Back in 1449, a decree by the City Council of Fiume (in Croatian Rijeka) already banned the use of masks, perhaps for political reasons, but the charm of Carnival did not fade; on the contrary, by the 1800s, the Istrian city was already famous for its Carnival, influenced by the Venetian and Viennese ones, highly appreciated and attended by the Austro-Hungarian nobility, but also by Dalmatian peasants and fishermen who used their horrifying masks to drive away evil spirits and open the doors to the impending spring. After a forced pause due to the war events, in February 1982 three small masked groups paraded along the main street, thus relaunching the old “good and healthy habit” of celebrating Carnival. Today, the two main events, the children’s parade on Saturday, February 18, 2017, and the international adult parade on Sunday, February 26 – both at noon – involve about a hundred groups, including some from abroad, cheered every year by at least 150,000 spectators.
Rijeka Carnival
Recognized as “one of the 500 most important events in Europe,” the Rijeka Carnival begins on January 17 (the peasants’ festival of Saint Anthony the Abbot) with the symbolic delivery of the city keys by the mayor to Mestar Toni, the master of Carnival, and to the Carnival Queen, and ends on Ash Wednesday, March 1. During this period, the city gates are “closed” to gloom and sadness, while they open wide to joy and color, embodied by the countless masks and carefree lifestyle. Among the events worth attention is the burning of the Pust (a straw effigy embodying evil, burned at the end of Carnival after a summary trial with an inevitable sentence), the Great Pajama Party, the Mask Marathon, and the masked car rally Pariz-Bakar, on a dizzying route.
Fiume, Croatia’s third city and primary port
Fiume, today Croatia’s foremost commercial port and third-largest city, boasts majestic 19th-century palaces housing major shipping companies, wide avenues in the old town full of bars, restaurants, shops, and a vibrant nightlife. Moreover, this delightful Central European-style town hosts splendid buildings, such as the 15th-century Civic Tower, the 14th-century Town Hall set in a former convent, the Roman Arch—the ancient gate of Tersatica (Latin), the baroque Cathedral of St. Vitus, the city’s patron saint, the Tersatto Castle built on a Roman fortification, the Maritime Museum, and several churches.
If you wish to visit Fiume during Carnival, it is advisable to stay in some nearby tourist spot along the Istrian coast, such as Opatija-Abbazia (77 km from Trieste), only 13 km away, whose name derives from an ancient 14th-century Benedictine abbey. The mild climate both in summer and winter made this place famous and a long-standing favorite destination for European tourists.
Since 1980, the operator “il Piccolo Tiglio” has specialized in all kinds of holidays in the former Yugoslavia. It is a trusted choice for personalized solutions during Carnival, offering accommodations in 2, 3, 4, and 5-star establishments at very competitive prices.
For information:
tel. 0381 72 098
www.ilpiccolotiglio.com
 Carnival, the oldest carnival in the entire Balkan region, beautiful and colorful, takes place in Rijeka-Fiume, northern Croatia, and is held annually according to centuries-old traditions.){kind=link}