Day one
09.00: As befits Rijeka’s status as a major port city, it is not surprising that it’s also home to Croatia’s most impressive fish market. Fittingly, the building resembles an art nouveau temple to seafood, with arched columns, marine sculptures and fancy fish fountains. The bounty of the Adriatic is laid out on slabs of Istrian stone. There are two other indoor markets for meats, cheese and other delicious local produce, along with outdoor stalls under colourful umbrellas.
10.00: Stop for coffee on main promenade Korzo. A stroll along this pedestrianised artery reveals the city’s past when it was one of the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s main ports, with stately Habsburg buildings and sprawling cafe
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terraces flanking the broad thoroughfare. Italian influences are just as visible – a legacy of being part of Italy for the early years of the 20th century. Food lovers will find a delectable blend of central and southern Europe, mingling Austrian, Hungarian, Italian, Turkish and typically Croatian flavours. There’s a wide range of international chains and local shops squeezed in among the Habsburg and Secessionist townhouses, along with a few Tito-era buildings. Korzo is the focal point of the city’s celebrations, which include the boisterous February carnival, the largest in Croatia.
11.00: Take a tour of the 1885 Croatian National Theatre, an elaborate Italian-style opera house that takes after its larger counterparts in Milan and Parma. Look up and you’ll spot paintings
by a young Gustav Klimt as well as works by his brother Ernst. Lovers of opera and classical music can take advantage of some of the cheapest ticket prices in Europe.
13.00: Stop for lunch in the large glass conservatory at Primorska Konoba, whose menu reflects Rijeka’s culinary melange. Hearty meat dishes drawing on Austrian, Hungarian and Slavic influences mingle with seafood risottos, Italian-style pasta dishes and expertly grilled Adriatic fish.
14.30: Many of Rijeka’s cultural sights are clustered within a relatively compact area. Walk under the City Clock Tower off the Korzo towards the 17th-century rotunda that is the Cathedral of St Vitus, passing a few Roman ruins along the way. Carry on to
the Natural History Museum, with its multimedia aquarium. Just a few metres away is the elaborate former governor’s palace that is now home to the Maritime and History Museum of the Croatian Littoral, which is a good starting point if you want to understand some of Rijeka’s complex history. There’s more of that on offer nearby at the Museum of the City of Rijeka. Things take a decidedly quirky turn at Peek&Poke Museum, a warren of vintage gadgets, computers and video games.
18.00: Take a wander down the Riva waterfront promenade before the sun goes down on the wonderfully ornate neo-baroque Adria Palace. Share a fish platter or order a generous steak in truffle sauce at the Gardens Bar overlooking the harbour.
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