Across the Border

The Wine Guy: A Journey Through the Wines of Banat and Romania

By the time the fourth glass was poured, it became clear that Romanian wine is not a story you can understand from a supermarket shelf. It is a story of regions, traditions interrupted by communism, forgotten grape varieties, and passionate people trying to reconnect the pieces. Few places tell that story better than The Wine Guy in Timișoara. Tucked away in the elegant streets of Romania's westernmost major city, The Wine Guy is part wine shop, part classroom, and part livin

Vedran Obućina

Jun 244 min read

Wine Heaven of Slovenian Jerusalem

If you are looking for the perfect weekend getaway that combines top-notch wines, fabulous vineyards, great food, and heritage, then Jerusalem, Slovenia, should be high on your travel list. This picturesque wine-growing region in eastern Slovenia has become increasingly popular among Croatian travelers in recent years, and for a very simple reason – it offers an authentic wine-and-gastronomy experience at affordable prices, without the crowds and tourist hustle and bustle. Th

Alma Premerl Zoko

Jun 65 min read

Spring and Summer on Bjelašnica

As the city's asphalt heats up and the most popular summer destinations soon become overcrowded, more and more travelers are turning to a different concept of vacation: one that chooses peace over crowds, nature over concrete, and a complete reset over hustle and bustle. The mountains are no longer reserved only for winter; spring and summer have transformed them into a new definition of luxury with a focus on fresh air, wellness, active vacations, and the silence of nature.

Alma Premerl Zoko

Jun 44 min read

Brežice and Bizeljsko - wine, nature and peace

Brežice and Bizeljsko are a perfect day trip destination from continental Croatia, especially for those who want to quickly escape from everyday life, reset and have a good time. You do not need a Slovenian vignette for this trip if you stay on local roads and border areas, which further makes it an easy and affordable trip. The destination is made special by its heritage, quiet urban pace, proximity to nature and a sense of relaxation while sitting on the terraces of restaur

Alma Premerl Zoko

Jun 46 min read

Lipica - Where Lipizzan Horses, Fine Wines and Timeless Landscapes Meet

Just over two hundred kilometers from Zagreb, on the border of Slovenia and Italy, lies the Karst plateau of Kras. It is a destination that uniquely combines natural beauty, rich tradition, and an authentic way of life, attracting a large number of tourists from all over the world for years. What makes Kras so popular and why has it recently attracted more and more Croatian travelers? This landscape, shaped by stone, wind, and changeable weather, is known for its dry stone wa

Alma Premerl Zoko

Jun 34 min read

Casa Bunicii - A Taste of Memory

In the ever-evolving culinary landscape of Timișoara, where contemporary bistros and international concepts increasingly shape the dining scene, Casa Bunicii remains a deeply comforting reminder that gastronomy is often most meaningful when rooted in local memory. The restaurant’s very name, “Grandmother’s House,” evokes warmth, familiarity, and a slower rhythm of life, and stepping through its doors feels less like entering a fashionable establishment and more like arriving

Vedran Obućina

May 275 min read

Digital detox in Jezersko

Jezersko in Slovenia offers what many people seek today — an escape from noise, eco-luxury without excess, and a hotel that has become synonymous with silence, nature, and an authentic mountain experience. Located just half an hour’s drive from Ljubljana, in the heart of northern Slovenia, it sits at nearly 1,000 metres above sea level. Surrounded by the peaks of the Kamnik–Savinja Alps and green valleys that awaken in full force during spring, Jezersko is a destination that

Alma Premerl Zoko

May 124 min read

Gastronomy in the Castles of Posavje

Do you love castles—their history, but also the modern transformations that have turned former fortresses into irresistible museums, galleries, and restaurants? Then don’t miss the first Posavje Castles Festival in our neighbouring region. The festival brings together as many as eight castles in Slovenia, located just a few dozen kilometres from Zagreb and accessible even without a vignette. Everything begins on 10 April at Sevnica Castle with a concert and a night-time tour,

Alma Premerl Zoko

Apr 286 min read

Gastronomy Experience of Fruška Gora

The beautiful Fruška Gora has for years attracted gastronomes eager to experience outstanding cuisine in the midst of unspoilt nature, hidden farmsteads, wineries, and restaurants. If you are among lovers of fine food, Syrmia in Vojvodina—just 350 km from Zagreb and 100 km from Osijek—has much to offer. Here, dishes are crafted at the intersection of tradition and modernity, wineries present excellent local wines, and prices are considerably more accessible than those many vi

Alma Premerl Zoko

Mar 303 min read

How to make chocolate with pork cracklings?

