Croatia, Slovenia and Italy: Discovering Three Countries in 14 Days Filled With Rich History, Food and Wine

Celebration of a 14-day journey through three countries, beginning and ending in the capital city of Zagreb.

We took an evening flight out of Newark and it brought us into Zagreb before noon. We had one stop before (less than an hour in Vienna) and getting through the airport was easy as well as a quick turnaround for our rental car, too. We were able to check into Esplanade early with Fora perks. Just a short freshen-up and leave luggage as we wanted to see so much before dark. There was a nice bottle of red wine and chocolates waiting for us in the room. Zagreb is totally walkable. Head over to King Tomislav Square, which is truly the town's centre. It was filled with many school kids hanging out socially as well as those using public transportation. From here, head over to the Croatian Association of Fine Arts. Right on the corner is Dolcinotti Café. Have pastry and espresso. This became a favorite spot for us, and their desserts are sinful.

We then took a stroll through Zrinjevac Park. The trees are spectacular, and the park is well-maintained. We then ventured over to the Croatian National Theatre as well as The Well of Life, which is just outside the theatre. I was deeply moved by this sculpted well and the architecture of the theater and the preservation work going on at the time of our stay. After our many hours of exploration, we headed back to freshen up for dinner at one of the many restaurants inside our hotel. Zinfandel had a private event going on, so we enjoyed our meal at Esplanade 1925bar Zagreb. Very enjoyable and my new fav cocktail is now a Hugo (must try).

After an amazing night’s sleep (the mattress and pillows knocked me out) head down for the breakfast buffet that is out of this world! Esplanade is known for being one of the top spots to try strukli (though I was not a fan).

Walk through Zrinjevac Park again on the way over to Jelacic Square with lots of shops. This is another popular square, and the colors of the buildings alternate in rustic pastels. Venture up the hill to Zagreb Cathedral. It was not accessible as it is still being repaired from the 2020 earthquake. Then off we went to take a ride on the funicular up to Saint Mark’s Church. Unfortunately, we could not enter this as well. So, we strolled down the hill over to Stone Gate, and this is an active religious site, so we did not take photos out of respect for the families in prayer.

If you have seen the new movie Canary Black with Kate Beckinsale on Netflix, she leaves the scene from Stone Gate in a sports car. After watching this movie, I couldn’t stop with “I was where she was standing!”- lol! We then headed through Upper Town, Gornji Grad and walked back to Esplanade to get ready for dinner at Restoran Vinodol Zagreb. This building is rich in history as well and has a story dating back to the 19th century.

After departing Zagreb, we headed WNW approx. two-and-half-hour car ride to Ljubljana, the dragon city. We arrived at Grand Hotel Union. Our room was already set up for us for an early check in like we did in Zagreb, dropped our luggage, quickly freshened up and off we went. We had a beautiful fruit tray waiting for us. Our walk to the center square was only 170 meters to Preseren Square. And this historic view, with the beautiful pink Franciscan Church of the Annunciation as a focal point, followed by a statue of France Preseren himself (famous Slovene poet). Not sure which direction to head off in? It is overwhelming as you have the Triple Bridge right here as well as other streets, so your paths are endless. So, what did we opt for but the middle bridge, which headed us off to Mesnti Trg (which is the Town Hall) and a lovely view of the Robba Fountain. The clock tower is just stunning. But I was on a mission and had to find Fetiche Patisserie for the famous dragon roll I had coming up in my Instagram feed.

I love pistachios and this pastry did not disappoint. This street, as well as others, are filled with so many shops and restaurants. I just had to stop at the Dragon Shop for my souvenirs and brought back these adorable dragon ornaments as gifts. Find the famous kangaroo water fountain on your walk right near the puppet theatre. We found it humorous and not sure of the symbolism, but everyone was stopping. Ljubljana has so many bridges, and all of them have history. You must stop for them all like Butcher’s Bridge with all the Love Locks, the Cobblers Bridge and the infamous Dragon Bridge. Did you know there are 20 dragons in total on this bridge!

As we headed back to our hotel to get ready for dinner, we took a stroll along Stari Trg (a notable street to see) lined with more shops and restaurants. Our concierge had set us up for dinner at MOST. Amazing! And I strongly suggest the Lamb Shank with Idrijski žlikrofi (little potato dumplings).

What a fantastic breakfast buffet this hotel has to offer. Breakfasts are a must as I tend to skip lunch. On we went over to the funicular and started our morning at Ljubljana Castle. The lines get long fast, so be there first to get your tickets. Amazing views of the city and we did a self-guided tour. After we came back down, we made sure to see all the offerings of the central market: foods, souvenirs, clothes, chocolates and so much more.

