The Esperia Park

The garden is situated in the western part of the town, called Vasanska. It came into being as the garden of villa Esperia, but today that correlation is completely lost. The tall vegetation almost completely hides the edifice. The garden is not fenced. It offers a view to the sea. The garden's position can be linked to what used to be a torrential brook called Lerčica. The garden surfaces 1,439 m2. It was founded in 1885 as a private park, and in 1955 it became a public park. On the north and the north-east side it is bordered with stairs, on the east side with a parking lot, and the remainder leans on Max Joseph Oertel's Street.

The 2006 plant inventory of the company Parkovi d.o.o. identifies 14 plant species, out of which the following can be highlighted: Albizia julibrissin (Persian silk tree), Ligustrum Tex. “Silver Star” (wax-leaf privet), Magnolia stellata (star magnolia).

Until the 1930s the garden was somewhat bigger, but in the course of its development it kept its basic concept in the central part, which was not significantly influenced by changes in the manner walkers are lead through the garden and their stay on the rest stops. The basic atmosphere of the park is created by some plant species typical for Opatija: Chinese windmill palms, laurel and bamboo. It is perceived as a green island, closed with high plantations toward the surrounding traffic routes, and visually opened toward the staircase on the eastern side and in the direction of the sea.

The garden never had, and neither has today any characteristic stylistic features. It was designed in front of a villa of architectonic shaping unusual for Primorje and Opatija.