October 5,2023
We tendered to the lovely port of Opatija…our last port on this wonderful cruise. As we left the tender, I turned around and snapped this photo of Symphony.
Although the port is tiny, it is beautiful. We arrived a few minutes before our guide, so I parked Tim and walked around for bit. This is probably a port where you don’t need to hire a guide… there’s a lovely beach, restaurants and and a very pretty park all within a few minutes of the tender drop off. We did engage a very knowledgeable guide and spent a fun (if slightly long) day with Dean. The following photos are out of sequence…I’m not quite sure how that happened…
Rijeka offers fabulous views all the way down to Opatija. While on top, Dean added to our knowledge of the history of Croatia, explaining the importance of Kvarner Bay and Rijeka to the economy. Rijeka is strategically located with a deep water port, so it was fiercely contested among the Holy Roman Empire, Italy and Croatia…changing rulers many times over centuries.
This is Trsat Castle, it dates to the 13th century and was built atop a Roman fortress, on a steep hill overlooking the Rjecina gorge.
Back in the port of Opatija, we entered a park – Park Angiolina – that is bordered by a wall mural of famous Croatian folks …and right smack in the middle we saw this likeness of Robert De Niro. Dean did not know why De Niro was afforded this honor. Anyway, it’s a very pretty park.
Upon exiting the park, we walked along the waterfront, appreciating the beautiful estates and hotels lining the shore.
Upon returning to the ship, we packed and enjoyed one last wonderful dinner … clearly I was exhausted from our tour and packing, as I only took two photos of dinner…my lobster and Tim’s dessert.
We had a super time on Symphony…every minute of the cruise was an absolute joy. We were so grateful to be back at sea with so many wonderful crew and staff. Thanks for following along.