The various wines of the Boris Lisjak Winery in Dutovlje, Slovenia. May 20, 2016

Our tour group is staying at the Kastel Hotel in Motovun, Croatia, a former castle on a steep hillside with panoramic views. May 20, 2016

Although the bus took our group up most of the way to our hotel in Motovun, we ended up having to do the rest of the walk on our own. Part of the walk up is being able to enter thru these ancient city gates. May 20, 2016

The town is mainly known for the aftermath of the Battle of Kobarid in October 1917, which placed Kobarid on the world map. During the Second World War, Kobarid was the centre of the liberated territory, called the Kobarid Republic.The Entrance Foyer symbolically introduces visitors to the theme of the permanent exhibition with maps which present Europe’s World War I battlefields and the reestablished political borders at the end of the war, with flags, portraits of soldiers of many nationalities, and gravestones from the military cemeteries in the Upper Soča Region. The guide Zeljko. May 20, 2016

The town of Brda, Slovenia. May 20, 2016

A view of slate roofed houses from the ramparts on the hillside of Motovun, Croatia. May 21, 2016

The yellow St. Stephen’s church and tower next to our hotel on the hillside of Motovun, Croatia. A steep, bricked and twisty road leads up to this area of the old town. May 21, 2016

The painting on the side of a building along the ramparts in Motovun, Croatia is this painting by Veli Joze is based on a literary work by Croatian writer Vladimir Nazor written in 1908. The main character is a brave and good gian named Joze, who lives in the vicinity of Motovun. Good gian Veli Joze has become the folk symbol of strength and power. The book was based on folk stories and folk motifs. May 21, 2016

The other side of the city gate in Motovun, Croatia showing restaurants and front row seats to gorgeous views. May 21, 2016

A view of the hillside village of Motovun, Croatia, our home last night and again tonight. May 21, 2016

Our wonderful Rick Steves “The Best of the Adriatic” tour group, which includes our incredible tour guide Tina (front row kneeling 2nd from the left) and our hairpin turning bus driver Tomaz (front row kneeling 2nd from the right) with the hillside village of Motovun, Croatia, is behind us. May 21, 2016

Me inside the magnificent amphitheater in Pula, Croatia. Of the dozens of amphitheaters left around Europe by Roman engineers, Pula’s is the 6th largest and best-preserved. The newer looking tower of the amphitheater is original, it was cleaned and that took two years to accomplish. May 21, 2016

An underground exhibit at the Pula, Croatia, amphitheater of amphora vessels. Amphorae are specific vessels that were used for storing and transporting olive oil, wine, salted fish and preserved fruit. They were also used for building as construction and insulating material, as well as for filling in swampy areas. The characteristic Istrian amphora has a very pronounced egg-shaped body with long neck narrower than the body and small handles on opposite sides. May 21, 2016

A close up of the amphitheater tower in Pula, Croatia. This is one of the best preserved amphitheatres from antiquity and is still in use today. May 21, 2016

Although the Colosseum in Rome is bigger and held more participants, the Pula, Croatia, amphitheater is considered to be the best preserved. Built entirely from local limestone, around 70 A.D., the amphitheater was designed to host gladiator contests. Pula, a seafront city on the tip of Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula, is known for its protected harbor, ship harbor, ship building, beach-lined coast and Roman ruins. May 21, 2016

This is a would be parking garage near the old town of Pula, Croatia. Would be because when the person who bought it got ready to clear the land, Roman ruins were found. May 21, 2016