Carmen Sylva Forest Promenade

The Carmen Sylva Forest Promenade is a walking trail through the wooded slopes above Opatija, in the Kvarner region, and it is the quiet counterpart to the seaside Lungomare. While the shore path is lined with villas, hotels and cafes, the forest promenade climbs into the hills behind the town and winds through woods of oak, hornbeam and Mediterranean evergreens, with the sound of birds replacing the noise of traffic. It is a good way to see another side of Opatija, the resort that the Habsburg aristocracy turned into a fashionable winter retreat in the nineteenth century.

The path takes its name from Carmen Sylva, the pen name of Queen Elisabeth of Romania, who wrote poetry and prose and who visited Opatija in the late nineteenth century. King Carol I of Romania supported the building of a trail in the hills, which was first known as King Carol's path, and the name later changed to honour the queen. The trail also commemorates Baron Arthur Schmidt-Zabierow, a local figure connected with the development of the town's walking paths, and it forms part of the network of promenades, among them the so-called green and blue routes, that the resort created so that guests could walk in the fresh air.

The promenade is about five kilometres long and takes around an hour and a half to walk, with no serious difficulty. The path is well made and mostly shaded, with gentle climbs, and it is suitable for most people with reasonable fitness and walking shoes. Along the way, there are small points of interest: a spring called Vrutki, a stone bench where the queen is said to have sat when composing, and two viewpoints named Vela Fortica and Mala Fortica. The gazebo at the second, sometimes called Queen Elisabeth's Rock, has one of the best views over the Opatija Riviera, the sea and the islands of Cres and Krk beyond.

The trail is free and open all year. In spring, the woods are fresh and filled with wildflowers, in autumn they turn yellow and red, and in summer the shade gives welcome relief from the heat of the coast. It also makes a good rainy-day alternative to the beach. Carry water, since there are few services on the route, and be aware that the path can be slippery after rain.

You can combine the walk with other sights in Opatija: Park Angiolina, St. James' Park, the Casino Rosalia and the Croatian Walk of Fame, and the harbour with the Maiden with the Seagull statue, which are all listed in this guide. The promenade suits walkers, nature lovers, couples and families with children old enough for a ninety-minute walk.