Croatia - Eastern Europe - page 182

but for an extra $30 or so you can get a notably larger space or even a suite with a
view. Some rooms have balconies; all have roomy tiled bathrooms.
The Continental Hotel at S etali s te Andrije Ka c i c a-Mio s i c a ( & 051/372-008 )
looms over the park in Rijeka's center, but its exterior is far more elegant-looking than
the rooms inside. Doubles, while clean and plain, offer few extras and go for 450kn
($78/£41) for a double. Public areas are a bit shabby but the hotel does have a nice
terrace, and the coffeehouse serves great desserts.
The ambitious Bonavia Classic at Dolac 4 ( & 051/357-100 ), in the Hotel
Bonavia , has a menu that combines the best of Croatian produce with inspired
preparations. Begin with piquant octopus soup before you try the Riga, a salad of bit-
ter greens and lobster. Splurge on the Symphony Bonavia, a mélange of beef, veal, and
pork filets grilled and accented with Gorgonzola.
Order a plat du jour at unpretentious Zalogajnica Grandis Placa at Zagreba c ka 16
( & 051/331-981 ) and you won't be hungry for a week. ZGP specializes in such clas-
sics as stew, goulash, and casseroles. You can see what the locals eat without emptying
your wallet.
EXPLORING RIJEKA
The wide pedestrian street called Korzo was originally constructed along the path
of the town walls and today it is lined with stores, cafes, restaurants, and even an
enclosed mall. However, most stores close at 1pm on Saturday and don't reopen until
Monday morning, making the area pretty dead on weekends.
The bright yellow Gradski Toranj (City Tower) above the city gate was one of
the few structures left standing after the powerful 1750 quake, but it was renovated
and tinkered with for 140 years or so after the seismic event, which further altered its
appearance. The clock was added in 1873 and the dome on its top in 1890. Walk
through the portal below the Tower to Trg Ivana Koblera, where you will run into
the Stara Vrata (Roman Gate), Rijeka's oldest surviving structure. The Stara Vrata
once served as the portal to the Roman Praetorium, which was Rijeka's military com-
mand center. Much of Rijeka's Old Town (Stari Grad) was demolished to make way
for modern infrastructure, but you still can see remnants of the ancient city of Tarsa-
tica that once stood in what is now in the vicinity of St. Vitus Church at Trg
Grivica 11 ( & 051/330-879 ). According to legend, when a disgruntled 13th-century
gambler threw a rock at the crucifix on St. Vitus's main altar, the rendering of Christ's
body on the cross began to bleed and the gambler was swallowed up by the earth
except for his hand.
OPATIJA
Less than 16km (10 miles) west of Rijeka, Opatija and its adjacent villages are every-
thing Rijeka is not—vibrant, welcoming, clean, and full of clear-water beaches,
breathtaking views, comfortable accommodations, and excellent restaurants.
Opatija started as a fishing village with a church and a population in the low dou-
ble digits. But in the mid-19th century, the mild climate and spectacular seashore
caught the fancy of Iginio Scarpa, a wealthy Italian businessman who built the lavish
Villa Angiolina (named after his dead wife), surrounded it with a jungle of exotic
flora from around the world, and invited all his aristocratic friends for a visit. Privi-
leged Europeans were so taken with Villa Angiolina and Opatija that one by one they
erected villas of their own, each bigger and more ornate than the next, thus cement-
ing Opatija's reputation as a winter playground for the wealthy.