Viškovo – a place where tradition lives on
If you’re travelling through Croatia in search of great cultural experiences, then you should definitely visit Viškovo. Here you will be welcomed by a wide range of cultural attractions from the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Our gentle landscape invites active holidaymakers to go bike riding, and our walkways and hiking paths provide a perfect opportunity to escape the hectic pace of everyday life. The area’s restaurants, konoba-style taverns and pastry shops offer great culinary experiences, and local accommodation guarantees peace and pleasant dreams far from the summer crowds, with the vibrant city of Rijeka, the charming coastal resort of Opatija, the sea and beaches still close at hand.
The Municipality of Viškovo covers an area of 20 km2. It is located in a hilly area 10 kilometres northwest of Rijeka and at the same distance from Opatija, and only 20 km from the state border between Croatia and Slovenia. This is one of the local administrative units of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County that was part of the former Municipality of Rijeka before the Republic Croatia became independent. The Municipality of Viškovo was formed on 15 April 1993 by joining the two local communities of Viškovo and Marinići. This date is today celebrated as Municipality of Viškovo Day.
At the time when it was established, the Municipality of Viškovo had 6,918 inhabitants. The number had risen to 14,445 by 2011. The Municipality of Viškovo is the second most populated local administrative unit in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County after the City of Rijeka.
Good transport connections with Rijeka, the proximity of Opatija and the state border crossing with Slovenia, a beautiful landscape, and the advantages of living in a small community make Viškovo an attractive place to live where the benefits of modern life merge with traditional values.
The Municipality of Viškovo consists of several settlements whose borders generally correspond to former districts: Marinići (the most populated and fourth in size), Viškovo, Marčelji, Saršoni, Mladenići, Sroki and Kosi.
Viškovo
The administrative centre of the municipality is Viškovo. All the important amenities can be found on the main street: the community hall, post office, elementary school, kindergartens, library, healthcare centres, pharmacies, banks, church, tourist office, gas stations and a number of grocery stores and small businesses.
Marinići
Marinići is located in the southern part of the Municipality of Viškovo and borders the Škurinje, Pehlin and Zamet districts of the city of Rijeka. In the past, this area was known as Smokvarija because of its favourable conditions for growing fruit, especially figs (smokva in Croatian). Today, Marinići is home to many companies and manufacturers.
Marčelji
Marčelji is located alongside the main road in the northernmost part of the municipality at an altitude of 400 m. It includes the villages of Mavri, Garići, Klići, Benaši, Zorzići, Globići and Ronjgi. This area is home to the Halubajski zvončari bell ringers, whose carnival pageant is now part of the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage, as is two-part singing, which was first notated by Ivan Matetić of the village of Ronjgi.
Saršoni
Saršoni is the least populated area in the Municipality of Viškovo, located in its north-eastern part at the crossroads between the neighbouring area of Grobnik, the city of Rijeka, the Croatian-Slovenian border and the centre of Viškovo. Various educational and cycling trails can easily be reached from the villages of Lučići, Skvažići and Benčani
Mladenići
Mladenići is located on the main road which connects Saršoni and Viškovo. The forest paths in the hinterland are particularly worth exploring.
Sroki
Located in the western part of the municipality between Viškovo and Marčelji, this area includes the villages of Gornji and Donji Sroki, Valjani, Kudeji, Ferenci, Pešćići and Dovičići.
Kosi
Kosi stretches alongside an old road which connects Viškovo with the neighbouring town of Kastav, which was once the administrative centre of the area to which the present-day Municipality of Viškovo belonged until the mid-20th century.
