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Opatija is a destination with the longest tradition of tourism in Croatia Region. The city's parks, fountains, tidy swimming area and numerous aged villas are the reason that tourists return to Opatija every year again. Opatija has a beautiful garden, a green oasis of peace in the middle of the city with an amazing view of Kvarner Bay: the American Gardens.
This park, which covers an area of 8000 m2, is situated in the immediate vicinity of the city centre and Slatina Beach, but is wrapped in an invisible veil of tranquility and peace. After very long time of being closed, the American Gardens have now been reopened to the public. A monumental gate with stone pillars guard the entrance to the park with its well-manicured vegetation and which has been carefully designed for relaxation of mind and body. The historical garden is a valuable non-material cultural property which was put under preventive protection on 11 April 2016. It is located on a terrace-like terrain above the conjunction of Nova cesta and Rakovceva Street. Considering the composition, the ornaments, the materials and communication, the American gardens are a valuable example of Modernism with elements of historicism. The gardens were built in the first half of the 20th century, in honour of Hilda von Hortenau, originally from Opatija, by her husband, the Hungarian Mihaly Pal Kuczor. The American gardens got their name to the continent where Kuczor created his business empire by selling Szegedi paprika. Since the gardener's house was built way before all other edifices, there is an obvious and understanding of landscape horticulture and architecture. The American gardens used to have a pergola, benches, a stairway and tessellation.
A characteristic feature of gardens is that the plants were properly organized, either planted in a web layout or clipped into pillar-like or spherical forms. They were planted with camellias, gardenias, magnolias, eucalyptus, camphor, Australian agaves, paprika, Vitis Vinifera and many other valuable plant specimens.