On Day 4 of our roadtrip in September 2023, we passed through the Austrian and Italian Alps, enjoyed apple strudels in Villach and Italian dishes in Redipuglia, and got to know the beautiful and historical harbour city of Pula in Croatia’s Istrian peninsula. We’ve been wanting to visit Croatia and finally, it happened. In March this year, Croatia became part of Schengen, making travelling there easy for Schengen visa holders.
Here’s our entire route for the trip, c/o Google Maps:
We had a great sleep at Hotel Gasthof Mostwastl in Salzburg, and a nice breakfast before we left. This review was bestowed upon the charming accommodation: “Charming accommodation, a bit rural, with pleasant staff. Free postcard. Free parking. Nice surroundings. Comfy bed, spacious room.“ Their coffee was amazing! We only slept in the hotel though and did not really explored the nearby fields/trails.
We left Salzburg a little before 9am. The plan was to drive to Villach to have some apple strudels. We stayed in Villach during our Interrailing in 2018, and we really had fond memories there. Then, we wanted to pass through Italy and have some lunch there (I super craved for pasta, and Carl for pizza). And then, spend the night in Pula. (We didn’t realize that we would have to pass a small part of Slovenia on the way to Croatia, which would require a vignette or toll sticker. More about this later.)
I was a bit anxious for the trip south because, you know, the Alps. But to my surprise, the highway was actually very nice! It wasn’t free though, despite the 10-day Austrian vignette which we purchased upon arrival yesterday. So, the movie Sound of Music, where Maria was happily singing, was filmed in one of these rolling mountains. The views from the passenger seat were amazing! First photo below shows the medieval Hohenwerfen Castle, sitting on top of a 623-meter precipice.
We exited the highway between Unterweissburg and Höf at around 9:45 and paid the toll. An hour more and we found ourselves once more in Villach. I guess it was better to go there without a car, because it was hard to find a parking space. XD We did find one though, after circling for while.
It was like walking through memory lane, seeing the Parish Church of St. Jacob and the rest of the city center. We enjoyed some yummy apple strudels, of course, but not in the same cafe where we had it in 2018, unfortunately. Well, the cafe this year was okay, but the saleslady was a bit awkward. I didn’t like it that she had to repeat our order in a surprised manner, like she couldn’t believe I wanted two apple strudels. Or maybe I was just in a bad mood at that time. Oh well.. I lost my appetite and only ate one. She looked more surprised when she saw the leftover. I guess, that was it for Villach. They say that the second time’s a charm, but we thought that that’s the last time we would be in Villach. 😛
The roadtrip continued, and at 11:30 am, we crossed the border to Italy, one of our favorite countries. Mainly because of the food. And the history. But the food comes first. We made a quick stop in Udin – bathroom emergency! Haha 😀
And lunch we had in Europa Pizzeria Trattoria in Redipuglia around 2pm. They gladly served us, even if there were about to close for siesta! We really appreciated that. We were starving!
Now, the fun part. As mentioned earlier, we overlooked that Slovenia was sticking out into the Adriatic Sea, meaning, we had to drive through it to get to Croatia. According to the staff in the kiosk right before the toll gates, we needed the 16 euro vignette (for the circa 10 minute drive to Croatia). It was surprising because the vignette in Austria cost 10 euros for 10 days. We could pay, but as a matter of principle and a dab of a sense of adventure, we decided to dodge it. Thanks to a helpful instruction online, we navigated the toll-free roads to Croatia. We crossed the border to Slovenia at 3pm, and reached the border to Croatia at 3:50pm, but that included the time we stopped for the vignette and getting lost somewhere in Slovenia after missing a sign. XD Here’s the road instructions on how to get to Croatia from Italy without the Slovenian vignette: https://www.stancija-zavod.com/fileadmin/documents/From_Italy_to_Istria_without_Slovenian_vignette_.pdf.
I probably sound like we wanted to avoid Slovenia, but not really. We were there in 2018 and really enjoyed our stay. We just wanted to maximize our trip to Croatia and the rest of the Balkans, so we were saving time.
In Pula, we booked an apartment room called “sky“. It’s a few minutes’ drive to the city center, but we decided to take an uber instead, worried that there wouldn’t be enough parking space. The neighborhood where the apartment room was was okay, big parking around the building, and helpful residents. The building and the area was a bit dodgy at first, and the elevator seemed unsafe, but everything worked perfectly! The apartment was very nice and clean, and had amazing aerial views! We were very satisfied we booked it.
Now, Pula was also very far from disappointment. The city’s strategic location made it very attractive to different countries/regions throughout the years, like the Romans, the Venetians, the Ostrogoths, and the Allied Forces during WWII. So, it has a very rich history.
We visited the amphiteater (Pula Arena), strolled along its old streets and alleys, and promenaded along its harbour, basked in the warm sunset. The Pula Arena is a preserved Roman amphiteatre built between 27 BC and 68 AD. It’s only a few steps away from the harbour.
Sunset in Pula warms the heart:
We also enjoyed the old town, with its old buildings and narrow alleys with staircases, and the city parks. It gave a Game of Throne’s vibes, although most of the filming locations happened in Dubrovnik (which we will visit in the next couple of days). We spent a lovely afternoon in Pula.
Still full from the late lunch in Italy, we decided to just buy some snacks, go back to the apartment and rest. I also managed to buy some postcards and stamps. So far, we were impressed by Croatia. We hoped to see more of it, so we booked the next night in Split.
This was Day 4, and here’s a sunset view from the apartment room. Until next time! ALL PHOTOS AND VIDEOS ON THIS BLOG ARE MINE. Cheers! 🙂 #spreadloveandpositivevibes
PinayOdyssey 
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