The Balkans Redux - Sarajevo, Croatia and Slovenia (multiple posts)

On the last full day, I decided to take a full-day tour to Mostar with Insider Tours that included stops in Konjic, Kravice Falls, Potecjei, Blagaj and Mostar. This is a standard itinerary it seems, though I chose Insider over FunkyTours because they listed it as 10hrs versus Funky’s 12hrs. Insider’s itinerary also had it listed with Mostar first, while Funky’s had Mostar last. In the end, our tour with Insider reached 12 hrs and Mostar was last to avoid traffic. All the stops were interesting, and if you’re there, like why not. But we spent too much time in one place and not enough in another, Mostar mainly. At Blagaj, the guide offered the time for us to visit the restaurant, etc. and we were all like “can we just go to Mostar already?” Originally, we would have had a half hour in Mostar, but this bought us another good 30 minutes plus. I have a real hard time with this day. Was it worth it? Ultimately, what little I got from Mostar left me flat. I found the main drag to be a miserable touristy crush with a big bus tour making its way through even at 4pm. I walked to the old mosque and back and that was basically it. But it was enough in a way. I felt like, if you weren’t going to spend the night and chill in one of the shady riverside hideaways then an hour might be enough really. But if that’s true, do you even need the night? I think my opinion was skewed coming from Sarajevo. If Mostar is your side-trip from Dubrovnik, you might appreciate the “culture shock.” While our guide did an incredible job getting us around, his content as a guide was pretty lightweight. All in all it was a rough day, but a fascinating look at the Bosnian countryside. I think I was more taken with the striking countryside, the gleaming emerald Neretva River, and the endless little lake and inlets swarming with recreational boats. Typical Bosnia, not what you’d expect.

Lowlight: The cable car up to Mt. Trebevic was cool with amazing views. Knowing my tour the next day included a stop at the bobsled track, I wasn’t sure if I should bother but it was RIGHT THERE. The bobsled track is a sliding scale of sunken cost fallacy and the law of diminishing returns. Before you know it, you have been hiking quite far and steeply downhill. So much so that going back up seems crazy. I kept going. The bobsled track is a graffiti park not a street art park though, and it really doesn’t have the same impact. When I got to the end, I realized I had so much farther to go. While this is one of things people say you can do (and I guess I did) you just don’t want to walk to town from here. It was a long, and unmarked way along steep goat paths and an ancient stone road to the first vestiges of civilization. I was fortunate that I had whipped myself into decent shape and that this was early enough for me to recover. 3/10 would never again. One of the only real mistakes on the trip.

Zagreb - 2 nights
I had a turboprop flight from Sarajevo to Zagreb at 4pm that cost $100. This was so smooth and easy that it’s gotten my mind running for future trips (and past ones!)

My second time through Zagreb and I am thoroughly behind this city. It’s very underappreciated, even by me it seems because I was only here for two nights. I stayed at Hotel Jagerhorn again. I’m not sure if its quality meets up with its price, but I love the location and took great advantage of their fine breakfast this time. There’s a direct path up to Gradec from the hotel also. I got into the terrific Museum of Naive Art and the not-so-terriffic City Museum. The City Museum must be the field trip all Croatian kids dread. Excellent dinner at Kravkaz across from the National Theatre, one of my favorite buildings anywhere. Idk, Zagreb has a real vibrancy and energy. I feel like they look at other cities like Ljubljana and go “why not us?!?!” and I’m inclined to agree. There’s STUFF HAPPENING. There was a free music program all week in one of the big parks. Last time through, I found a fun little neighborhood summer party/food truck spot. On a random summer Tuesday night, in sweltering heat, people were OUT. It’s a real live city and I just love it. This town deserves some respect and time on any itinerary.

Rovinj - 3 nights
Anyone who’s put together a Croatia itinerary knows what a tough nut it is to crack, and how much harder it gets with Istria in the mix. So I was glad to focus a little here, and finally see a place that Rick Steves frames so evocatively. That’s a talent the man has, and has led me to amazing places. Rovinj though? I think our collective imagery of Rovinj is something a lot more “back door” than the resort-y place it is. It’s closer to Dubrovnik than Korcula in a way. I can’t tell you how shocked I was when I stepped out for dinner into the mass of humanity on the streets. I really wondered if I had made a mistake. Thankfully, the town did quickly grow on me.

