Kraljevica is a small coastal town on the Kvarner Gulf, just south of Rijeka where the mainland meets the bridge to the island of Krk. Two Frankopan castles — the early 17th-century Zrinski Castle and the older, partially ruined Old Castle — sit above the harbor and are the town's most visible landmarks. The Frankopan dynasty once controlled much of this coastline, and Kraljevica was where they built their ships.
That naval tradition carried forward: the Kraljevica Shipyard, founded in 1729, is one of the oldest in Europe and still operates today. The waterfront is modest and pleasant, with a pebble beach out on the Oštro peninsula, a handful of restaurants, and views across the bay toward Rijeka's industrial port. The Krk Bridge, one of the longest concrete arch bridges in the world, soars over the channel just south of town. Kraljevica is not a resort destination in the way that nearby Opatija is, but it makes a reasonable base if you want to be close to Rijeka without staying in the city itself.