Micro route
Plomin to Opatija
This one’s not about distance, it’s about density. If you manage to drive it outside of peak season, you’re in for a short and sweet treat you’ll remember for a long time.
~36 km
Distance
~20 min
Drive time
Good
Surface
Medium
Traffic
Road Metrics
Twist factor 🌀
Starts slower, ramps up dramatically, and then slows down by the end.
Season🚦
Spring or fall, due to the overall popularity of Istria during the summer.
Vibes 🛣️
Forest, high cliff sides, driving to Croatia’s ‘Monte Carlo’.
Safety ⚠️
Can be risky at night, be aware of sharp turns.
I remember the first time I drove this road. I was going from a conference in Labin (itself a veryi interesting place) in the middle of the night and mistakenly took a wrong turn in Plomin. Deciding to just go with it, I was met with some of the best corners I’ve ever seen and a fast, curvy, and genuinely scary road.
The shot of adrenaline lasted me the entire trip home to Osijek, some 500km away. I drove it in a 2013 Kia Ce’ed, not a performance car by any metric, and had tons of fun. It might have something to do with the overall conditions, but the road between Plomin and Opatija does have a lot going for it. First of all, it goes through the Plomin bay, a relatively normal bay which is home to the tallest structure in Croatia, the Plomin Power Plant chimney. From there, it takes you through forest, sneaks in a good view of the Kvarner bay from time to time, and offers both fast and slow corners in a very high number.
Driving it during the day, you’ll be greeted with great views of Kvarner Bay, which is on the right side when going towards Opatija. The road is raised, and there’s quite a drop down on one side and a mountain on the other, so caution is advised, especially since this particular road is a popular destination during the tourist season. Opatija is one of the most popular towns in Croatia during peak season, and is the birthplace of Croatian tourism. Because of this, there’s usually quite a bit of traffic on this route, so my advice would be to try and drive it outside of peak season, but that’s just a given with any Croatian road these days.
There’s a fair share of sweeping corners of varying difficulty and some tougher ones. There are no hairpins to speak of, so that will appeal to those with less experience, but make no mistake; it will test your skills if you’re there to have a nice spirited drive.
Fun facts
Opatija is the home of Croatian motorsport. Between 1931 and 1977, its Opatija Circuit hosted dozens of motorcycle and car races, including eight World Championship races, before being retired for being unsafe. During that time, it earned the reputation of the Isle of Man TT of Europe.
Plomin Power Plant’s central chimney is the tallest structure in Croatia.
Opatija is home to the oldest hotel in Croatia, called Kvarner. It’s more than 140 years old and is still in business today.
Recommended stops
Opatija is one of the most beautiful cities in Croatia, owing to it being the go-to summer destination of European royalty since the 18th century. Opatija has a large number of Seccession-era buildings, villas and hotels, and is very much ‘old money’ in its vibe, similar to some other Meditteranean destinations.
Route Overview
Road conditions
Weather and wind
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