The carnival on the Opatija Riviera has begun! The event that traditionally marks the beginning of the carnival period is the hanging of the Pust –a carnival puppet that is blamed for everything that went wrong in the previous year – on a street pole. In Opatija, the Pustis hung on Tuesday 17 January in front of the market hall, which marks the beginning of one month of carnival festivities and masked balls in the town and its surroundings. The Children’s Carnival Parade, a traditional parade on Opatija’s main street, this year takes place on Sunday 5 February starting at 10 a.m. Opatija also boasts a very special carnival event: Balinjerada, a race of vehicles that run on ball-bearings instead of wheels. This is an event where fantasy becomes reality: the participants in this unique race spare no efforts to create imaginative, original vehicles that run on ball-bearings. The Balinjeradatakes place on Sunday 12 February on Opatija’s main street in the morning. After that follows the traditional carnival parade in the neighbouring town of Lovran.
The nearby city of Rijeka is organising the 29th International Rijeka Carnival under the motto “Be what you want to be”. The Rijeka Carnival has been listed among Europe’s 500 most important events, and the British magazine Sunday Times has included it among 24 most exotic events in the world. The International Carnival Parade takes place on the town’s central promenade, the Korzo, on Sunday 19 February. The parade includes participation of numerous carnival groups from Croatia and abroad, which all together turn Rijeka into a true Mecca for all lovers of carnival festivities. Rijeka also has its Carnival Queen who, together with the Master of the Carnival, takes over the keys of the town for the duration of the carnival.
A typical mask of this region are the Zvončari bell-ringers, men dressed in sheepskin wearing animal masks and colourful flowers on their heads, carrying axes in their hands and making incredible noise with huge bells that they carry around their waists. The Zvončarimake a truly frightening appearance, but that is their goal –to chase away winter and all life’s adversities, to summon the spring – the awakening of nature, and to make place for good, positive events in our lives. The most famous Zvončariare those from the Kastav area and surrounding places in the hinterland of Opatija, who pass this tradition on their children – the small Zvončariare raised from an early age indeed!
In any case, in the next month Opatija and surroundings villages will be living for the carnival: if you are a fan of carnival balls and parties, we recommend visiting the Masked Campus in the nearby small town of Matulji. The party in the big tent will continue until early morning hours… The carnival ends with the burning of the Pust on 22 February in Mošćenička Draga – a ritual that symbolises eliminating all the problems that troubled us in the last year.

Here is the complete calendar of carnival events:
17/01    Raising of the carnival flag
Opatija Market Hall
05/02    16th Children’s Carnival Parade, Opatija
Carnival parade on the main street of Opatija
10/02    3rd Masked Marathon with Klape singing groups
Hotel Imperial’s Golden Hall at 8 p.m.
11/02    4th Opatijska pusna girandola, Opatija
Carnival parade on the main street of Opatija
12/02    29th Balinjerada, Opatija
Race of vehicles that run on ball-bearings on the main street of Opatija
12/02    Carnival parade, Lovran
main street, after noon
17-19/02     International Carnival Cup 2012, Opatija
Regatta, Opatija’s harbour
18/02    18th Zvončari (Bell-Ringers) Festival, Matulji
19/02     29th International Rijeka Carnival, Rijeka
Carnival parade on the central promenade, the Korzo
22/02    Burning of the Pust, Mošćenička Draga

The Christmas holidays are one of the most beautiful times of the year. It is a period when families and friends get together and exchange presents. It is a time of joy and there is a cheerful atmosphere. While some people like to spend Christmas in a snowy landscape, others prefer a holiday by the sea warmed by the rays of the winter sun, which these days shines as if it were the beginning of autumn. Despite the lack of snow in Opatija, Christmas here is always very special. Nevertheless, sometimes it does happen – as in the two previous years – that even the Girl with the Seagull, a statue on a rock by the coast and a symbol of the town, gets covered with snow at the end of December. We’ll see what happens this year in the days to come. A festive atmosphere is unthinkable without Christmas cakes and mulled wine, or a glass of champagne or prosecco, which goes perfectly with the sweet Christmas bread and cakes. You can enjoy all these delicacies on the terrace of the Café Imperial in Opatija.

After that, it’s the turn of young artists from Croatia and abroad, who will use various light effects and music to light up the town’s parks and hotels. This will be the first festival of light and sound and is entitled Winter Lights Opatija 2011. The programme starts on Saturday 17 December with a concert by Volker Bertelmann-Hauschka at 7 p.m. in the Hotel Kvarner Crystal Hall. Hauschka is an artist who performs beautiful post-classical chamber music inspired by minimalism. His music has been described as enchanting (a video is available at http://youtu.be/43Z4yljYY_c). The concert will be followed by a party with VJs and DJs. Various light effects will be combined with modern music to create a magical atmosphere in the Hotel Kvarner Crystal Hall (the party starts at 9 p.m.)