A must-see is Saint Nicholas Cathedral, where the interior will just leave you speechless. At many of the bridges, you can buy tickets to ride one of the river boats. We spent an hour on the Ljubljana River, and it does include an audio recording of the history in many languages. Stopped at Harat’s Irish Pub for a local pint and to warm up before we walked over to Metelkova for murals and mosaics. After an exhausting day, headed back to the hotel to change and get ready for dinner at Julija. You will need a reservation, so make sure to set up in advance. This is a popular spot for locals and travelers as well, too.

Depart for Trieste, Italy and along the way visit Predjama Castle, Skocjan Caves and Lipica Stud Farm!

We made three stops on our way to Italy. Predjama Castle is a must for anyone in this country. Holding the Guiness Book of Records oldest cave castle! We viewed this for around two hours and made sure to check the opening times as the hours change in the offseason, and we arrived an hour before opening. You are provided with audio devices to allow you to explore the history of this majestic castle. There is a ticket combo you can purchase to see Postojnska Caves, and this is a train ride through a cave system.

We opted to see Skocjan Caves, and this is a long walking tour. Breathtaking! A very long walk can take you 2–3 hours for this one, but it is totally worth it. Mind you, they tell you not to take photos and you should be respectful of the guidelines. I know everyone wants that Instagram photo, but your safety should come first as it is wet, steep and dark. After getting back to our car, we ventured on to see Lipica Stud Farm. We are horse owners, and our daughter competes in Hunter/ Jumper shows.

One of her favorite breeds is the Lipizzaner, and we made sure to get lots of photos and videos to share with her. We learned the history of their breeding farm dating back to the 1580’s and had the opportunity to meet the stallions and even pet them. Trieste was less than 30 minutes away. We arrived early in the evening around dinner time. Our room was so beautiful and had a bottle of chilled Prosecco waiting for us. The room had a balcony to watch the sun set as we entered. We dined at the Savoy Restaurant there at the hotel and called it a day.

Woke up and enjoyed yet another amazing breakfast buffet. This one stole the show for me with the honeycomb tray. We do not get to eat this in the US like this. I love honey, so this was a winner. After breakfast, we headed on our excursion with our map of the city, taking us first to Piazza Della Borsa Square. From here we were able to view the Unity of Italy Square, Fountain of the Four Countesses and the City Hall.

We continued to the Grand Canal and took a photo with James Joyce Statue. It was a day of people watching, viewing many shops and leaving with purchases to bring home. After a few pauses, we made our way up the Giants Stairway and found our way over to the Arch of Riccardo. Another day in the books, and this leads us to dinner at Imperatore Champagneria & Vineria. My husband had made our reservation here using ChatGPT in Italian. Well, I must let you know. No one at this restaurant speaks English. We got through dinner using Google Translate and the owner was so patient with us. One of the best meals so far on this trip. Filled with lots of fresh seafood.

After enjoying breakfast, we headed off in our car for a day trip to see three locations not located close by. We started our morning first at Miramare Castle. Stunning! You should spend a few hours here and see more than the main castle, as there are other buildings included on the grounds. We then headed to Duino Castle and just to make note: you must find side-street parking and walk to the entrance. You can buy just a ticket for the main castle or a combo for the main and small. We opted not to walk over to the little castle. The views at the top out over the sea are well worth the climb.

There is a sign that shows you can see Slovenia and Croatia from this viewpoint. We then headed over to the Temple of Monte Grisa. This is an active church and was in mass during our time of visit. You can see this church from the city of Trieste and from our hotel window as it is at the top of a hill. After a short rest, we proceeded to do some more shopping and then visit the Serbian Orthodox church St Spyridon. Just beautiful. Then over to dinner at Osteria El Cassettin. This is another seafood restaurant.

Goodbye to Trieste and now heading back into Slovenia to spend time in one of their port cities: Piran. Only locals can have their cars in the center. We left our car at one of the parking garages and walked down the hill into town. We came right into Tartini Square, and his statue is the focal point with the city hall behind it. Stroll along the sea to Piran’s lighthouse and then stop back in the square to have a small lunch and cappuccino at Zizola Café Bar. Then walk the walls of Piran with its seven gates as well as see St George’s cathedral and bell tower.

I wish we had spent two full days here but rushed through this town and will come back. We had a reservation for a wine tour at Kozlovic Winery, located in Buje, Croatia. Down a windy road to a magnificent family vineyard boasting pride and delivering excellent vintages. We completed the tasting tour as well as viewed the cellar. What a magnificent time. Our evening destination brought us back to the coast, where we spent the evening in Porec, Croatia. Our accommodation was at BO Hotel Porec Palazzo, and they prepared a candlelight dinner at the restaurant, Ritzi Porec.