At the XOCOC chocolate shop in Ptuj, you can learn how to make chocolate with pork cracklings! A fantastic experience and great fun. In the heart of Ptuj, the oldest town in Slovenia and the holder of the European Heritage Champion title for 2026, you will find XOCOC. Pronounced Sho-ko, the name belongs to the sweetest place in Ptuj—a small boutique chocolate shop that opened a few years ago and where you can taste and purchase handmade pralines every day. Modern travellers f

Alma Premerl Zoko

Mar 153 min read

Mountain kingdom of Bohinj Cheese

Just three hours’ drive from Zagreb, hidden in the heart of Triglav National Park, lies Bohinj – Slovenia’s winter paradise that combines a crystal-clear lake, Alpine peaks and unforgettable nature trails that are fascinating all year round. Triglav National Park protects this magical valley with 84,000 hectares of unspoilt nature – from waterfalls to high-mountain pastures that turn into ski slopes in winter. Bohinj is not overcrowded like some similar destinations – here pe

Alma Premerl Zoko

Mar 154 min read

Slovenian štruklji Jezersko, worldwide known bite for which we have a recipe

The gastronomic story on a Slovenian plate is told through compact schnitzels, refined sauces and štruklji. Unlike in Croatia, where štrukle are a dish in their own right, traditionally served in clay pots or in soup, Slovenian štruklji resemble pale, delicate roulades that melt in the mouth as you mix them with sauces and meat. There is hardly a home cook who does not have her own recipe for štruklji (most often passed down from generation to generation), and besides secret

Alma Premerl Zoko

Jan 273 min read

Sweet by Nature: Exploring Egypt’s Date Traditions

In Egypt, dates are never just dates. They are history you can snack on, hospitality you can hold in your palm, and a reminder that some ingredients come with a biography longer than most civilizations. With its sun-soaked climate, fertile Nile Valley, and millennia of agricultural know-how, Egypt has become one of the world’s leading producers of dates. From Pharaonic times to modern iftar tables during Ramadan, dates have marked moments of nourishment, welcome, and ritual.

Ahmed M.M. Saleh

Jan 253 min read

From soldier to world-famed herbalist - meet Tanja Rebolj

Tanja Rebolj, a former professional soldier who swapped her uniform for a basket of herbs, now creates world-renowned liqueurs from as many as 300 medicinal plants grown in the unspoilt nature of Zgornje Jezersko. Mučenik, Brisalec Spomina, Koroški Antigripin, Jaga Baba – these unique liqueurs are crafted according to secret recipes that Tanja has been developing for 20 years, transforming alpine flora into her brand and into irresistible drinks and souvenirs that captivate n

Alma Premerl Zoko

Jan 203 min read

Cairo Eats: The Culinary Story of Stuffed Pigeons

Our search for stuffed pigeon in Cairo began with mild confidence and ended, several hours later, with a kind of amused humility. “Hamam mahshi?” we asked eagerly, pronouncing it with the optimism of people who had clearly practiced the phrase too many times in advance. Taxi drivers nodded politely, waiters smiled encouragingly, and several menus seemed to promise everything except the one dish we were after. At one point, a well-meaning local assured us that yes, pigeons exi

Vedran Obućina

Jan 113 min read

Koshary - The Egyptian Classic at Abou Tarek

Koshary is Egypt’s most iconic comfort food, a hearty vegetarian dish built from a base of rice, lentils and macaroni, generously crowned with a spiced tomato sauce, chickpeas and crisp fried onions, and often personalised with garlic vinegar and flaming hot sauce. It is so ubiquitous that it feels woven into the very fabric of Egyptian urban life, served from humble street carts to bustling corner eateries throughout Cairo and beyond. At its best, koshary is much more than a

Ahmed M.M. Saleh

Dec 31, 20253 min read

Aleksandrović - The Grand Wine Story of Šumadija

In Zagreb, at the Czech House, one of Serbia’s most significant wineries, owned by Božidar Aleksandrović, was presented. The winery is located in the village of Vinča in the Šumadija region. Those attending the presentation included winemaker Božo Aleksandrović, Jelisaveta Aleksandrović, Marketing Director, and Uroš Kostić, Sales Director. More on the presentation itself follows later in the text. That region, with the town of Topola at its centre, was an important hub of Ser

Vjeko Madunić

Dec 29, 20257 min read

A piece of heaven on Krka River

Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan, two actors who famously portrayed James Bond, both enjoyed stays at Hotel Grad Otočec, a castle hotel built in the 13th century on a small island in the River Krka near Novo Mesto, halfway between Zagreb and Ljubljana. Among its distinguished guests over the years have also been actors Henry and Peter Fonda and Matthew Perry, statesmen Nikita Khrushchev and Josip Broz Tito with Jovanka Broz, King Harald V of Norway with Queen Sonja, as well as

Tomislav Radić

Dec 22, 20253 min read

Bled turned into a winter dream: Advent choice of 2025!

The first Sunday of Advent has been marked, and in keeping with the lighting of the first candle on the Advent wreath, many cities and destinations have dressed themselves in festive attire, transforming into fairytale settings waiting to be experienced. One of the most popular festive “fairytales” in Slovenia took place this weekend in Bled, a destination just 140 kilometres from Zagreb and one of our neighbours’ most famous and visited tourist locations. Many travel lovers

Alma Premerl Zoko

Dec 22, 20254 min read

Luxury of the Winter Menu in the Restaurant 1444

Just eight kilometres from Brežice, and only a twenty-minute drive from Zagreb, lies the magnificent Mokrice Castle, a true jewel of Slovenian history and culture. This Renaissance castle was first mentioned in 1444, and it acquired its essential features in the 16th century. The history of Mokrice is both fascinating and rich—on its site once stood a Roman military post known as Romulus’ Fortress, and through the centuries it witnessed turbulent events, including Ottoman att

Alma Premerl Zoko

Dec 11, 20253 min read