TPAYT

We started out in Zagreb at the Westin Hotel.
We were 12 people touring on a 42 passenger bus…lots of room to move around.

The Westin hotel was well located in the center of the city.
Good restaurant with a breakfast buffet. We also had a fish and chips lunch one day in the bar that was quite tasty.

On a walking tour our guide for the week, Danko, gave good commentary on the history of the city. It was raining slightly, but not enough to keep us inside.
We took the funicular up, also toured the old town, and then took a tram back to the hotel.

Dinner that evening was at a Croatian Beer Hall. Food was just OK in my opinion, meat was tough.

TPAYT

Next day it was off to Tito’s house. Yes, Tito was a communist but he did a lot for his people. At that time the choices were Nazi or communist.
The weather was beautiful and it was quite a charming village to visit.

Tito’s house

KarenWoo

Hi TPAYT,
Enjoying your report and photos! We visited Croatia, Slovenia, and Montenegro in 2019, and really loved it. I really like Zagreb; reminds me of a mini-Prague, and very different from Split and Dubrovnik. I like diversity in my travels.

What was your itinerary? Places you stayed and how many nights?

TPAYT

2 nights Westin Zagreb
2 nights Bled Rose Hotel
2 nights Hotel Miramare, Crikvenica
1 night Jezero Hotel, Plitvice Lakes
1 night Hotel Amphora Hotel, Split
3 nights Hotel Lapad, Dubrovnik

I will describe the hotels as I go along. (Bled Rose Hotel was exceptional)

TPAYT

That evening we drove from Zagreb to the Zagorje hills and dinner that was the best of our trip.

Greeted with a honey bourbon shot set the tone for the evening. Beautiful property, very friendly people, outstanding food, and a fantastic sunset.

Sunset from the terrace

Best meat of our trip and they sure eat a lot of meat

Restaurant

View from the terrace

TPAYT

Moving on to Ljubljana we had a walking tour, some shopping, and lunch.


Interesting architecture of Ljubljana

TPAYT

Great shopping in Ljubljana. Pandora charms, beautiful crystal and lace shops, fantastic chocolate shop and tasty dark chocolate with lots of salt in it.
Lunch was so-so followed by a ride back to our bus


Goat cheese stater, very good

Pork, very tough

Apple strudel served at every meal

Ride back to the bus

First of many AperoL Spritzes



42 passenger bus for only 12 of us in our group

Lots of room to move around

TPAYT

Moving on, the drive through the Slovenian Alps to Bled was memorable.


Slovenian Alos near Mt. Blanc





Stopped for a bite to eat in this beautiful countryside



Restaurant with outside seating

Yummy cream cake and tasty, eye appealing lavender drink

TPAYT

Now for the best hotel of our trip.


Bled Rose Hotel
Looks kind of plain, modern, and maybe a bare lobby

NOT!

What a surprise when you walk into the lobby



across from the front desk

Look at this restaurant….color everywhere Congratulations to the decorator of this fun space

Fluffy trees, monkeys hanging in them

A delight to the eye in all directions



Breakfast buffet in a jungle


Lemon trees and monkeys

View from the hotel

The rooms were modern, somewhat plain, but that fantastic lobby made you want to sty awhile

PegS

Great photos! We finally made it to Dubrovnik (walked the Walls this morning!) and had reluctantly dropped Zagreb from our itinerary in favor of a more leisurely trip.

TPAYT

PegS….lucky you could walk the walls. Our experience in Dubrovnik was the worst of our trip. I’ll explain when I get to it at the end of our stay.

PegS

Oh no!

TPAYT

Perfect weather for a Plenta boat ride on Lake Bled. Visiting the 500 yr. old church was on the adgenda. Legend has it that if you ring the huge bell in front of the altar, your wish will come true.



Island in Lake Bled, Slovenia

Plenta boat

Ringing the wishing bell

Rowing to the island

TPAYT

Radovljica……charming town with dinner at Gostilna Lectar restaurant and gingerbread museum.

Fun tour of gingerbread making


Restaurant and gingerbread museum

TPAYT

Dinner show, dancing and interesting, tasty food.

Traditional dancing

Dinner starter

Mushroom bread bowl

Filled with mushroom soup

Main dish

Assortment of desserts
Lots of wine to go with….a good time was had by all

KarenWoo

Enjoying your photos! That's too bad you didn't have a good experience in Dubrovnik. Do you have a favorite place on this trip? What tour company did you use?

TPAYT

Next up was a train ride and walk through Postojna Caves.
Very interesting but crowded and steep inclines up and down for the walk.

TPAYT

From the caves we drove to Crikvenica and the Miramare Hotel for 2 nights. Pleasing hotel with a delightful buffet for dinner and breakfast.

A full day on the Istrian Penninsula. Beautiful weather for a visit to the arena.at Pula


Arena at Pula above


Around the town of Pula


With our guide Dina

TPAYT

Lunch and shopping in Rovinj followed by a stunning drive back to Crikvenica.



Rovinj promanade

Rovinj

Along the coast


Arriving in Crikvenica


Just steps from the Hotel Miramare we had one of our best dinners of the trip.


Bistro Corso

Starting out with peach Bellinis our waiter, Dejan, helped with our menu choices. The salads were gorgeous (after all you eat with your eyes first so they say)
Excellent wine choices, truffle pasta, seafood pasta, everything was delish.
Dejan brought the owner, Vedran, over to say hello. Both of them spent time chatting. Funny and informative, a good time was had by all. The blueberry liquor shots were a fun way to end the evening.
If you are ever in Crikvenica make Corso a must on your itinerary.




Sunset in Crikvenica in front of Miramare Hotel and Bistro Corso next door

TPAYT

Rain, rain, go away!
Cloudy, rainy drive to Plitvice Likes National Park and the Jezero Hotel. Thankfully this was a one night stop.
Probably beautiful on a sunny day, not so much in the pouring rain.




The Jezero Hotel is gigantic. That night the buffet was the only choice. Seemed like hundreds of people pushing to get to the horrible food. An experience I would not like to repeat.