The Christmas weekend starts with a concert by the famous German-British choir Gregorian on Friday 23 December in the Hotel Kvarner Crystal Hall. The group is renowned for its visually attractive performances and Gregorian chant-inspired adaptations of modern pop and rock compositions. In addition to the eight standard male vocals, the group will be joined by Amelia Brightman, sister of the famous singer Sarah Brightman, who will perform various Christmas songs. Gregorian have contributed to the soundtracks of many famous movies such as Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars.

The Winter Lights Opatija Festival continues on Christmas Eve, when light and sound artists from Croatia, Russia and Germany will light up the façades of the hotels around Slatina Beach. Old postcards of Opatija and many other motifs will be projected onto the hotel façades, creating a magical atmosphere on this Christmas Eve.

On New Year’s Day 2012, there will be a New Year Concert that should become an annual event. Based on the New Year Concert in Vienna, the Zagreb Quartet will be performing in the Hotel Kvarner Crystal Hall at 10 a.m. with guests Ida Gamulin on piano, Tamara Coha Mandić on flute, and Domagoj Pavlović on clarinet. After the concert, guests are invited to toast the New Year together with the Mayor of Opatija.

December is ideal for a weekend escape to the sea, when the forthcoming holidays create a very special atmosphere. In December, Opatija offers many interesting events: on the first weekend in the month, it becomes Croatia’s sweetest town! The Chocolate Festival takes place for the fifth year in a row, inviting all chocolate lovers, regardless of their age, to savour various chocolate specialities: cakes, pralines, beverages and other delicious treats. We have also arranged theatre performances for our youngest visitors. A special festival attraction is the Imperial Cake, Croatia’s largest chocolate cake, ten and half metres long, which will be displayed on the terrace of the Hotel Imperial.

On the 17^th and 24^th of December, the town’s hotels, beaches and parks will be lit up with magical light effects by artists from Croatia and abroad, with DJ music in the background. This will be the first Winter Lights Festival, which will turn Opatija into a colourful open-air stage, creating a truly unique festive atmosphere in the town.

If you want to escape the foggy weather on the continent, we recommend a gourmet and wellness weekend in Opatija’s Hotel Ambasador. Pumpkin is the king of the autumn table, and we therefore invite you to enjoy various pumpkin specialities in this five-star hotel’s restaurant, followed by relaxation with your loved one in the unique wellness centre, a place designed to restore your energy.

Opatija also offers various opportunities for New Year’s Eve, from a gala dinner in the elegant Crystal Hall of the Hotel Ambasador to a rather unusual party in swimsuits in the pools and saunas of the Hotel Ambasador’s Five Elements Wellness & Spa Centre. If you prefer an open-air New Year’s Eve party, Opatija’s Open Air Theatre will host a concert by the renowned Croatian pop singer Gibonni.

On New Year’s Day 2012, we invite you to enjoy the sounds of classical music performed by the Zagreb Quartet, who will be playing in the grand Viennese style in the Hotel Kvarner’s Crystal Hall. For more information, please visit www.liburnia.hr .

Did you know?
Wine is an alcoholic beverage made of fermented grape or grape juice. It is one of the most popular beverages and one of the most important ingredients of many European and Mediterranean cuisines and cultures. There are various wine varieties that reflect the diversity of climate and soil where various grape varieties are grown. Wines are usually distinguished for colour: white, rosé and red. This colour is determined by the colour of grapes and the production process.
Wine can have different alcohol content (9-15 vol. %), and also contains some mineral ingredients, mostly sodium and magnesium salts related to organic acids (wine acid), which are easily dissolved in the body and give the wine alkaline properties. Wine is rich in B vitamins, especially B2 and nicotinic acid B3. The nutritional value of 1 litre wine is 600-700 calories, or even 1,400 calories in sweet wines. One glass of wine (130 g) contains on average 90 calories – like a sandwich. When consumed in small amounts, wine creates a sense of joy. The cells of the nervous system are stimulated producing a feeling of safety and strength, while reflexes are slightly reduced. In small amounts, wine has a positive effect: it increases the level of good cholesterol in the blood. Alcohol stimulates production of enzymes that increase the level of the HDL cholesterol (high density cholesterol), which is not harmful to the organism. Finally, wine stimulates digestion, because its acidity helps digest proteins (meat, cheese, eggs). Wine is the most useful of all beverages, the tastiest of all medicines, and a favourite among different types of food. Grapes can be used as food or processed into wine. In many countries, wine regularly belongs to meal, and is also used as spice for some dishes. Because of that, many gourmets regard wine as food. Wine has no negative effect on the human organism – rather, bad effect comes from excessive drinking, just like excessive eating or any other exaggerated physical activity. The importance of wine as food has been extensively documented by many authorities in this field (gastronomes and doctors), especially in France and Italy.

