September 7, 2022: Dancing in the Rijeka Rain

I’m relaxing on the terrace of a 13th century castle, sipping a cocktail as the sun slowly sets over the mountains of Istria and waters of the Adriatic. The light and warmth is particularly welcome after a long day of rolling rains, a steady drizzle that would build to a downpour before slowly easing off again. The rain cleared the streets and filled the cafes, washed the dust off an ancient city recovering from a bustling tourist season and made the cobblestone streets gleam. I love a spot of rain. Perhaps it’s having grown up in the desert, but the rain fills me with energy, purpose, like a cactus at the end of a long drought. There’s something terribly romantic about the rain, something that plenty of writers and filmmakers have capitalized on. The rain today made an already magical city even more magical.

We arrived in Rijeka Tuesday evening and enjoyed Korzo street in the old town on our way to a renowned seafood restaurant, Kenoba Feral. A bustling pedestrian boulevard with incredible architecture, including the clock tower which dates to the 1600s, it lit us up with excitement.

It had been a long day, so we headed back to the room with plans to get started early the next morning. After all, we only have one full day in Rijeka (and I could easily spend a week).

Wednesday morning I got coffee and a pastry to go and took a walk through old town Rijeka and along the port, taking in the sights. Nicole and I met up to visit the Maritime and History Museum, and capped off the day with a drive up to Trsat Castle.

Kenoba Feral

This building is 233 years old, and Feral tavern was opened in the space in 2011. It’s a quiet place and well decorated. The seaside tavern vibe is distinct, with stone walls and arches, netting hanging from the ceiling, faux windows featuring beautiful photos of the ocean printed on glass, and an array of sea paraphernalia. The food was incredible. You could taste the sea. We joked that they’d probably gone out and killed the fish when we ordered it, it was so fresh. I had mussels in a delicious red sauce, and Nicole had seafood risotto. We capped off the meal with fresh apple cake.

Central Market

A block inland from the port, Rijeka Central Market is bustling and authentic. It’s an open-air market with indoor pavilions for fish, meat, and dairy. The fish market pavilion was built in 1865, with the other two pavilions joining in 1880. This place was incredible. The goods were piled high, everything fresh and picture-perfect. Inside the pavilions was hustling and bustling, crowded with locals and tourists alike.

Modello Palace

A local library in Rijeka is housed in this beautiful, late-19th century, Austro-Hungarian building, but unfortunately it’s closed at the moment. It was originally a bank, and now houses a gala hall which hosts the Italian Culture Club. The first floor is dedicated to the public library, which I plan to write a short profile on for Library Locator. Keep a lookout for that next month!

National Theater

Also opened in 1885 (the late-19th seems to have been a big boom for Rijeka), this theater carries on a two-century tradition of performance. The building is dedicated to Ivan Zajc, who was a major name in Croatia’s musical culture in the late 1800s. As a composer and director, he was instrumental in reforming Croatia’s artistic institutions and is credited with paving the way for Croatian musical achievements in the 20th century. I wish we’d been able to see something while we were in town, but unfortunately there were no performances those nights (not surprising, as it was a Tuesday and Wednesday just outside of tourist season). Still, the building and garden are beautiful, and well worth a visit for that alone.

Roman Arch

Rijeka’s history goes back to the Roman Empire, when is was the site of a military town called Tarsatic Principia. This arch is one of the last remnants of the ancient city, and was once the main entrance to the city. It’s currently undergoing restoration and research, so the arch itself in carved in scaffolding, but I was still able to pass through it, as countless others have done before me for the last two millennia.

Tarsatica

Just beyond the arch lies more ruins from this ancient stronghold. I found this site strange and fascinating in equal measure, as the city of Rijeka grew out of Tarsatica after the fall of Rome, and the ruins here have been, in some ways, integrated into the city itself. I’m used to carefully preserved sites, where dirt and grass have moved in over the top of what once was a street or a floor. Here, it can be difficult to tell, exactly, what is the remains of Tarsatica, what came in the centuries after, what is a more modern restorative effort. The flagstones here seem too flat and in too good condition to date back two millennia, and while some of the brick walls are undoubtedly quite old, they don’t seem like the ruins of other Roman settlements I’ve seen. There are also carved rock walls in the area that seem older, potions of structures that are clearly ancient but that are embedded into the sides of modern buildings, and stretches of concrete. It’s an example of how we, as humans, are a continuum. I think we often think of history and our lived experience as separate things. This site is a testament to the fact that we are constantly making history, building off of it, growing out of it. Each choice we make, every impact we have on the world around us is a product of what’s come before, and becomes history to all that come after.

Maritime and History Museum of the Croatian Littoral

This is an excellent museum. It features a number of exhibits housed in the former Governor’s Palace. The building was built—you guessed it—at the end of the 19th century, and it’s gorgeous. The main floor is preserved with the original furniture and portraits, and has digital, interactive screens which detail the contents and uses of each room. Also in the museum is an extensive archaeological exhibit detailing the area’s history from prehistoric times through to modern day. It features archaeological finds from the area (including a 2-millenia-old ceramic pot and a medieval iron sword). There’s also an extensive maritime exhibit and a smaller cultural exhibit. We weren’t expecting such an extensive collection and didn’t end up having the time to see everything. If you’re headed to Rijeka, this museum should definitely be on your list of things to do. There’s something for everyone here.

Trsat Castle

The neighborhood is charming and the views from the top of the hill are excellent, but the highlight is definitely the castle itself. Eight centuries old of people have been passing through these walls, climbing these steps. Celebrating, imbibing, conversing and looking out over the port far below. Many of the ancient castles and fortresses in Croatia seem to be preserved by being reclaimed and put to use. Rather than sanctifying these sights, making them untouchable and locked down, here they are used as bars, cafes, restaurants, entertainment and wedding venues. The bar here is fantastic, offering a wide range of wine, beer, and cocktails. Incredible views from the terrace, beside the Nugent family mausoleum, are all the more dramatic for the weathered towers and ivy-decked walls of the fortress surrounding it.