Our room had a very large balcony and the view was amazing. There was an island right off from our hotel. We had another breakfast buffet to enjoy before we explored Porec and then off to Rovinji. First stop was a walk in the rain to Euphrasian Basilica. This was beautiful, and the climb to the top of the bell tower was winding. Had to stop a few times and was thankful no one was behind me. Well worth the climb as the views are epic. After a little over an hour here, we headed to Marafor Square, then to the Church of Our Lady of the Angels. We were not able to have our vehicle in the city and had to have the hotel take us back to the assigned lot.

Heading to Rovinj. Again, another city where you must park and walk as it is a car-free zone. The colors of the building and flowers are likely why it is so romantic here. We made the climb to get to the Church of St Euphemia and its bell tower. It is a steep walk, and one should watch their footing with all the cobblestones. Make sure to walk over to Ulica Grisia, another notable street, as well as cross under Babi’s Arch.

We got back on the road again which led us to the municipality of Fažana and Marčeta Winery. Language barrier again as owner spoke only Croatian, Italian and German. My husband knew some German and they hit it off. We left with six brandies and olive oil. The wines were lovely too, but we were holding out for our last vineyard in a few days.

To close out our day in the beautiful city of Pula, we had dinner reservations that were highly recommended from our hotel at Backyard. We also encountered restaurants closed for the season traveling this late in the year. Make sure to plan in advance. Very nice dinner.

What better way to start your first stop but at the Pula Arena.! We continued our walk along the water and over to the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which was closed. Snapped some exterior photos and headed down to the Pula Forum and I entered the Temple of Augustus. Amazing how an archaeologist had it rebuilt after it was almost destroyed by a bomb raid in 1944. We continued walking the streets of Pula and found our way to the Arch of Sergii.

Then passed the Gate of Hercules as well as the Twin Gate before we started our climb to the Pula Citadel. From the top view point, we were able to see the little Roman Theatre. When we were done with this trip, we proceeded to use the elevator into the underground tunnel system called Zerostrasse. Very cool! Another long walking day, so we headed back to get ready for our dinner reservations at La Perla Pula.

After checking out of the hotel, my husband decides to add a spontaneous road trip and do some off-roading at Kamenjak National Park. So happy he did. The views were so beautiful with the water and small islands in the background. We originally had plans to do an olive oil tasting and tour of the olive grove at Chiavolon, but it was now harvesting season and could no longer fulfill the request. We did still take them up on stopping at the olive oil tasting room. We tasted some fresh-pressed oil (the crop they were harvesting now) as well as previous bottles.

We left with some new harvest as it was more peppery and bolder. Off to our last wine event: Benvenuti Vineyard for wine tasting. This was such a great time as we bonded with three other couples, which made the whole experience so much more enjoyable. This is a must-see vineyard! While on our way to our hotel, we had to stop at the Motovun photo op spot. And of course, sit in Joe the Giant’s seat. Motovun is also another city where travelers cannot enter with their cars. We left our car at the designated location and the hotel picked us up and took us to the castle we were staying at. This is heaven. The views are like a fairytale, and our room was part of it. Pinch me! We were able to get in for dinner at Konoba Mondo and had the most delightful experience with the staff as well as the food. Truffles were not lacking, that’s for sure.

Yet again, another satisfying breakfast buffet. This is the first place where scrambled eggs were loaded with truffles. I had to go back for seconds. Next stop, Opatija. We headed on the road. When we arrived at our hotel, they allowed us to park our car in the garage and brought our bags up to the store until our room was ready. The concierge gave us a city map so we could start our visits. We enjoyed walking the Lungamore Promanade, stopping to view the Maiden with the seagull, entered the Church of St Jacob and window-shopped our way back to check in. After getting our room situated, we ventured up the hill to see the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

On our walk up, we ran into the woman from Kozlovic's winery who gave us our tour. She highly recommended Restaurant Ruzmarin, and we were able to get in for dinner.

We checked out of our hotel early in Opatija. We did not have breakfast here as we had other plans — to have brunch at our secret spot, Taverna Vidikovac in Kostrena, Croatia. We ate here last year and very much enjoyed the food. Beautiful view of the waterway and town below. Then off to one of our favorite cities, Rijeka. There is something about this city. We could not wait to get back. And my love of central markets! I found my same lady selling her chocolate hazelnut-filled donuts and just had to get one. It was different now. Buildings that were being restored last year we could now get into, and new ones and roads are being repaired now.

Some areas were fenced off, but new paths were set up for you to get around. A few hours to fill our hearts back up and off to Zagreb. It’s less than an hour drive, so we passed through the town of Karlovac on our way. We spent our last evening again at the Esplanade. It was neat to stay on a different side of this hotel to see views we did not see the first two nights here. Finale dinner at the Restoran Korcula. You guessed it. More fish and seafood. Just can’t get enough.