12 Things to Do in Rijeka, Croatia

Rijeka was the calm we needed. We’d come off a few days in Split, which we loved but it was packed shoulder to shoulder with tourists. Rijeka was the perfect place to exhale. It’s a working port city, so the harbor is busy with ships coming and going, but the tourist crowds mostly skip it. That’s exactly what makes it worth a stop: you get a real Croatian city, a hilltop fortress with Adriatic views, winding old streets, and street art around half the corners, without the queues.

Here’s the part we love most: almost everything on this list is free. A fortress, a WWII tunnel, a leaning tower that started life as a Roman bathhouse, all of it costs nothing but the walk to get there. We spent a few days here on our way through the Balkans and came away thinking Rijeka is one of the more underrated stops on the Croatian coast.

A quick heads-up before you go: some details below (opening hours, whether a site still charges nothing, transport to the nearby nature park) can shift over time, so treat this as a guide to what’s worth seeing and double-check the specifics close to your trip. Everything here is from our own visit.

Trsat Fortress

Start up top. Trsat Fortress sits on a hill above the city, and the view is the reason to make the climb: the red rooftops of Rijeka, the harbor, and the Adriatic spread out below. The fortress dates to the 13th century, though the hill was strategically important long before that, back into Roman times. It’s changed hands over the centuries and it’s still standing for us to wander today.

There’s a little cafe inside, so grab a coffee and take in the view, or just find a spot to spread out. Best of all, it’s free to enter.

Getting up there is the catch. On foot it’s entirely uphill, around 30 minutes from the bus station, and you’ll be pretty winded by the top. We’d suggest a quick taxi or rideshare instead and saving your legs for the rest of the day. The ride is cheap.

Franciscan Monastery Trsat and Pope John Paul II

From the fortress, head over to the Franciscan Monastery on Trsat. If you enjoy stepping into churches as you travel, this one rewards it: there are some beautiful paintings inside worth slowing down for. Out front you’ll find a monument to Pope John Paul II, who visited Trsat in 2003.

If you’ve got time to linger, wander into Pančićev park right beside the church. It’s a quiet, green spot to sit for a few minutes before heading back down into the city.

Trsatske Stube (Stairs…Lots of Stairs)

This grand stairway links the city center to Trsat up above, with construction dating back to the 1500s. If you’d rather walk up to the fortress than ride, this is the direct route, and it’s an experience in its own right. Fair warning though: it’s a serious climb. The full stairway runs to well over 500 steps.

We took a car up and walked the stairs down, which we’d recommend if your knees are up for it. Going down, you get the views without the burn. We didn’t count every step on the way, but we can confirm it takes a while.

St. Vitus Cathedral

Down in the center, St. Vitus Cathedral is worth a look even if you’re not usually a church person. There’s been a place of worship on this spot since the Middle Ages, but the round, domed cathedral you see today took shape in the 17th century. Its shape is what makes it special: it’s the only large Baroque rotunda in Croatia, which gives the interior a very different feel from the long, narrow churches you’ll see elsewhere. Step inside and look up.

Rijeka Tunnel

Just to the left of St. Vitus is one of Rijeka’s more unusual sights. This tunnel runs about 330 meters under a chunk of the city center, connecting the cathedral area to a school on the far side. It was dug during WWII as an air-raid shelter to protect residents from bombing, and today you can walk straight through it.

It’s a nice detour on a hot day as the air inside stays noticeably cool. When we visited it was free to walk through, though it’s worth checking locally before you go, since hours and access to a site like this can change.

Roman Archway

Rijeka doesn’t have grand, obvious Roman ruins the way some Mediterranean cities do. Instead its Roman history is scattered in small pieces you’ll walk right past without noticing. The one bit worth seeking out is the Roman archway. It isn’t large, but it’s a striking little collision of eras: a Roman gate with medieval houses built up on either side of it, centuries of the city stacked in one spot. Walk underneath and take a second to appreciate where you’re standing.

Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Leaning Tower

Another church in the center with a strange and interesting past. The Church of the Assumption wasn’t always a church. The site goes back to Roman times, when it was part of a thermal bath complex, and it was only converted to a church somewhere around the 5th or 6th century, then reshaped over the centuries into what stands today. Head inside for a look, then step back out and gaze up at the bell tower, which leans noticeably to one side.

Here’s the small tip that made our morning: there’s a little bakery window across from the church. Go up and order a Nutella-filled pastry. Ours was exactly the kind of cheap, warm, ridiculous treat that makes a morning of exploring better. There are other fillings too, but you know our recommendation.

Korzo and City Clock Tower

Korzo is Rijeka’s main pedestrian promenade and the natural place to feel the pulse of the city. Stroll it, and if you time it right there’ll be a market on, usually your best odds are on the weekend. During our visit, stalls were trading honey, wine, olive oil, and all kinds of local goodies. Our backpacks were already stuffed for the road, so we could only browse and wish we had more room.

The City Clock Tower along Korzo is the other draw. Look just beneath the clock and you’ll spot the city’s coat of arms, a double-headed eagle granted by the Habsburgs in the 17th century. Both heads face the same way and hold a vessel of endlessly flowing water, a symbol of Rijeka’s loyalty to the empire.

If you’re hungry and short on time, you won’t struggle to find a quick, cheap bite along here. Bakeries and grab-and-go spots are everywhere, so you’re never far from a snack.

Capuchin Church of Our Lady of Lourdes

If you roll into Rijeka by bus like we did, this is probably the first thing you’ll notice. It’s right beside the station, so you can’t miss it. Built in the early 1900s, the Capuchin church is Neo-Gothic on the outside and quite striking. The interior is much plainer than the facade might lead you to expect, but it’s worth a quick step inside to see for yourself before you head into town.

Street Art

One of the nicest surprises in Rijeka is the street art. We don’t usually go hunting for it, but we love stumbling on it, and Rijeka delivered more than most cities we’d walked through. As you wander the center, keep your eyes on the walls and side streets: there’s real color and personality tucked around the city, and half the fun is not knowing what will turn up next.

Day Trip to Učka Nature Park

Craving some nature? One of the best things about this stretch of Croatia is how quickly you can get from a city into the hills. Učka Nature Park sits roughly a 40-minute drive from Rijeka and makes an easy half-day escape, with mountain trails and big views out over the Kvarner Gulf.

You’ll most likely want your own wheels for this one. When we visited we couldn’t find public transport that worked for reaching the park, so a rental car (or a taxi/rideshare for the day) is the reliable option. It’s worth checking current options before you go, but plan on driving.

Rijeka Beaches

And finally, the beach. We did swim in Rijeka and enjoyed it, though with one honest heads-up. If you don’t mind rocky shores rather than sand, you’ll be right at home. Most of the coast here is pebbly.

Here’s the caveat. Rijeka is a working port, and there are large ships and barges visible offshore. We were swimming at Kantrida Beach with plenty of locals, having a great time, when we noticed a glossy film on the surface of the water. It looked like oil, which, glancing out at the tankers, made sense. So if you’re going to get in, be aware of your surroundings, and if you see that sheen, we’d strongly suggest not putting your head under. We wouldn’t expect every beach to be like this, but just a heads up!

Even if you skip the swim, there are pretty spots up and down the coast to catch some sun and have a picnic. Kantrida is a popular one (where we were), and Fiumana Beach is another worth a look.

Frequently Asked Questions

Things to Do in Rijeka, Croatia: Wrapping Up

Rijeka isn’t the first name people think of on the Croatian coast, and that’s exactly its appeal. Whether you’re road-tripping through Croatia or making your way along the Adriatic by bus like we were, it’s an easy, uncrowded, and genuinely rewarding stop, and a remarkably cheap one.

Is this everything there is to do in Rijeka? Of course not, so do a little research before you go. But it’s the list we’d hand a friend heading there for a couple of days.

Happy travels!