Croatian Museum of Tourism Opatija

Spread between three historic buildings, this excellent museum houses a permanent collection of old photographs, postcards, brochures and posters tracing the history of tourism, and there’s always a well-presented travel-themed exhibition as well. But it's the buildings themselves that are the main attraction. The restored Villa Angiolina is one of Opatija’s grandest structures – a marvel of trompe l’œil frescos, Corinthian capitals, gilded mirrors and geometric floor mosaics – though the addition of modern windows is a crime against architecture. Verdant gardens surround the villa, replete with ginkgo trees, sequoias, holm oaks, Japanese camellias (Opatija's symbol) and even a little open-air theatre where costumed recitals are held. Neighbouring Swiss House (1875) was an outbuilding of the main villa, used partly as a buttery. Further west, past St James' Church, the Juraj Šporer Artistic Pavillion (1900) was originally built as a patisserie.