2 Best Sights in Kvarner, Croatia

After a few days of dipping your toes in the water and basking in the sun, you might be itching for a diversionary outing. The Miomirisni otočki vrt is a pleasant place to spend the afternoon—rain or shine—sitting on the terrace admiring the sea of lavender on the hilltop. A donkey, a rabbit, and a small sheep delight visitors, especially children. A small shop in a wooden building sells organic products like soaps, marmalades, and, of course, lavender oil.

The grounds of Park Angiolina are a wonderful spread of palm-punctuated lawns with a botanical garden. The vegetation is strikingly lush, including cacti, bamboo, and magnolias, plus neatly kept beds of colorful flowers and sweet-scented shrubs. Indeed, Opatija as a whole is a town saturated with botanical splendor. Iginio Scarpa, an aristocrat from Rijeka and the first settler in Opatija, began importing exotic plants and the tradition has survived into the present. The camellia is the symbol of the city.