The Coastal Walk of Franz Joseph I - Lovran-Ika

Opatija is the largest town on the eastern coast of Istria. It is the most famous and elegant tourist destination on the Croatian Adriatic coast. As an ideal tourist place for all seasons, Opatija is also the center of congress tourism. The past of Opatija is not long, despite the fact that its name is mentioned in 1453 as a Benedictine abbey on the remains of Roman buildings. The current settlem

Opatija's Saint James Park is situated in the centre of the city, in the protected historic part, next to the Church of Saint James and the former monastery. Its location was the nucleus for the development of the city. Apart from the church, the park is surrounded by several other buildings that have played an important role in the history of tourism in Opatija: Hotel Milenij, the Hotel Imperia

Saint James's Church is situated on the area of the Benedictine Abbey which gave its name to Opatija. Most probably built in 1420, as a colony of Benedictine refugees from the Friulian monastery of Saint Peter in Rozac, the whole settlement will late be named after this abbey. Today very little has been preserved of its original appearance: in 1506 abbot Simun reconstructed or built the church, a