Crikvenica has a hundred-year-old tradition in tourism and is today one of the leading tourist centres of the Kvarner Gulf. Foreigners got interested in Crikvenica as early as 1890, when they started to visit the town on their excursions from Opatija. In 1891 the first hotel was opened, owned by Ivan Skomerza. The owner named the hotel Erzherzogin Clotilde. In the same year, Archduke Joseph bought the Pauline monastery and turned it into a military seaside resort and then into a children's summer resort; today it is a hotel. The rapid tourist development initiated the construction of a public beach and the arrangement of a public park (1891). The foundation-stone laying ceremony was also attended by the Croatian viceroy Khuen Hedervary. The magnificent Hotel Therapia, which still ranks among one of the most beautiful hotel buildings on the entire Croatian coast, was built in 1895 and in accordance with the concepts of those times served as a health resort. In 1906 Crikvenica was officially recognized as a sanatorium. The tourist development of Crikvenica is still going on and its nice riviera, which stretches from Jadranovo in the north to Selce in the south, offers exceptional opportunities for rest and recreation. Crikvenica has retained its original character of a health resort until today and the well-organized medical institution Thalassotherapia is a renowned sanatorium (respiratory disorders and diseases, rheumatism). Numerous pavilions (of all categories), apartments, rooms, the coast with long and well arranged public beaches, sports events and entertainment programs follow a century-old tradition of tourism in this town. Particularly interesting are the beaches equipped with various entertainment and recreational opportunities for children, which make Crikvenica one of the most popular seaside resorts for families. Offered are also many sports grounds and facilities (tennis, ball games) and the equipment for water sports (rowing, yachting, windsurfing). Mild climate provides good opportunities for sports training during winter months.
 

Since the hinterland of Crikvenica offers a variety of hiking and hunting opportunities, the season does not end at the end of summer. The Huntsmen's Club Srndac is active in the town. There is also an aquarium with the Adriatic flora and fauna and tropical fish (Vinodolska Street 8).
 

Crikvenica has plenty of interesting cultural programs and events, the Easter Concerts being especially known. Traditional feasts include Crikvenica Days (in August) and the Fishermen's Week (in September). The exhibition Days of Croatian Produce offers tourists Croatian products of high quality (5th-12th of July).
 

CRIKVENICA, a town in the region of Vinodol in the Croatian Primorje, 37 km southeast of Rijeka, population 5,763. It is located in the vicinity of the confluence point of the Dubracina brook, whose valley connects the town with the interior part of Vinodol. Sand deposits form the Crikvenica beach. The town was named after the church (crkva, crikva) of a Pauline monastery, erected by Nikola Frankopan in 1412 at the confluence point of the Dubracina into the sea. It has very favourable climatic conditions; an average annual air temperature is 13.2 °C, in January 5.4 °C and in July 23.3 °C. Economy is based on farming, vegetable growing, livestock breeding, fishing and especially tourism. Crikvenica is located on the Adriatic main road (M2, E65).