Due to its clear sea in which you can swim and lovely nature, Rijeka has beautiful beaches worth visiting.
We, locals of Rijeka, spend days and nights on the beaches starting from the early spring till the end of the summer.
When you visit Rijeka, you can count on having a good time on our beaches, with a very safe environment, and lots of beach bars.
It’s also not unusual to find a music event on some beaches on the outside stages near bars, and every single beach is easily accessible.
You can use the following map to locate the beaches and nearby accommodations.
Booking.comKantrida Beach
Next to the city’s old football stadium at Kantrida, you’ll find one of the most popular beaches in Rijeka.
The beaches don’t have the fine sand which is unfortunate for some, but the bars are close, there is so much room for everyone, the water is clear and there are so many parking lots if you are arriving by car.
Kantrida is an excellent beach that’s 5.8 kilometers from the town, so it’s a good choice for tourists and locals.
When you enter the sea, you’ll see the sea level gradually increases from the ankle level which is ideal for both advance and beginner swimmers, the elderly, and the youngest.
The fact that the sea floor consists of sand and gravel with a rare exception of sea urchins, also plays a big role when I am ratting a beach.
How safe it is? Where the environment is pretty safe, but due to its popularity, it’s not unusual for pickpockets to try their luck when they catch the right opportunity, so keep your belongings nearby and you won’t have to worry.
Moreover, this is something that I’ll recommend that you take care of when visiting other beaches too.
- Big parking lot next to it
- Caffe bar and restaurant
- Showers
- Changing room
- Toilet
Beach ploče
Beach Ploče is among the most decorated and organized beaches in Croatia, and the reward from 2012 for the best-decorated city beach in Croatia confirms it.
Beach Ploče is also located at Kantrida 250 meters from Kantrida Beach, so if you come by car you can park it in the big parking near Kantrida Beach and walk a few minutes to Ploče.
This beach is mostly covered in gravel, but there’s also a concrete area.
You’ll enjoy the clean sea during the day, and enjoy the nights by taking walks and admiring the lovely summer breeze.
Beach Ploče is a part of the bigger complex of buildings, so you’ll find the inner pool center above the beach which can also be used by the public.
And finally, the fact that the beach has its own volleyball field on fine sand is a good reason on its own to bring all your friends in and create awesome summer memories.
- Showers
- Parasols and deck chairs for a rent
- Changing rooms
- Toilet
- Ice cream
- Restaurant and Caffe bar
- Beach Volleyball
Sabljicevo (Pečine)
Sabljicevo is the closest beach to the town, as it’s only 2.5 km away and can easily be walked on foot.
Although there can be a problem with parking lots sometimes, the buses drive directly on the road above the beach. To reach the beach, you have to go down the stone stairs which are located near the bus station.
Sabljicevo Beach is one big beach formed of small stones and one shadowed, concrete area below the stairs where ice creams and drinks are sold during the season.
The sea level gradually raises just like it’s the case with Kantrida, and there’s nothing harmful or dangerous in the surroundings as long as you don’t leave your goods completely unwatched.
While I am not saying the odds are high that someone will steal something from you, there have been cases I have personally witnessed, so the precaution is recommended.
- Showers
- Changing Room
- Ice Cream and drinks
Glavanovo (Pečine)
Glavanovo is the second big beach in Pečine settled in the middle between Sabljicevo and The Public Pečine Beach.
Glavanovo Beach is your classic beach from the movies, it’s one wide gravel beach with plenty of vegetation around and a clean sea that gradually increases in level as you enter.
You’ll find plenty of natural shades from the trees and have a direct view of the islands of Cres, Krk, and the mountains of Učka.
This beach isn’t always full while the parking is just above, so if you don’t find a peaceful spot anywhere else in the area this could be the beach you are looking for.
- Showers
- Changing Room
The Public Pečine Beach (Pečine)
This beach is the last beach at Pecine, so it’s around 3.5 km away from the town and can easily be reached just by going down the Pecine road either on foot, by car, or by a bus that stops 2 minutes from the beach itself.
Whole Pečine is best reachable by bus or on foot from the town, but it’s possible to find parking lots near this beach.
This beach is placed close to the ship factory, thus it’s not the most beautiful beach you’ll see unless you don’t mind some industrialization. Furthermore, it’s common for small music events to take place in the bar during the summer making it a vibrant, happy place.
