Located in a peaceful garden setting alongside the Adriatic, the present-day Church of Sveti Jakob originated as a Benedictine Monastery in the 11th century. (The Croatian word for "abbey" is "opatija.") The town grew around the church, which has endured several incarnations throughout the last several centuries. The lovely stucco building we see today is a mid-1930s renovation of a circa-1790s structure that incorporates architectural fragments from the 16th-century.

To the left of the church, stands a small monastery and cloister (which were closed to the public when we were there). Between the church and the monastery is a stone bell-tower. Local events, such as choir performances and practice (we could hear the wonderful women's choir practicing in the church from our balcony at the Grand Hotel Kvarner), as well as wedding (we were also fortunate to witness a wedding party gathering in the garden) take place regularly at Sveti Jakob.

Nestled in a lush garden, the church offers several peaceful vistas of the Adriatic and the lively Opatija waterfront - it's lovely to sit on the shaded benches that line the church's waterfront and watch the bustle of Opatija's terrace beaches from a quiet distance.

Adjoining the monastery is the Duro Matija Sporer Arts Pavilion - a former ice cream parlor that has been converted into an art gallery featuring Croatian artists. it provides an excellent vantage point to view "Greeting the Sea," the famous bronze statue of a young woman that stands atop a rock at the edge of the Adriatic, and has been used as a symbol of Opatija since the 1950s.