Yup, you’re right! From the centre of Rijeka you can’t see too many sparkling beaches. So where do the locals go for a dip? In the city itself there are about 20 beaches which are located to the east and west with two of them even carrying the Blue Flag title - the newly arranged award winning Ploče beach ranked as the best urban local beach in Croatia and the other is Kostanj beach. These beaches vary in sizes and configuration with additional facilities, hospitality and children’s playgrounds.
The grand eastern neighbourhood of Pećine has clean, rocky beaches and historic villas. Further east, in Kostrena, try the lovely Žurkovo cove. To the west of the city, the beaches spread from Kantrida across Bivio to Preluk which is perfect for windsurfers and has a great view of Opatija. Public transport will get you to all beaches and if you’re lucky enough to have a car, there is free parking in most places nearby. Bus No.1 rides towards the east to Pećine and to Bivio to the west. Bus No. 32 rides to Preluk. The Rijeka Tourist Board has brochure with maps of all beaches and their surrounding amenities which can be picked up at their offices or simply download it from the web.