I stayed at Hey Rovinj apartments, an excellent modern accommodation with kicking AC that I recommend wholeheartedly. Great host as well, with plenty of solid recommendations and advice. While the town is fairly swarmed at most times, the bulk of it still mostly stays outside the old town streets. The tourist crowds seem almost exclusively European with a lot of Italians and Austrians. I think this helps the town retain its charm. There’s not much of a market for cheap trinkets, and so the shops trend towards Istrian food specialties, and arts and crafts. Where Rovijn really wins out is with its swimming areas and beaches. Imo they’re the best I experienced. Lots of fish and snorkeling, beautiful natural areas, and most of the beaches feature flat rock that drops into the sea for easy diving. They’re also blessedly free of sea urchins compared to the beaches in Dalmatia. The beaches in the old town were busy, but terrific. I also rented a bike for the day to explore the Golden Cape which was even better. The best was on Red Island, which is accessible by hotel ferry. The island has spectacular stone beaches with chaise lounges set out along the water. It was easy to find an isolated piece of beach and be completely alone. In town, Bar Mediterrano is an all-timer for me. It’s a small place right on the water with elevated cocktails. They could easily phone it in like their more famous neighbors, but they are doing the work. Great folks, superior cocktails. I also had one of my best meals of the trip at Twin Figs, a cozy little place tucked away in the old town. I went there for breakfast and dinner. It’s the kind of place you wish was in your neighborhood back home.

Piran - 3 nights
I had really come to appreciate Rovinj and worried that I’d regret trading time there for Piran, but Piran may have been the surprise hit of the trip. It was an easy Flixbus ride to Portoroz, with a cheap local bus to Piran. It seems like Piran is just far enough away from Portoroz that the resort crowd doesn’t much bother with it. The Venetian influence is strong and lends the backstreets tremendous character and charm. Piran is just lovely and chill, and I achieved complete relaxation. I stayed in Apartments Bevk, which was homey, comfortable and a bargain. They also had free bikes to use.

After the wonderful natural beaches of Rovinj, Piran’s concrete beachfront was initially a letdown. But the water was great, and I quickly took to the more social aspect of the scene. The bulk of my stay was spent laying on a slab or cooling off in the sea. I took a bike ride to the Lera salt pans one morning. The early sun was shaded much of the way, and it was a straightforward ride. The pans were interesting. I wouldn’t go too far out of the way for them though.

Fritolin Pri Cantini spoiled calamari for me forever. I want to revisit Piran just for more of that. Restaurant Pavel was also excellent. I also recommend Srebrna Villica for a more refined Italian dining experience. Their gnocchi was off the charts.

Skopjan and Soca in 24hrs

For the final leg, I picked up a rental car in Portoroz via Europcar. They don’t have an actual office/ lot there, their team seems to be mobile and service both Portoroz and Koper. It was a little weird and required some communication and a short wait. That aside, the process was pretty smooth and I was pleased.

I drove to Skopjan for an 11am entrance ticket purchased online. The cave was pretty amazing. However, the crowds were at peak and groups were large. We were moved through quickly. You can’t take any photos inside, which is a reasonable necessity. I just wish I had a shot at expressing how immense the spaces are to people. It ends up a very private experience that way.

I was fortunate to find an accommodation in Kobarid just a few weeks prior. Accommodations are thin around here, and seem to require multiple nights in season. On the way, I stopped at Kolovrat WWI Outdoor Museum. This was a highlight. The views over the valley are magnificent. The border cuts across the ridge allowing me a brief visit to Italy, no passport required. They’ve done an incredible job maintaining the trenches and emplacements. There was a docent there who told me more in detail, pointing out the imposing mountain range across the valley where men fought in impossible conditions on 2,000 meter peaks. It was a moving experience to contemplate the horror of the past amid the tranquil beauty of the present.

By the time I got to Kobarid, I was exhausted. I was staying at Apartment Mulino just a quick walk from town. My host was one of the kindest, most generous people I’ve ever met, even by Balkan standards. I must have looked ragged, because he offered me coffee (yes), a beer (yes), and homemade schnapps (hell yes.) I was hungry, and he insisted on driving me somewhere so I could have a beer and he could show me around. He drove me to an old Napoleon era bridge (not the one in the guidebook) where young folks were jumping off Mostar-style into the crystal clear river. He took us to a nearby campground for a solid pizza (he didn’t let me pay), and we had a great chat about everything. It also turned out that I was lucky, because my booking was an accident as he normally wouldn’t accommodate a single night. Rather than treat me like an inconvenience, he treated me like an old friend. Awesome guy.

