Matulji, Croatia: Budget Base Above Opatija and Kvarner Bay

Matulji is a small town and a great base for budget travelling, with plenty to see in the area by bus or train. The prices for accommodation, dining out and beer were much lower than in other places we’ve visited by the sea. Thus, it’s a suitable destination for budget travellers who don’t mind walking for the fun stuff.

What’s Matulji in Croatia like?

Matulji is a small, functional town with everything you need for a longer stay, including shops, dining options, and many cafes and bars. It also has some pleasant places for walks in the hills, including down to the coastal towns and villages. Matulji is also well connected by public transport with both buses and a train station.

The main draw for our visit was the prices and its closeness to the sea for some fun times. We had drinks and food out while in the town. My favourite bar was Caffe Bar Roma in the centre, which was quite cheap. They had the football on in the evenings and seemed to be the place to be. The town was also good for a mooch around, with some charming houses, views, and a sports complex called the amphitheatre.

As for shopping, there are a few supermarkets, including Konzum, with a hot deli, which we used quite a few times for Henry’s favourite, rotisserie chicken. There are also two bakeries in the town, both of which serve warm bureks.

Matulji: Restaurants, Bars & Cafes

While in town, we tried many of the local bars for beer o’clock and coffee; we also dined out a few times.

Cafe Bar Roma

Caffe Bar Roma is my favourite bar for daytime drinks in the main town centre. They have a good range of drinks, and beer was quite cheap. This bar has lots of shade to keep cool and shows the football when matches are on.

Konoba Štacion

For food out, Konoba Štacion next to the railway station had a good range of Croatian dishes and good prices. Their goulash was special. This is also a good place for drinks while waiting for the train to depart.

Fast Food Buddy’s

Fast food Buddy’s is a centrally located bar with shade that serves good food. Their gourmet burgers are very big and delicious.

Garden Caffe & More

Garden Caffe & More is a chilled place during the daytime, with an outdoor garden and a posh interior. At the weekend, they often have entertainment until the early hours. The drink prices were good, and the servers were friendly.

How To Reach The Coast

Since we were staying in Matulji, it was a 20-minute downhill walk to the scenic Opatija. The walk had lots of sea views along the way. However, this was rather steep, and the weather was hot, so we took the local buses back to our holiday accommodation. The times are reliable on Google Maps.

Note that bus drivers love coins and occasionally refuse notes, so be prepared with some change. From here, you can also get buses to Rijeka or west along the coast. The local bus company, Autotrolej, is not pet-friendly. You can find further information on their website. Bolt and Uber both work in the area; however, they have very long wait times.

To travel to Matulji by train, take the line that links Rijeka to Ljubljana, Slovenia. There are few trains serving this route, but they can be found on Omio.com. Booking these trains online can be a pain, especially for cross-border trips, so I highly recommend carrying cash.

Where to Stay?

There are lots of places to stay in both towns on Booking.com. We required a cheap, dog-friendly place that had a kitchen. We were delighted with our choice, the Feel at Home Studio Apartment in Matulji. The host was lovely and flexible, and the facilities were great. Also, there were no extra charges for pets.

On a subsequent stay, we stayed at Garden House, a cheap, basic place with friendly owners. If you want a beach holiday, I would recommend staying in central Opatija to avoid the walking. However, for budget travellers or digital nomads, Matulji is a great option.