RIJEKA - KANTRIDA STADION - 12,550 CAPACITY ALL SEATER
About Kantrida Stadion Rated as many as one of the most picturesque stadiums in Europe, the Kantrida sits proudly on the cliffs overlooking Adriatic Sea. It is a basic stadium, with one small covered stand offering some protection from the oft wind and rain, and small stands curving around the rest of the pitch. An athletics track runs around the pitch, although it is tight to the stands and does not cause an issue for spectators. The stadium was originally opened in 1958, and whilst plans have been set out for many years to modernise the stadium, it is still as basic today as it was in 1958.
Who plays there? The stadium is home to HNK Rijeka, who are currently enjoying an extended stay in the Croatian top league. The club were formed originally in 1925 as Unione Sportiva Fiumana in the Italian leagues – and even played in Serie B as recently as 1942. In 1946 when the city was passed from Italian to Yugoslavian control, the club were renamed as Kvarner.
In 1958 the club were renamed Rijeka and were promoted to the Yugoslavian top division where they stayed for over 10 years. They stayed in the top division for nearly twenty years in total, winning the Yugoslavian cup in 1978 and 1979. Since the creation of the Croatian League in 1991, the club’s only honour has been the Croatian Cup in 2005, although they did record second place finishes as recently as 2006. The best result in their history was in the 1984/85 UEFA Cup when they beat Real Madrid 3-1 at the Kantrida before losing 3-0 in the second leg in Madrid.
How to get there The stadium is located in the north west of the city, along the coast towards the island of Krk and Italy. On a match day you can catch one of the regular number 1 buses that run up the coast.
For a more detailed view of how to get to the stadium, go to Footiemap.com to see their map of Reijeka.
Getting a ticket It has been a number of years since the stadium has been full – in fact going back to those magical UEFA Cup nights. Even in 2006 when the team briefly challenged the domestic dominance of Dinamo Zagreb, you could still turn up on the day of the game to get a seat in the stadium. The club does not offer an online booking facility, and so simply turn up at the stadium to gain entry. A ticket for the covered main stand costs €20, and a uncovered seat on the water-facing side is just €15 – a bargain on a nice sunny late spring day.
Getting around Most of Rijeka is accessible on foot, and traffic is actually banned on Korzo in the heart of the city. For those a little away from the city or tired, an efficient local bus network operates operating in a single-direction, circular movement around the central city area, and fanning out in all directions. The bus to Trsat (#1) is probably the most useful for tourists, and a good alternative to the 538 stair climb to the top of the mountain. Rijeka also has cheap and well organized Taxi service, they will get you anywhere in the city for approx. 10 Euro or less.
Rijeka’s airport is not actually located in the city itself, but on the nearby island of Krk which is 17km from the centre. The airport is slowly growing in passenger numbers, with just over 200,000 being handled in 2006. The airport is served by Easyjet from London Luton and Bristol and Croatia Airlines from London Heathrow. There are no public transport options to or from the city centre, so you will have to rely on taxis. Agree the fare before you travel – it should not cost more than €20.
About Kantrida Stadion