Villa Angiolina

Hotel Kvarner is often considered the building that marked the beginning of Opatija’s tourism tradition. However, the true tourist history of Opatija began even earlier, in 1844. That is when the Rijeka nobleman Iginio Scarpa built the Angiolina summer residence in honor of his late wife and opened the small fishing and maritime town to visitors from all over Europe. Many famous figures, such as Empress Maria Anna and ban Josip Jelačić, were delighted with Opatija and spread the word about its beneficial climate, laying the foundation for its later title as an Imperial climatic health resort. It is therefore only logical that Villa Angiolina today houses the Croatian Museum of Tourism, an institution that tells the story of the development and influence of Croatian tourism.