The city tourist history begins in 1844 when Villa " Angiolina was built and it welcomed mostly Austrian and Croatian aristocracy . The first hotel named “ Kvarner” was built in late 19th century and it was the first hotel on the east coast of the Adriatic .
Otkada je Opatija dobila prvi hotel krajem 19 . stoljeća , a ubrzo i mnoge druge hotele i luksuzne ville , te su prvi riječani , talijani i austrijanici počeli posječivati Opatiju , mnoge su i poznate osobe , princeze , kraljevi koje su posjetile ovo mondeno ljetovalište .