Opatija, often called the Nice of the Adriatic, is one of the most popular tourist resorts in Croatia and a place with the longest tourist tradition on the eastern coast of the Adriatic. In 1844 the powerful merchant Higinio von Scarpa erected Villa Angiolina, with beautiful green and a lavish park around it.
Park Angiolina represents a horticultural monument. Situated between the road and the sea, it covers a large area divided into 60 sections with over 150 different varieties of exotic plants brought by guests from all over the world.
In 1884 the Society of the Southern Railways built the first hotel on the Adriatic, called Kvarner. It was luxuriously furnished and attracted exclusively elite guests.
With the construction of the hotel, Opatija became an elite summer resort known by its lush green scenery, gentle Mediterranean climate and exquisite 12km-long promenade (Lungomare).
The Austrian empress Maria Anna, Wilhelm II, Franz Joseph I, Gustav Mahler, Isadora Duncan, A.P.Chekhov and other distinguished guests made Opatija a playground for the rich and famous.