A Fairy Tale Town Carved Out of History and Stone::Trogir, Croatia pt 3

Where to Stay:
I stopped to check out ”Konoba Pašike” when I walked by this charming outdoor restaurant and noticed the waitress wearing a traditional costume. The menu listed many interesting “Typical Trogir Specialties” such as Pasticada with Gnocci-beef and vegetables cooked in vinegar and dried plums, and Stara Popara– cuttlefish, octopus, and calamari cooked in red wine and black cuttlefish ink. While I was salivating over the luscious looking food at a nearby table, I was cordially greeted by a young woman, Marija Buble. She patiently described all the various dishes to me and when I commented on the unique preparations she told me that the recipes “came from the dust”- from many generations ago. Marija said that the restaurant has been in business for 26 years and but they just recently opened a small hotel in back. It had been the Buble family home for the last 500 years. The dwelling was long overdue for some expensive repair work so it was either sell the property or turn it into the Hotel Pašike, which thankfully was the winning decision. Now, Papa is the “big manager,” Mama is the Chef, her brother handles the website, and Marija just works on everything. “It is very hard work, but I love it,” she said to me with a very big yawn. “There is nothing I would rather do and I hope my children feel the same.”

I totally fell in love with the atmospheric 8- room inn. Every room is uniquely decorated with family antiques handed down through generations yet outfitted with modern bathrooms, air-condition, and Internet connection. The rafiole, a local pastry left on your pillow for sweet dreams and the decanter of homemade rakija, the complimentary airport transport or parking are just a few of their many hospitable touches. A honeymoon couple, staying in Blue Room #3, momentarily coming out of their blissful state, described the hotel as “having incredible soul.”