Farewell to Croatia and Slovenia: Burek, Castles, and a Perfect Send-Off”

Today we headed to Ljubljana Slovenia and tomorrow we fly home.

We thoroughly enjoyed Zagreb!

Before departing from the beautiful city of Zagreb, there was one more Croatian dish we had to try. As dedicated “Somebody Feed Phil” fans, it felt like sacrilege to leave without tasting a “burek”. This flaky pastry, filled with meat, potato, or cheese, is a staple at nearly every bakery in our Zagreb neighborhood (and there are many!).

Our local bakery of choice

We grabbed takeaway meat and potato bureks for breakfast, and they were just as delicious as promised.

It was a quick two-hour drive from Zagreb to Ljubljana, where we settled into our hotel early and set off to explore Slovenia’s charming capital.

Our hotel is in downtown Ljubljana and it’s another charming place with a history.

Our host, the owner, is the 3rd generation to own the hotel. It belonged to her grandmother in the early 1930’s and was originally a restaurant. After WW2 it was taken by the government and eventually, our host’s mother had an opportunity to buy the place back. It’s now a very nice hotel, coffee shop and lounge (that had a jazz trio playing last night).

Our first stop was the Ljubljana Castle and its small, intriguing museums, including the quirky Puppet Museum. Puppetry has strong cultural significance in Slovenia, and the exhibits gave us a glimpse into this art form.

The views from the castle tower were breathtaking, offering a panorama of the city and the surrounding areas we’ve explored by foot and by car over the past month.

After the castle, we took a break for some people-watching over a refreshment.

We’ve noticed a curious fashion trend—lots of long tan trench coats over black pants, worn mostly by women. At one outdoor bar, we counted at least 20 people sporting this look!

How many tan trench coats can you spot in this photo?

For our last dinner of the trip, we treated ourselves to something special. A few days ago, we dined at Hiša Franko, and tonight we tried the chef’s more casual spinoff restaurant in Ljubljana. Sitting at the bar, we had front-row seats to the kitchen and enjoyed chatting with the chefs and bartender. The food and experience were top-notch.

Tomorrow, we head back to reality. This trip has been incredible, filled with walking, delicious food, stunning landscapes, and the richness of diverse cultures. Of everywhere we’ve visited, Slovenia holds a special place in our travel-addicted hearts, and we can’t wait to return.

Nasvídenje Slovenia 🇸🇮!

Thanks to our family and friends for following along on this adventure!

Jen & Bob