Rijeka, Croatia

Rijeka is Croatia's principal seaport, home to roughly 128,000 residents along the Kvarner Gulf in the northern Adriatic. The city was a European Capital of Culture in 2020, recognition that drew attention to its long industrial and maritime history. On a hill 138 metres above the Rječina River gorge, Trsat Castle overlooks the harbor, while the City Tower stands on the Korzo promenade in the center. Saint Vitus Cathedral, completed in 1638, is the only round baroque church in Croatia, and the Ivan Zajc National Theatre anchors the cultural quarter. Rijeka also hosts Riječki karneval, a tradition documented back to the 14th century.