Croatia – 3 fabulous location you must visit & a dip into Piran Slovenia

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Driving from Slovenia into Croatia 

On one of our European excursions, we drove from Slovenia to Croatia via the E751 Hwy. Note….make sure to have your passports handy. You will have to go through a border check upon entering Croatia from Slovenia via the  E751road. Here is the website to prepare you for what will be checked.  https://www.policija.si/eng/areas-of-work/state-border-control/border-control . It was not a big deal and we were through in about fifteen minutes. 

 

First Stop – Piran Slovenia 

We made a pitstop in Piran Slovenia because I read in a book, The New York Times 36 hours 125 weekends in Europe, that there was a great lunch spot and it overlooked the water, served one of my favorite Gins, Monkey 37 and offered a quaint visit through town. It made for a perfect 2 hour stop and the pitstop did not disappoint. I would recommend that you stay longer if you can. Visit the San Giorgio Church, walk the promenade, and climb the bell tower. It is a small town with a lot of charm, we will need to go back.

 

 

 

 

 

Tip:  When leaving Piran and making your way to Rovinj, make sure to have your passports handy. You will have to go through a border check upon entering Croatia from Slovenia via the  E751road. Here is the website to prepare you for what will be checked.  https://www.policija.si/eng/areas-of-work/state-border-control/border-control . It was not a big deal and we were through in about fifteen minutes. 

 

 

Second Stop – Rovinj, Croatia 

A beautiful fishing port, steeped in history, on the west coast of the Istrian peninsula. It offered breathtaking sunset views, restaurants with super fresh seafood, quaint shops, cobblestone alleys, stone archways, brightly painted buildings and a great secret bar that sits along the waters edge. The port at night is breathtaking so be sure to take it all in. 

 

Suggestion: Make the first stop at the tourist Board Rovinj-Rovigno, they are super helpful and informative about what is happening around the town. They offer great suggestions of restaurants, can help you book some tours and even help you find a place to stay if you are like us and gambling on a place without booking in advance. Yes, sometimes we do that and somehow it always works out perfectly for us. More about that later. 

 

Tips: Wander the cobblestone streets of old town, dip in and out of the shops and turn down alleys that lead you to the water. Some of the shops offer samples of the local wine and cheeses. You might even wander upon a farmers market like we did. During our walk, we discovered a small art studio that produced some of the most beautiful paintings and at a reasonable cost. Want to sunbathe? There are some public beaches or like us find Plaza Balota, sit on the rocks and get sun soaked. In early evening, drink, make your way to Mediterraneo Bar, situated on the rocks on the most famous street there called Santa Croce.. Note: The picture that is on the cover of my website is the view from that spot. If you love sardines and oysters then you are in for a treat and if you are lucky like us, you will wander upon a fisherman on the main dock grilling up his fresh catch of sardines. (The picture to this particular blog is of him grilling). Do you prefer an elegant restaurant with excellent food and superb views? Then make a reservation at Restaurant Tramonto and eat, you will be in for a treat. 

 

 

Third Stop – Motovun, Croatia

 

This was the day we were most excited about because, we love wine and truffles and this is a truffle paradise. We did not hunt for truffles,  but if we went back I would definitely book a truffle hunting tour. I am so curious how the dog can find such a delicacy under the soil.  

 

The drive from Rovinj is beautiful. We hit up some wineries along the way, to purchase and taste as recommended by our apartment host. Note: you will need a driver that is designated not to drink. 

 

Along the drive from Rovinj to Motovun you will find several Photo Op- Picturesque pitstop and places to enjoy as you wind up the road.

 

 

 

Here are some suggestions: 

 
One of the tastiest wines we enjoyed and purchased was on our first stop: 
 
 
We did a classic wine tasting and it was one of the best decisions. 
 
Next stop was: 
 
They are a food producer and has a shop that offered  jars of truffles along with a lot of other goodies to “take home”.  I believe they also have a restaurant but we did not stop there. The cool thing is that they have, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, found the largest white truffle, world record, 1.31KG and it is on display in their shop.

 

 
Lunch stop in Motovun:
 
We went there because I am a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain and he had lunch here. I had to taste what all they hype was about and I pleasantly surprised, it was delicious. 
 
 
 
After lunch we enjoyed walking the town of Motovun. I had to stop and buy some of the local Istrian Pršut (prosciutto),
 
 
Then it was back on the roat to hit up some more wineries as this region offers some of the best and hard to get.  We discovered a great organic winery:  
 
 
They produce some organic wines and bury some of the wines in the Amphora production. We were quite impressed with the production, the staff and the wines were so flavorful.
 
 
 
 
 
This next winery was, probably one of my favorites, 
 
 
 
 
 
After these tastings we hit up a great place for dinner, that was recommended by a local and it was not only quaint but the food was very enjoyable. It was called 
Konoba Stari podrum. The link was underconstruction when I tried to add it so look it up and visit, you will NOT be dissapointed. 
It is right down the street from Kozlovic Winery. 
 
 

 

Forth Stop Cres, Croatia 

Cres, you ask? Yes! While we were in Slovenia, we did a bit of research and discovered that the best lamb you will ever eat can be found on the island of Cres—and it did not disappoint. 

We stayed at Hotel Kimen, where the price was just right and the setting was absolutely lovely, nestled within a fragrant pine forest. From the hotel, it was an enjoyable and easy walk into town along the promenade. Bikes were available to rent, which allowed us to explore a large part of the island at our own pace. The staff was wonderful and helpful, and the rooms were clean and comfortable—things that are especially important to us.

While on Cres, we booked a full-day boat tour, and it was nothing short of magical. Our captain took us to Lubenice Beach, where we swam and soaked in the pristine, crystal-clear waters. As we enjoyed our time in the sea, the captain prepared a delicious lunch of freshly cooked fish and vegetables right on the boat. Local wine perfectly complemented the meal, making the experience even more special. After lingering a bit longer in the sunshine, we continued on to Zaglav Island, where we stayed aboard and admired the breathtaking beauty as we slowly cruised past. I highly recommend taking a boat tour—there are plenty to choose from, and it’s an unforgettable way to experience the island.

For dinner, we were guided to a small, family-owned local spot called Bistro Melin. The seafood was incredibly fresh, the portions were very fair, and the owners were just as delightful as the meal itself.

Above all, take time to slow down, take it all in, and simply enjoy the natural beauty of Cres. It’s the kind of place that invites you to linger just a little longer.