I went to the Kobarid museum and the mausoleum on my way out of town the next morning. I messed up back backing out of the place though, and put a nasty scrape on the car bumper. I’ll never get on anyone’s case about not wanting to rent, because this sucked. In one second, I had made a $500 mistake. I tried to shake it off. The museum was interesting. There was a temporary exhibition highlighting the experience of POWs, with a series of very moving journal entries by a pair of prisoners. The mausoleum was one of those places that has long captured my imagination, and was part of why I was set on Kobarid. It was a fitting capstone to my visit here.

On the way out of town, I decided I had time for a quick hike to Slap Kozjac. It’s a great, easy trail and the waterfall was stunning. I literally gasped when it came into view. Well worth the detour. It was then on to Ljubljana. When Maps presented my route options I picked the most direct looking one, though the time was about the same. This ended up being a road that wound along a river and cut through hills. It was rather demanding and nerve wracking, just constant curves on a narrow road. I hate this sort of situation, because even when there’s an interesting or scenic spot you’re so wired that it’s impossible to manage a stop. Heading south to get on the main highway would have been better.

Ljubljana - 3 nights
The Europcar office is right by the train station and was easy enough. I stayed at Meščanka Apartments on my last trip and was eager to stay there again. The location is unbeatable. They also remodeled and raised their prices. I might have done a little better. Or maybe not, because Ljubljana was absolutely rocking. I’m afraid it has been well and truly discovered. The difference between this trip and my photos from 2023 is stark. There were easily twice the amount of people, almost exclusively tourists. It was a flip from 2023, when the crowds seemed exclusively local. Lots of young Americans around. I get the feeling it’s popular for summer study programs. Last trip, the little free electric tourist taxi was a curiosity, now there’s like a dozen of them. However, even with the increased crowds, it’s kind of impossible to not be swept off your feet by this town. It remains highly enjoyable. You just have to wonder if/when Ljubljana becomes a victim of its own success.

I was ready to relax, and check off a few things I had missed last trip. The Jose Plecnik house and museum was terrific. Sometimes these sort of places are kind of dull, but Plecnik was a real idiosyncratic character. Very engaging tour. I would also give the Slovenian Ethnography Museum high marks, though I was mostly interested in their temporary exhibition. I finally took a river boat ride and found it to be a drag. Being on the river actually disengages you from the streets and spaces so carefully designed by Plecnik. In a city center that’s so walkable, it’s super not worth it.

Another strong recommendation for the “Communist Walking Tour” which you can find online. It was another great experience getting the Slovenian perspective on Yugoslavia and their independence. Everyone in each of these countries had different experiences, and gaining that insight was the overall highlight of the trip. It’s simply invaluable.

I explored a little further this time and enjoyed the scene upriver at Park Spica and Sax Bar over on Eipprova Ulica. I had a coffee up on the “skyscraper” and it was fine, easy enough at least. I was also there for Ljubljana’s Friday Night Food Truck thing. It was super busy, but as far as these types of things go I thought it was one of the better ones. The ultimate highlight was catching a Russian Black Metal concert in the Metalkova complex. Total blast. The complex is pretty cool, though photos and tourist types are frowned upon.

And that… was that.

I really enjoyed reading your report. I was in this part of the world once. A very long time ago. It was still Yugoslavia. I should go back.

Great read! Thanks for writing this. I had my first trip to Piran this summer. Great place to “break” from vacation and relax.

Very nice report. Your writing style is engaging, and I like that you included the misses with the hits.

Sarajevo: I like it quite a bit. So much history and so many people who experienced it that are willing to share it. I was there in 2023 and hope to get back in 2026. I liked the bobsledding track, but it was part of a private tour with Funky Tours. I got driven there instead of walking there.

Piran: Loved it. A great 😊 place!

Skocjan Caves: Amazing. One of my favorite things I did in Slovenia.

Kobarid: Also great — enjoyed the WWI museum and the historical trail.

Ljubljana was a good experience for me, too. I had great guides there, too.

Zagreb: would love to see!

Rovinj: honestly, not high on my list.

Thanh’s for your report! I really enjoyed reading about your trip. Hope to go to Bosnia one day,

Love your report! There’s something special about Sarajevo….. And the rest of your stops will be new for me (when I get back that direction) except Ljubljana and Rovinj - but your report makes them feel new as well.

Sorry about the $500 incident, but as you say, it can happen in a split second. And what can we do but let it go. Otherwise sounds like a marvelous trip!