Epiosode 168
Dobra večer, prijatelji!
Get the kids ready because we’re getting the show started!
For all of us who have children in our lives, this lesson is for you.
Learn with us some Croatian commands to get the kids ready, seated, quiet and on the move.
Lesson
To gather the kids - okupiti djecu
Let’s go boys! - idemo dečki
Get ready girls - Spremite se cure!
Come here! - Dođi ovdje!
Sit down! - Sijedi dolje!
Be quiet! - Budite tiho!
Hurry up! - požurite se!
We’re waiting for you! - Čekamo te!
Don’t get lost! - Nemoj se izgubiti!
Be smart! - Pamet u glavu!
Super Slatko Report
n this edition of the Super Slatko Report, DJ Moe gives us an in-depth description of the wonderful Istrian city of Rijeka. Wow, this city has so many wonderful things to offer!
Rijeka, Croatia’s third-largest city and its most maritime based. Rijeka, located in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar region, perched at the northern edge of the Adriatic Sea, a hop, skip and a jump away from Slovenia in the northwest and Italy just a short sail away, a-la Styx. The city proper is home to roughly 108,000 residents, while the wider urban area swells closer to 180,000. Rijeka’s unofficial motto is essentially “the city that flows,” a nod to its name—rijeka which translates to river— can also be a nod to the city’s lively nature, as a place of constant movement.
On the map, Rijeka sits right where the Kvarner Gulf curves inward, at sea level, backed dramatically by the Dinaric Alps. This gives the city one of Croatia’s more striking contrasts: the lowest point is the Adriatic Sea, and just minutes inland you’re climbing hills that rise over 450 meters (1,475 feet) above sea level. The city covers about 44 square kilometers, (17 square miles), making it compact but vertically ambitious. Rural pockets exist on the outskirts, especially toward Gorski Kotar, and they’re lush, wooded, and green rather than dry or rocky as we have seen in Dalmatia. Rijeka has multiple pebble beaches, both urban and tucked into nearby coves, and yes, you can also find native wildlife including foxes, deer in the nearby forests, dolphins can be found offshore, and the occasional wild boar can be found roaming and patrolling the hills.
All this geography made Rijeka irresistible to settlers. The area was inhabited in prehistoric times, formalized by the Romans, and later shaped by Slavs arriving in the early Middle Ages. The Rječina River, which flows into the city, once served as both a lifeline and a natural border. Over the centuries, Rijeka changed hands more more than a few times: as mentioned earlier the Romans were here, the Byzantines, Hungarians, the Habsburgs, Italians, Yugoslavians, and finally modern Croatia. The Habsburg period, especially the 18th and 19th centuries, lasted the longest and left the deepest mark. Rijekas natural harbor, river access, and mountain protection made this city an ideal port city long before global trade was a thing.
Like most major Croatian cities, its old town is the epicenter and Rijeka’s Old Town is no exception. Old Town Rijeka grew organically, with Roman foundations later adding medieval walls and building upon its already bustling port quarter. The population then was a true mix: merchants, dockworkers, craftsmen, aristocrats, and sailors from everywhere the sea could carry them. Wealth flowed in through shipping, shipbuilding, and trade, and prominent families and companies helped shape the city’s commercial backbone. Rijeka’s Korzo, the city’s main promenade, has been Rijeka’s living room since the 19th century. Churches, palaces, and civic buildings reflect centuries of layered rule, making the Old Town less of a museum and more of a well-lived-in time capsule. Today, the Old Town is home to a mix of longtime residents, students, and artists, while families often live in surrounding neighborhoods and suburbs.
Rijeka brings its own brand of Croatian culture to the table. It played a role in advancing industrial engineering, shipbuilding, and even early torpedo technology, which influenced naval history worldwide. Artistically though, Rijeka is known for its theatre, punk and rock music scene, and a fiercely independent cultural identity. In 1977, magazine VAL wrote about lyrics from bands in RIjeka that spoke to change in youth consciousness. Punk Rock, come for the tunes, stay for its unrelenting societal consistency. In 2020 Rijeka was named European Capital of Culture, a moment that spotlighted its museums, alternative art spaces, and festivals. Rijeka is the birthplace to many musicians and thinkers providing that city edge Rijeka has always been known for. Rijeka is a little louder and more experimental than its postcard-perfect coastal neighbors to the south.
Today’s Rijeka is modern and home to many. Residents outside in the outskirts and suburbs commute into the city center for work, especially in education, healthcare, shipping, and administration. Rijeka doesn’t have trams, but it runs on an efficient bus system, plus rail connections, not to mention its busy port, and walkable streets. Although driving cars to your destinations is valid option to locals and visitors alike. But locals will tell you: Rijeka is best understood on foot, preferably with coffee breaks built in.
If you plan on visiting and adding this amazing city to your itinerary, here’s a rough Rijeka to do list:
check out Trsat Castle and get that camera out for some spectacular panoramic views,
dive into Rijekas rich maritime history,
perhaps take in one of its many festivals,
or simply take in the Rijeka coastal vibe that is authentic onto its own.
For those flying in, Rijeka has an International Airport on nearby Krk Island, a major bus and ferry terminal, and strong sea connections across the Adriatic. If there’s one thing to do in Rijeka, it’s this: walk Korzo at sunset, then climb to Trsat for the view—you’ll understand the city instantly. If you’re looking for that special under-the-radar experience include local taverns, industrial heritage sites, and small music venues where the city’s roots are still strong and lively. At the end of the day, Rijeka has that restless energy and that why it’s different than other Croatian destinations you might have experienced before, and that is exactly what keeps people coming back.
And that’s it for the Super Slatko Report.
