Matulji is an idyllic little town on the touching spot of Kvarner Bay and the hilly country-side. Within its calmness there are possiblities of mountain bike riding, mountain climbing on the slopes of Učka and Lisina or walking trips to medieval towns of Kastav and Veprinac.
The camping - site Preluk, situated along the cost of Preluka Bay, offers ideal conditions for watersports, especially wind-surfing.
Traditionaly kind-hearted hosts offer accommodation in private rooms and apartments of all categories. In domestic atmosphere of various taverns and restaurants you can enjoy in our specialities. Distance of only two kilometres from Opatija enables you bathing and sunning during summer as well as enjoying in clean air and good night sleep.
Special curiosity is the Carnival, which takes place during January and February. Its main attraction is gathering of "Zvončari" - The Bell - bearers, wearing genuine masks and costumes. There specific movements and tolling are symbols of spring arrival and fruitfulness.
Matulji's location near the main road connecting the Kvarner Bay and the Kvarner Islands with Italy, Slovenia and Austria, as well as the train station Matulji-Opatija make Matulji easy reachable destination from all directions. It also provides you with a unique holiday - everything at one place - sea, nature and recreation.

"ZVONČARI"
The wearing of masks, with which man performs fertility rites, drives away evil spirits and marks the passage of winter into spring, has been present in almost all civilizations and all parts of the world since times long past. This custom has particularly taken deep roots in the localities of the North Croatian
Littoral, namely its backcountry - Kastavština. In the course of the historical context of emergence of carnival customs in our region, various bell - ringer groups (zvončari) appeared. They became an inevitable part of the carnival ritual, not only in the Kvarner area, but wider. The bell-ringers mark the very beginning of the Carnival - hence the first bell-ringer bells make themselves heard in Mune and Žejane on Epiphany (6th January), and in the other localities on the Saint Anthony holiday (17th January). Today we differentiate the bell-ringer groups of Rukavac, Zvoneće, Bregi, Brgud, Mučići, Žejane, Mune and Halubje. The distinctions between these groups are in pieces of garments they dress in, or in the characteristic bell-ringers' gait and the additional elements they wear. However, they all wear white trousers (some with a red or blue stripe, though some wear jute trousers with sewn on ribbons) and sailor's striped jerseys, sheepskins around the neck or waist, three bells or a single one respectively, head scarf or bandanna. The bell-ringers of Rukavac, Bregi, Brgud, Mučići and Zvoneće wear hats with colorful crepe paper flower decorations, while the bell-ringers of Mune and Žejane wear hats with varicolored strips from the top of the hat to the ground. Only the Halubian bell-ringers wear large beast-like masks instead of hats. All the bell-ringer groups wore such masks until the beginning of the Italian occupation, when they were prohibited.
The bell-ringers present the richness of colors and motif at the, now traditional, "Bell-ringers Parade" held in Matulji since 1995. This is the only place where one can see the full splendor of the bell-ringers. The noise of ringing bells, the smell of sheepskins, the motley of flowers on hats - and for a moment one senses that the winter season will indeed be gone by tomorrow, yielding its place to springtime. Under the motto "Everything for our usances!", these bell-ringers present the distinguishing qualities of their region and convey in the best way the cultural heritage to the younger generations. In the hours before noon the groups gather in front of the "Štacion" - the railway station on their passage through Matulji during their characteristic parade. This is where one can see the bell-ringers' round dances, manners of movement, costumes, bell-ringers' escorts and everything else that the bell-ringers do and that makes the Bell-ringers Parade something special.
As the center of the bell-ringer tradition, Matulji opens its doors to welcome other groups from Croatia and abroad whose mask-wearing customs are similar to those of the Bell-ringers.
Visit us on occasion of the Bell-ringers Parade - become familiar with our tradition; let it become a part of you, too!

