Centurion United Kingdom Autumn 2023

|Places| A Tale of Two

|Places| A Tale of Two Towns Go off the beaten path in Croatia to experience the heart of the country in Opatija and Rovinj. By John McNamara I n recent years, the buzz around Dubrovnik and the beautiful Croatian islands in the Adriatic has been at fever pitch but, increasingly, attention is turning to other regions where the country’s rich, history, bountiful natural splendour and strong independent spirit shine through. This is especially true in the northwest towns of Opatija and Rovinj, two settlements with very different histories. What they share, however, are beautiful locations on the coast and, thanks in part to the efforts of high-end hotel developers, a very bright future. Where once kings and emperors trod, these firms are establishing their own fairy-tale hospitality kingdoms. Opatija, on the Kvarner Riviera, is a product of Habsburg times. Emperor Franz Joseph I was himself an early visitor. He was so taken with the healthy sea air and the restorative nature of the coastal retreat that he declared Opatija the first official Seebad – a climatic seaside resort – in 1889. Attracted by the town’s new moniker, the great and the good – and many innovative doctors – headed to Opatija to reap its health-improving benefits. As a result, today’s Opatija remains suffused with Viennese architecture, and the best way to enjoy the revitalising air is still to stroll down the Lungomare, a 12km promenade that runs along the seafront from the pretty fishing village of Volosko through Opatija – and the historic Villa Angiolina and its exotic botanical gardens – to the ancient settlement of Lovran. The strong call of the water was undoubtedly one reason that German shipbuilding giant Lürssen was attracted to the area – not just to invest in the Porto Baroš marina and a new development centre in nearby Rijeka (the busiest port in Croatia), but in the hotel scene as leading shareholders in Liburnia (liburnia. hr), which, as it stands, owns 12 hotels and properties in Opatija. The flagship is the Hotel Ambasador, which divides the opinions of locals: some view the tower block PHOTO © MAISTRA 28 CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM

From far left: the view from the plunge pool of a Grand Park Hotel Rovinj room across to the old town; a contemporary-chic room at Hotel Ambasador, Opatija; Monte Mulini’s elegant lobby bar PHOTOS FROM LEFT: © LIBURNIA HOTELS, © MAISTRA as a relic of the communist past, others as a precious local landmark. A recent renovation ensures that – at least inside – it is a model of modernity, while the views over the Adriatic from the top-floor rooms make any comments on the hotel’s aesthetic seem moot. Indeed, the property is very much a homage to Habsburg indulgence than Tito-era austerity. Liburnia’s other hotels do adhere more to the tone of the area. In particular, the neoclassical Hotel Kvarner and Secession-era Heritage Hotel Imperial evoke memories of more glamorous times. Both also nod to Opatija’s Habsburg history with an emphasis on wellness, though for those who’d rather indulge in the finer things in life, coffee shops with tantalising cakes and superlative chocolate are never far away. For Liburnia, the next step is in increasing its portfolio of villas in the area – in fact, the real-estate scene in Opatija is attracting investors both from Croatia and abroad, fuelled, in part, by Croatia’s entry into the eurozone earlier this year. Interest and opportunities abound – with more developments to come. A couple of hours’ drive from Opatija on the Istrian Peninsula, the grand old town of Rovinj is undergoing a similar renaissance. More Venetian than Viennese, thanks to years of rule by the powerful citystate across the Adriatic, the town owes its success to a strong fishing heritage rather than royal patronage. Italian is commonly spoken, and the architecture certainly reflects the town’s former custodians. Here, the company driving development is resolutely Croatian. The Maistra Group (maistra.com) is owned by a family who moved into hospitality after they sold their tobacco company in a multimillioneuro deal. From their headquarters in the old tobacco warehouse (a major industry in the area), their ambitious collection of hotels is raising Rovinj to another level. Chief among these is Grand Park Hotel Rovinj, a 209-key homage to minimalism built into CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM 29