To access the sea, you have to jump into a body of water without slowly progressing in because the sea doesn’t gradually increase. While this beach isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, some folk love sea jumping, don’t care about the traditional beach vibe, and is there to enjoy drinks along with good music.
Oh and yes, behind the beach there’s plenty of room for recreation and games such as ping pong as long as you bring your own equipment.
- Showers
- Changing rooms
- Cool Caffe bar
- Deck chairs
- Public toilet
- Park with ping pong tables
Preluk
Preluk Beach is the epitome of the minimalistic city beaches placed between Rijeka and Opatija, 2.5 km from Kantrida where beach Ploče is located.
What makes Preluk so lovely, is its old-school ambient in which you won’t find luxury, but rather intact nature and super-clean water with plenty of shades in the concrete area for those not keen on constant sun exposure.
Preluk is more of a silent beach, in which you can enjoy your piece because there’s not enough room for large meetings, and besides occasional passing vehicles, you won’t hear much noise.
There’s also something magical in the view from Preluk Beach like it’s rarely found on other beaches. I guess it got to do with its unique, isolated spot far away from the busy urban lifestyle which is so well connected with nature.
The last time I went there, the parking above the beach was free and it wasn’t a problem to find a spot, let’s hope this article won’t make people hurl in masses to Preluk and change things!
- Parking
- Showers
- Changing rooms
- Beach bar
Kostrena
Kostrena, the municipality 9 km away and east of Rijeka is home to the most beautiful beaches, walking trails, sports, and recreation.
Among many beautiful beaches you’ll find in Kostrena, I’ll pull out and review one which is the most dear to my heart.
In the following video you’ll be able to see what the beaches look like, so you get some inspiration to visit Kostrena one day.
Žurkovo Beach (Kostrena)
Žurkovo Beach is the place where I spent my childhood years with my grandma and grandpa, and to this day it’s among the most beautiful beaches/areas near Rijeka.
You’ll find a few separated beaches mostly made from gravel with a decent amount of shade, and the sea is extra-clean while it gradually increases in level.
Some spots also allow jumping and diving, so we could say that this beach is ideal for everyone.
The nearby restaurant and cafe bar offers fine food, drinks, and ice cream under a big shaded area which is ideal for taking a rest after a long sunbathing.
- Showers
- Changing rooms
- Restaurant and cafe bar
- Ice Cream
- Toilet
Opatija beaches
For the end, I’d like to recommend you a few beaches that are not located in Rijeka, but rather in close proximity to Rijeka.
There are more than a few beaches in Opatija, 5-7 kilometers from Rijeka, which are absolutely stunning.
Opatija has always been a popular tourist attraction in the area, and a place of choice with amusing nightlife for many residents of Rijeka.
You’ll find beautiful beaches made from stone and sand and the clearest sea in the region.
Once you are done sunbathing, swimming, or snorkeling, you’ll have all the choices left for a true summer vacation experience.
The best ice cream, coffee, and wines are served in the prestigious coffee bars and restaurants straight above the beaches.
To see what I mean, just take a look at the video below.
Dog beaches
And for the end, I’ll name two beaches in Rijeka where you can take your fluffy best friend to swim with you.
Brajdica
Brajdica dog beach is located at Pečine right before the beaches I mentioned at the beginning, so it’s around 1.5 km from the town.
The beach doesn’t look impressive, but after all, you can easily access it and bring your dog without seeing someone complain.
The sea is just as clean as on other beaches in the area and the last time I checked it it was pretty clean and safe overall, but there’s no shaded area.
Dog beach Kantrida
Dog Beach Kantrida is placed right next to the first Kantrida beach near the parking lot, so it’s around 6 km from the town.
This beach looks pretty decent as it’s part of the whole complex of Kantrida beaches.
The parking is close to the bars, and there is a shadowed area if you walk 30 seconds from the beach toward the buildings.
Is the sea in Rijeka safe?
The sea in Rijeka is safe as the sea is safe for swimming, and there are no dangerous species of sharks, jellyfish, and other animals.
However, you should be careful not to step on sea urchins and sharp rocks which can sometimes be found near beaches.
There really aren’t many incidents that happened in the sea around Rijeka nor on the beaches, so there’s nothing to worry about.