CYCLING TRACK LISINA
We set off from the centre of Matulji along the old road towards Učka where, after passing through Frančići, we turn right towards Lisina. We pass by Rukavac and at the 4,5 km we are on a macadam road.On the our way up the hill to Lisina we pass by old Italian military barracks. At the 9,7 km we are on the top of the hill and 1 km further away we arrive at the crossroads where we turn left towards the climbers' refuge, an ideal place for rest.
Leaving the climbers' refuge we ride straight down the hill to Škrapna. At the 12,1 km we turn left following the signs and at the 13 km we arrive in Škrapna. It is worth stopping here at the old water cistern and admire a wonderful view to Opatija hinterland.
As soon as we leave Škrapna we turn right and the old road will take us to Kriva. Turning left we pass through Zdemer and at the 16 km we turn right towards Kućeli. As soon as we enter the village we turn right and we go down the steep hill along the asfalted road towards Rukavac. From the centre of Rukavac we carry on towards Mihotići where we get back to the old road to Učka, which takes us back to the centre of Matulji.

CYCLING TRACK LUŽINA
We set out from the centre of Matulji along the road Rijeka - Trieste in the direction of Jušići. After a 5,4 km long ride we turn left to a macadam road in Mučići and again to the right after only 100 meters we pull out into an old unsurfaced road going up the hill until the 7,2 km, where we reach Stanić pass.After the pass we come to the crossroads where we turn left towards the hunter lodging Zvirić. We pass by the lodging but we do not turn at the 8,8 km.
After a slow descent we arrive to the crossroads for Pavletići where we turn right and ride up the hill to Kastav. We pass by Crekvina (the church) through the town and just after the town gate we turn right to Belićev breg where we turn once again to the unsurfaced road. Following the signs we reach Brajani village carrying on to the right and again into the forest. At the 14,9 km we turn left to Principi place. In the centre of the village we turn left to a forest path that will take us to Jurdani where we pull out to the road Rijeka - Trieste. Turning left and return in the centre of Matulji again.

ST. MIHOVIL TRACK
The track begins in the centre of Matulji just in front of the Tourist Agency where we get going along the promenade by the Elementary School towards Opatija. We turn left to the forest path leading down the steep hill through the small forest towards Preluk, crossing the road twice. We reach Preluk after a twenty - minute walk. Preluk is a spot well known for the world champion ship motorcycle races that used to take place there. It is a deep bay that in the past was tuna fishing locality and in more distant past it used to be a landing place for ships carrying amber. Our promenade is part of the well - known Amber Road on which amber was transported all the way to the Baltic.
Walking up the very steep track we pass along the edge of the quarry where, by the end of the 19th century, stone for the building of the Port of Rijeka was obtained. We reach Cirkul, (ex Panorama Hotel) where we cross the road Rijeka - Matulji and we turn right down a steep road, just by the signpost for Matulji.
After about 500 meters we reach a macadam road that after a while takes us to the railway tracks and then across the highway flyover to Rubeši.Walking along some more gradient path we arrive in front of the Monument to the Second World War Victims. This spot is also a wonderful belvedere to the Riviera of Opatija.
In the past local people used this path to carry on their backs sand for the construction of Crekvina, the Kastav church.
Proceeding further we pull out to the main road turning left after 200 meters and after a short walk up the hill we arrive at an elevation where St. Mihovil's Church is situated. On this spot in the years 1871 and 1911 the 1st and 2nd Istrian Assemblies were held. These were public meetings where Istrian Croatians demanded larger political rights as well as stronger links with other South Slavs.
We continue walking down the hill through Antončići and Frlanija until we arrive at the water tank Živica, popularly called Buč. Once there used to be a freshwater source and a small lake. We reach the road Kastav - Matulji that leads us down to the centre of Matulji.

ST. LUKA TRACK
We set out from the center of Matulji towards the railway station and afterwards we walk up the hill through Osojnaki and Trtni to the road Rijeka - Trieste. We cross the road and through Mihelići we reach the railway track, carrying on along the steps and through Mohorići and Biškupi. Following the old road through the area called Brezovac we arrive in Krujci, a hamlet interesting for the well preserved elements of traditional architecture. Admiring the wonderful view of the Quarner Bay, we descend to the centre of Rukavac and then again we walk up the hill to St. Luka's Church.
A steep path will take us down the hill to Luskino, we cross the railway and arrive in Mihotići on the road for Učka that takes us back to the centre of Matulji.