B&M Suggestions in Ljubljana, Slovenia - Rovinj, Croatia - or Trieste, Italy?

[Glass Half Full]

Hello All of You FOH Expert Travelers, 

If all goes remarkably well, I will be very lucky and get to travel at the end of this month to Ljubljana, Slovenia, then to Rovinj, Croatia, and then to Trieste, Italy.  (Lots of variables, plus Covid of course, but fingers crossed...)

I've tried to do my research, but can't seem to identify any true LCDH's in any of those three cities.  (Except perhaps for Rovinj, as El Presidente mentioned Alen Kosanović of Camelot, who apparently is the Habanos S.A. distributor for Croatia and has a subsidiary shop there.)

Any chance that any of you can highly recommend a B&M shop to visit in one or more of those three cities?  (Making matters a bit trickier, this is a biking trip so I will likely have very limited time in each city.  (Most of the time is supposed to be in the countryside.)  One thought was perhaps I could email a good shop beforehand and order, asking them to deliver to the local hotel where we are staying.  The timing is perhaps less of a concern for Trieste, where we are supposed to stay a few days.)  

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated! 

Thanks in advance! 

-Cliff 

Glass Half Full 

[SokaKiel]

Hey  Cliff,

Rovinj and the countryside around it is one of my favorite areas of Croatia!

There is a small shop called Havana Cigar Shop Rovinj. It’s inside the waterfront promenade of Grand Park Hotel, about 10mins. walk from the actual old town. I think this is the shop that Rob mentioned.

During my last visit two years ago they had a pretty good selection. Just be aware that Cigars are not cheap in Croatia!

If you’re into food and your trip isn’t fully planned yet, maybe consider a visit to the inland village of Livade. In September Zigante Truffles (I think Croatia’s biggest producer) offers early morning truffle hunt introductions for visitors! And they usually set up a truffle event for a few weeks each autumn.

https://trufflefair.com/pokazno-trazenje-tartufa/

It says they offer the truffle hunt on Saturdays only but I know they do it on other days as well as long as it’s booked a little ahead and the group is big enough.

Have fun!

Cheers, Leif

[Glass Half Full]

On 9/13/2021 at 6:02 PM, SokaKiel said:

Hey  Cliff,

Rovinj and the countryside around it is one of my favorite areas of Croatia!

There is a small shop called Havana Cigar Shop Rovinj. It’s inside the waterfront promenade of Grand Park Hotel, about 10mins. walk from the actual old town. I think this is the shop that Rob mentioned.

During my last visit two years ago they had a pretty good selection. Just be aware that Cigars are not cheap in Croatia!

If you’re into food and your trip isn’t fully planned yet, maybe consider a visit to the inland village of Livade. In September Zigante Truffles (I think Croatia’s biggest producer) offers early morning truffle hunt introductions for visitors! And they usually set up a truffle event for a few weeks each autumn.

https://trufflefair.com/pokazno-trazenje-tartufa/

It says they offer the truffle hunt on Saturdays only but I know they do it on other days as well as long as it’s booked a little ahead and the group is big enough.

Have fun!

Cheers, Leif

Thank you Leif!  Very much appreciated!  (& Yes! A truffle “hunt” is in the itinerary   
(Will post a follow-up after returning late next month)
 

Thanks again!  -Cliff (GlassHalfFull)

(sorry to have not seen your post till this a.m. though luckily still ahead of the trip so can act on your suggestions!)

[Glass Half Full]

On 9/13/2021 at 6:02 PM, SokaKiel said:

Hey  Cliff,

Rovinj and the countryside around it is one of my favorite areas of Croatia!

There is a small shop called Havana Cigar Shop Rovinj. It’s inside the waterfront promenade of Grand Park Hotel, about 10mins. walk from the actual old town. I think this is the shop that Rob mentioned.

During my last visit two years ago they had a pretty good selection. Just be aware that Cigars are not cheap in Croatia!

If you’re into food and your trip isn’t fully planned yet, maybe consider a visit to the inland village of Livade. In September Zigante Truffles (I think Croatia’s biggest producer) offers early morning truffle hunt introductions for visitors! And they usually set up a truffle event for a few weeks each autumn.

https://trufflefair.com/pokazno-trazenje-tartufa/

It says they offer the truffle hunt on Saturdays only but I know they do it on other days as well as long as it’s booked a little ahead and the group is big enough.

Have fun!

Cheers, Leif

I am remiss in replying post-trip.  Returned this past Tuesday, and have been trying to catch up since.  

Thank you Leif for the helpful suggestion of the shop in Rovinj and for the truffle experience.  As it happened, I never made it to Rovinj on the bicycling trip ...because we had a "truffle hunting" experience planned already for that night in Croatia.  Good fun, great wine, followed by fun hikes with dogs in the dark ...and more delicious truffles.  

That said, I did find another good shop -- also owned (I believe) by Alen Kosanović of whom Rob mentioned -- in Ljubljana.  (Right in the middle of the old town.  Happy to provide directions to any who may be going to this beautiful and food- and wine-centric city!)  Their selection was a bit more sparse than hoped ...but they had some wonderfully aged stock, and I was able to find Siglo V's to round out my collection as well as some favourite aged Esplendidos.  Enjoying one this evening as I write.  

Bicycling through Slovenia and the northern slice of Croatia was incredible.  The people and food and wine are just remarkable.  I hope to go back to learn more about these beautiful places,  (It even rained for much of our trip, including 40+ mile rides throughout, and it was still incredible.

One of the beautiful, though oddly special places (in a former communist era sort of way) was the former summer residence of Marshall Tito at Lake Bled, which is where the attached photos (all but the one of the cigars purchased in Ljubljana are from).  You'll see Tito's desk (below his portrait) as well as his human-sized humidor, which some of you all may enjoy.  

Thanks again Leif!  ...And to all at FOH, consider a trip to Slovenia and Croatia!  Beautiful places. 

All the best, -Cliff

 

[BrightonCorgi]

Any truffle hunting?

[Glass Half Full]

On 10/18/2021 at 5:09 PM, BrightonCorgi said:

Any truffle hunting?

YES!  Should have mentioned!  ...It was a bit wet (and the whole "hunting" mushrooms at night is a funny one) but we did get out and find a couple of small ones with our hosts' dogs.  Good fun!

[BrightonCorgi]

My cousin's Belgian Malinois is pretty good at finding them.  He can find at least one each time he goes out (in Switzerland).  Towards Christmas the ground is too hard.  Usually near chestnut trees in the alpine forest.