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Samobor is about a 25 minute drive from central Zagreb, a bit longer if you are taking the bus. This makes it an ideal day trip. We visited Samobor during Tracy's "Ski Break" at the American International School of Zagreb, along with our friend, Hans Beukeboom, who was visiting from the Netherlands.  It is a compact old town, which one can tour in a matter of hours. Also, there is the nearby Samobor Castle, which is another attraction well worth a visit.

U Prolazu--home of the KremsniteKremsniteWe exited our Uber at the town square shown above. Tomislav square was decked out for the 196th edition of Fasnik, a two-week celebration highlighted by musical performances in the square and masked revelry everywhere. Appropriately, the square was festooned with attractions for the children and a large stage for performances. Perhaps out of caution, its famed fountain was covered with a decorative cloth. Perhaps the highlight of a visit to Samobor (at least to our Croatian friends) is stopping at the U Prolaz Cafe to sample their kremsnite, a type of cream cake that Samobor is famous for, and this cafe reputedly serves the best version of this Croatian treat. Although Tracy and U Prolazu InteriorHans were somewhat skeptical about this "tourist trap" venture, they quickly changed their mind upon sampling it--heaven for only 12 Kuna (2 dollars). The photo to the left shows the outside of the cafe, while the creme de la creme of cream cakes is featured in the photo to the right. At the bottom left is a photo of the interior.







Most Grada VelesaA View of the
            Divided TownThere is a small stream running through the town, with the two sections joined by three bridges, the most scenic of which is the Most Grada Velesa, or Velesa city bridge, shown in the photo to the left. The majority of the historic sites are located on the southern side of the bridge, including the Church of Anastaziaj and the Sambor Museum, both described in the virtual tour below. Walking along the banks of the stream offers any number of picturesque views, as shown in the photo to the right.



Virtual Tour of Samobor's "Old Town"
Tomislav SquareSnap Content

Virtual Reality Tour for VR Headsets:

VR CodeThere is also a version of this tour designed specifically for VR headsets such as Google Cardboard, and it works with both iPhone and Android devices. It may be accessed by scanning on the QR code to the left. If you are viewing this on a mobile phone, you may access the VR tour by following this link.



For iOS devices: scan QR code with your device's camera app, tap on the prompt to open Safari. Select "Allow Device Motion" and the next prompt, "Allow Access to Motion Orientation." Turn the device to landscape mode and a split screen will appear. When the screen turns white, swipe up for fullscreen mode, and place in headset. Here is a video of how to do this--it is simpler than it sounds! [The video opens in a new window--close when done to return to this page]

For Android devices: Open the camera app and use the built-in scanner to scan the QR code above. Confirm that you want to open the website, and wait for it to load--it should load in stereo view. Select the fullscreen ("X" option) from the menu at the bottom. Turn the device to landscape mode and you are ready to go. Here is a video of how to do this--it is simpler than it sounds! [The video opens in a new window--close when done to return to this page]



Krcma GabrekuRestaurant
            InteriorFollowing our tour of the town and the nearby Samobor Castle, we stopped for a late lunch at Restaurant Krčma Gabreku 1929  for a late lunch. The restaurant came highly recommended by locals and guidebooks alike, and was bustling with a late lunch crowd. The restaurant is located at the parking lot for the Samobor Castle, about a ten minute walk on the main road from the west side of King Tomislav Square. The photo on the left shows the restaurant's modest exterior, which belies its interior space, shown in the photo to the right. We started with a double order of the fried mushrooms, and then Tracy dined on a veal soup, while Dale and Hans tucked into a duck dish featuring large pieces of duck on a bed of mlinci, which is made with flour and tastes like a cross between bread and pasta. It is served with Turkey in traditional Croatian Christmas gatherings.  The duck was tender and the mlinci was filling.

A visit to Samobor makes a wonderful day trip. It is near to Zagreb, has enough sights to keep visitors occupied for a day, while still getting back in time to put up your feet before dinner!



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