroll along the seafront |
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| Our stroll along the seafront |
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| This tree has grown around the rocks |
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| The marina at the village of Volosko within the city of Opatija |
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The village of Volosko within the city of Opatija
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| The old opera house currently for sale |
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| Park Angiolina - A park near the city centre |
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| View towards the city centre |
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| Eloise pondering the possibilities |
