We wrapped up our many beautiful days in Croatia with a visit to Opatija and Kvarner Bay. Opatija is not on many lists of places to see, yet it is where tourism to Croatia began — in 1884. The first hotel built on the Adriatic sea, when this was still part of Austria, was the Kvarner Hotel. It still stands proudly today as an operating and luxurious hotel. Opatija was also declared the first sea side resort in Austria at that time.

This is a beautiful little town with a six mile long promenade along the sea. While much of Croatia features meat dishes and a lot of cottage cheese Mediterranean fish is the diet staple here. This statue symbolizes an invitation to take a tour in a rowboat.

And the “Maiden with a seagull” statue erected in 1956 symbolizes the peacefulness of the waterfront. Their version of the little mermaid in Copenhagen.

We had amazing weather throughout our time in Croatia. We wanted to really appreciate this country — its history and its beauty. Most of the places we visited were islands, and seeing it by sea was really the only way. Entering these beautiful bays and seeing the villages facing the sea was a treat every day. So now we can truly say that we have seen and experienced Croatia — and move on to other destinations remaining on our bucket list.