Archduke Rudolf and his wife Stephanie often spent time in Opatija, and the princess continued to visit even after her husband’s early passing. It is less known that one of the biggest European scandals of that time originated from Opatija. Princess’s sister Luise was married to the heir of throne of Saxony, but during one summer vacation in Opatija she met a cavalry officer von Mattachich with whom she started a love affair. After their relationship was exposed, the young officer was stripped of his ranks and title, while Louise was interned into an asylum. Stephanie was outraged and raised her voice against this injustice, quickly managing to free her sister. Stephanie’s husband Rudolf was also a frequent guest of Opatija, mostly due to his “health” issues. One of his many “excursions” was particularly well documented, and it was his relationship with Anne Kuranda, wife of the manager of the Hungarian maritime society Adria.

Another controversial guest of Opatija was Archduke Ludwig, a peculiar man known for his opposition to rigid rules imposed by the Viennese court. The media often reported on his deviant parties and affections. The rumour says that sailors on his yacht were actually young girls in disguise, and he even owned a personal harem.

Still, the most famous “women’s favorite” from Opatija’s glory days was Otto Habsburg. His wild lifestyle was one of the most popular topics all over the Empire at the time. It was said that he switched between women like some do with suits. Emperor Franz Joseph tolerated Otto’s adventures until the affair with Marie Schlanzer, a famous Viennese ballerina and singer. This was more than just another affair for Otto; the couple even had two children. To salvage the family honour, Emperor “exiled” Marie to Opatija and arranged a marriage to a doctor named Kohn, who was given a villa and a noble title. The married couple later had a third child, but Marie still continued her relationship with Otto.

We already mentioned Franz Joseph in his role as the defender of family honour, but was the great Emperor without sin? Of course not. His relationship with the famous actress Catarina Schratt was pretty much known to the public. The couple was often seen during romantic walks through Opatija and surrounding resorts. The Emperor was much closer to his mistress than he was to his own wife. Catarina was the love of his life, woman who stayed with him to the very end, till his dying breath on the deathbed, although she was not allowed to attend his funeral.

As you can see, history recorded numerous intriguing stories on great forbidden adventures and love affairs in Opatija. What happens next? It is up to you to continue the tradition of great romances on the famous Riviera…

Maruni grow in Lovran, a small town on the riviera and are a special gourmet treat. Even the influential British paper the Guardian (its Sunday edition the Observer, to be precise) said Marunada is the gourmet festival one must visit this time of the year. The whole fun is to go maruni hunting in the woods in Lovran’s hinterland.

For those not as adventures, maruni turned into cakes, mignons and other sweet treats are a must try.  We recommend tasting them with a glass of Muscat of Momjan, sweet dessert wine from Istria at hotel Excelsion in Lovran or at café Imperial in Opatija, one of the oldest cafes in town.

Chestnuts or maruni from Lovran

It all started when count Arthur Kesselstadt lost his life in a sea storm. In his honour, Hans Rathausky, a sculptor from Graz, made the sculpture “Madonna del Mare”, which is today located in the Croatian Museum of Tourism in the Villa Angiolina. The statue of the Girl with the Seagull was placed on its spot in 1956.

You might be wondering, who is the Girl with the Seagull really? For 55 years, we did not have the answer to this question, until Mrs Jelena Jendrašić from Crikvenica revealed that it was her who served as the model for the statue. The author of the statue, sculptor Zvonko Car, did not want to reveal the identity of the “Girl with the Seagull”, saying: “Those who want to know should make a guess”!

It took more than a year for the sculpture to be finished, and during that time, Mrs Jelena would pose for hours… It is interesting to know that Mrs Jelena and Mr Zvonko were neighbours in Crikvenica. The artist would call her “My Opatija lady”, just like he used to affectionately call his statue.

This year, from 19th to 25th of September, Opatija will remember the glorious days of its history when nobles from all parts of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy visited luxurious hotels and villas and enjoyed in many benefits of the Riviera. Viennese week is an opportunity for all guests to try different gastronomic delicacies in Opatija’s cafes and restaurants, as well as learn something about the rich culture and history of the town. Opatija and Vienna share a long common history and tradition, so it is not surprising that the city of Vienna is a leading sponsor of the event from its very beginning. The Viennese ball represents a culmination of the week. The luxurious aristocratic atmosphere will be further enhanced by respectable guests from Austria – dance school Schmidtschläger and the Original Wiener Strauss Capelle orchestra. The entire event will be concluded with a spectacular firework show on the starry sky over Opatija.

Price of the ticket is 50€, which also includes a dinner party. If you would like to participate in this unique event, you can book your accommodation in one of Opatija’s many hotels. We look forward to seeing you!

Wonderful nature, wide range of items on offer, fresh mountain air, lots of fun and entertainment – the Učka Fair is truly an event worth visiting. Do I need to say anything more?

See you there!