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P. 338
turizem v avstrijskem primorju
At the turn of the century, however, the Mediterranean seaside destinations
and similarly the destinations in the Austrian Littoral began establishing es-
pecially in the summer season, although the fashion for winter Mediterra-
nean resorts in Europe remained until the 1920s and 1930s (Battilani, 2009,
116). Contrarily, Opatija and Lošinj on the Austrian Riviera oriented their
spa activities to the summer season shortly after their establishment. Opatija
quickly introduced the year-round season one year after it was officially pro-
claimed as a health resort (1890), although at the beginning of the 20th cen-
tury the winter season was still slightly more popular. Opatija obviously es-
tablished itself in this period as a destination with a mild climate and healthy
fresh sea air, particularly appropriate for wintering between fall and spring.
By the beginning of World War I the summer bathing season prevailed. The
most popular seaside health spa resort of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in
the researched period was simultaneously and successfully developing in two
seasons. But since Opatija followed the European fashion trends, it slowly be-
came a summer seaside tourist destination.
In addition to the two-season destinations, one-season destinations de-
veloped too, such as Grado and Portorož. Similarly to the other European
seaside destinations they initially emerged as health resorts on the tourism
market, since their natural resources complied with new treatment and fash-
ion directives in medicine. Grado and Portorož, which began developing in
tourism towards the end of the 19th century, offered treatments only in the
summer season from the very beginning. At the beginning of the 1870s, the
most opted time for visiting Grado was summer and similarly a decade lat-
er Portorož began performing therapies mostly during the summer months.
Compared to European trends, these two localities developed their summer
tourist features relatively early.
All three originally studied coastal destinations, namely Opatija, Grado
and Portorož developed based on different natural endowments. The scien-
tific findings that attributed important therapeutic characteristics to swim-
ming in sea water and spending time on the beach played a key promotional
role. Opatija began developing as a climate spa but soon expanded its activity
to bathing as well. Grado, with its long sandy beaches, initially hosted mainly
ill children1 from poorer families of the monarchy, treating illnesses that af-
flicted children of the industrial era (tuberculosis, scrofulosis). At the begin-
1 Until the First World War, some of the seaside sites established as health resorts, which were pri-
marily built for children. An example can be found in Valdoltra, which still retains this character
today, namely hospital activity.
336
At the turn of the century, however, the Mediterranean seaside destinations
and similarly the destinations in the Austrian Littoral began establishing es-
pecially in the summer season, although the fashion for winter Mediterra-
nean resorts in Europe remained until the 1920s and 1930s (Battilani, 2009,
116). Contrarily, Opatija and Lošinj on the Austrian Riviera oriented their
spa activities to the summer season shortly after their establishment. Opatija
quickly introduced the year-round season one year after it was officially pro-
claimed as a health resort (1890), although at the beginning of the 20th cen-
tury the winter season was still slightly more popular. Opatija obviously es-
tablished itself in this period as a destination with a mild climate and healthy
fresh sea air, particularly appropriate for wintering between fall and spring.
By the beginning of World War I the summer bathing season prevailed. The
most popular seaside health spa resort of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in
the researched period was simultaneously and successfully developing in two
seasons. But since Opatija followed the European fashion trends, it slowly be-
came a summer seaside tourist destination.
In addition to the two-season destinations, one-season destinations de-
veloped too, such as Grado and Portorož. Similarly to the other European
seaside destinations they initially emerged as health resorts on the tourism
market, since their natural resources complied with new treatment and fash-
ion directives in medicine. Grado and Portorož, which began developing in
tourism towards the end of the 19th century, offered treatments only in the
summer season from the very beginning. At the beginning of the 1870s, the
most opted time for visiting Grado was summer and similarly a decade lat-
er Portorož began performing therapies mostly during the summer months.
Compared to European trends, these two localities developed their summer
tourist features relatively early.
All three originally studied coastal destinations, namely Opatija, Grado
and Portorož developed based on different natural endowments. The scien-
tific findings that attributed important therapeutic characteristics to swim-
ming in sea water and spending time on the beach played a key promotional
role. Opatija began developing as a climate spa but soon expanded its activity
to bathing as well. Grado, with its long sandy beaches, initially hosted mainly
ill children1 from poorer families of the monarchy, treating illnesses that af-
flicted children of the industrial era (tuberculosis, scrofulosis). At the begin-
1 Until the First World War, some of the seaside sites established as health resorts, which were pri-
marily built for children. An example can be found in Valdoltra, which still retains this character
today, namely hospital activity.
336
