Rijeka is a main business, trade, industrial and cultural center in the western part of the Republic of Croatia, placed on the Adriatic, at a point where the sea has made its deepest incision into the European continent. Rijeka has well natural and geo-political characteristics that were ideall for harbour and shipping center development.
The largest part of economy is concentrated on export with business and trade connections with more than 80 countries throughout the world. Rijeka as a part of Kvarner Bay with more than 50% of the entire tourist capacity of Croatia, represents the most developed part of the country.
This region has a long tradition in tourism, far from the 19th century and due that to the specific geo-topographical position which ensured a very pleasant climate with hot summers and mild winters with more than 2100 hours of sunshine. The favourable mild climate, beautiful surroundings and hospitality of people in here contribute to the attractiveness in this region.
Rijeka leads in activities related to the sea that includes tourism, shipping industries, forwarding agencies, harbour activities and shipbuilding and in other major industries; oil and petro-chemical, civil- mechanical- electro- engineering, timber, and paper industries.
At the distance of 30 km from Rijeka are settled the mountains which offer opportunities for hiking, mountaineering, hunting and coarse game fishing enthusiasts, or during the winter when these mountains are covered with snow and provide suitable slopes for all types of skier.
The town of Rijeka has two professional football teams and several sporting clubs of basketball, hockey, handball, tennis, badminton and the local game- bowling.
As a coastal town Rijeka has good offer of sport activities such as aquatic sports that include sailing regattas, internationally fishing contests, sub-aqua seafishing competitions, swimming and water polo...
Rijeka is a town that has been through the history and stayed until today the most important seaport in the Adriatic Sea. It has very interesting and rapturous history but its inhabitants fought for their town so today is a part of Croatia. In early medieval, the feudal family Devinski had master the town, and after them family Walsee. Very important ruler were the Habsburg family, when Rijeka gets back its regionally significant role.
In 17th century the Austrian emperor Leopold II gives the coat of arms to the town, and in 1917 becames a free seaport. Through the history Rijeka developed more and more and established good land connections with other big and important towns in Croatia but also it had great sea connections. In 16th century the main trades were with iron, wool, oil, timber, livestock and leather. It grew in maritime and industrial city. But when the World War I started its developement stopped. Many world monarchs wanted Rijeka, and the city was under the Roman, Austrian, French and Yugoslav domination. In 1919 the Italy occupated Rijeka, and in 1920 Rijeka became an independent state. Then again in 1924 refered to Italy. When Italy had capitulate, teritory of Rijeka refered to Germainy 'til 1947 when was again returned to home country, Croatia within the government of Yugoslavia. Today Rijeka is a town and the main seaport of the independent State of Croatia.
Trsat is a part of Rijeka placed on a hill. It used to be a fort and today is one of the most beautiful parts in Rijeka. On the coast occurs Romanesque-Gothic augustinian Monastery of St. Jerome with the oldest medieval mortuary monuments, frescoes and the chapel. The church of St. Vid, Rijeka's patron saint, is placed in the old part of a town. Passing through the center of Rijeka you can notice on its buildings Romanesque, Baroque, Gothic and Renaissance details that decorate this city. The theatre of Ivan pl. Zajc is placed in the most beautiful building in Rijeka.
The Governor's Palace was built as a residence for a Hungarian deputy, that ruled the Town from 1968 to 1914.
Rijeka is a city with a long tradition. Every year in its first months people from different countries come to the Rijeka's Carnival. Carnival is on Sunday and organized groups of people are masked in different costumes and they walk in the parade that goes through entire city. This big attraction will celebrate 26 years in 2009. Rijeka is a cultural town but there is so much young people that are organizing festivals for youth. In 80's and 90's Rijeka was a real rock city. One of the most popular rock bands began their careers in some of Rijeka's garages. Hartera is a rock/punk festival placed in an old paper mill and it lasts for two days. During the year you can find many of this kind of happenings. In the suburb of Rijeka there is a small town Kastav in which every summer is held the Kastav Summer Festival, the oldest this-kind festival in Kvarner-bay.
If you prefer calm sightseeing there is a lot of galleries and some of them are: Gallery Kortil, Gallery Arh, Gallery
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Gallery Juraj Klović, Gallery O.K, Gallery "Mali Salon", Gallery Filodrammatica, Gallery "Grad", .
Rijeka's theater is in use and there are held all the most popular theatrical performances.
Rijeka has 6 museums and all of them are well visited:
1. The Museum of the Town Rijeka keeps a Music Collection, Art Collection, Collection of Documentary Materials, Collection of Philately, Collection of Photographs, Collection of Stage and Film material, Collection of Numismatics, Security, Medals and Decorations, Weapons collection and Collection of Artistic Craftsmanship.
2. The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art keeps a Collection of Sculptures, Collection of Romolo Venucci, Collection of Posters, Collection of Božidar Rašica, Collection of Paintings, Collection of Drawings, Collection of Photographs, Collection of Prints, Collection of Installation and New Media.
3. Maritime and History Museum of Croatian Littoral is splitted in several departments: Archeological, Ethnographic, Cultural and Historical, Department of Maritime History, Museum Collection of Region Kastav.
4. Natural History Museum has a Collection of Inorganic Nature, Zoological Collections and Botanical Collections.
5. State Archives in Rijeka preserves written historical material of Kvarner -bay, Gorski Kotar and Istria.
6. Retro Computer Club - Peek & Poke is a museum of an old computers and informatical technology.
Fridays and Saturdays are the best days to go out. There are many places to go out for all-types people. In the center of Rijeka are placed clubs El Rio, Capitano, Hemingway, "2 Lava ", Buddha Bar, boats Arca Fiumana and Nina2 and they are all crowded with people during the weekends. In this clubs entrance is always free.
Stereo Hall is a location for all kind of concerts and techno parties and entrance is usually payed.
In Rijeka you can find during the year many open-air concerts and many traditional festivals. Most known are fishing festivals in Lovran and Volosko, although they are 30 minutes away from Rijeka.
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Rijeka Daytime/what to doDuring the sunny days the best to do in Rijeka is to take a walk and sightseeing. You can sit in one of many coffee bars on the main square "Korzo" and take a look at architecture beauties of this town. You can visit Trsat, a part of Rijeka that is placed on a hill above the town and see its altitudes. Although Rijeka is a sea-town, there is no promenade that is arranged for walks by the sea in the center. But, you can take a bus or go with your own car just 15 minutes away from center to Kostrena. Here you can enjoy in beautiful beaches and bays and a clean, blue sea. Go to museums and galleries and learn about this city because is worth it!
Regional Number Code 051
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To Rijeka you can get by your personal car from any part of Europe; By boat that has connections with other Croatian and some Italian towns or by catamaran that connects Rijeka with islands Rab and Pag; by plane you can get to the Island of Krk where the airport is placed and then by bus, since this island is connected to the mainland with the bridge, that will drive you in the center of Rijeka and not just from the Island of Krk but also from any other city in Europe.
