Eggs, milk, whipped cream, a little flour and a little sugar - that's all the pastry chefs in Samobor need to prepare for a delicious treat that you wait in line for.
It is one of the most popular desserts in Croatia, and it even has its own song. Chosen as "the best dish in Samobor" according to TasteAtlas. What is the name of the cake that won the hearts of many?
Samobor kremšnita is made from two layers of puff pastry with cream in between. The top is traditionally decorated with powdered sugar. It is served warm or cold, but it is always cut into characteristic cubes that are reminiscent of other types of cream pies, such as Polish kremówka or Romanian kremșnit. The difference between them and the delicacy from Samobor is the way they are prepared.
The history of Samobor cream cheese began at the beginning of the last century. Then Đuro Lukačić, who studied the techniques of preparing sweets in Zagreb, arrived in Samobor. He came up with the idea of a dessert that can now be found in every pastry shop in town.
By the decision of the Ministry of Culture from January 18, 2021, traditional Samobor kremšnita received the status of intangible cultural property and will be in the Register of Protected Cultural Properties of the Republic of Croatia. This confirms the influence of this small dessert on the recognition of Samobor.
When you visit our city, you must step into at least one of the many pastry shops. You can sit with your custard cream and a cup of coffee at a table overlooking the main square and simply enjoy the time in Samobor, which slowly flies that way.
Samobor is also a city with a rich gourmet tradition, and its rich and varied offer attracts food lovers from various parts of the world. There are few tourists and visitors who leave Samobor without trying the local specialties and the famous Samobor kremšnita. Enjoy your meal!
The city of crafts and artisans
Izvor: Medičarna Oslaković
Samobor has always been known for its rich craft tradition. Thanks to numerous family crafts, many products of traditional craftsmen, such as durable biscuits, mead and gingerbread, and hand-cut crystal, can be found in modern homes. Handicraft shops are waiting for you to visit them.
Coming to Samobor and not encountering handicrafts, souvenirs or making a deal is a real art. The citizens of Samobor have long been known as excellent, hard-working craftsmen who work honestly and with quality.
It is believed that already in the 16th century the town had a well-established guild system, and the number of craftsmen has always been significant: in 1754 there were a total of 148 craftsmen in 28 different professions, and in the 19th century almost every third resident was a craftsman. However, it is important to note that the locals were also engaged in agriculture, which is evident from the way the old houses were organized - crafts at the front and a garden at the back with domestic animals.
Millers, tanners, hatters, bootmakers, glaziers, locksmiths, blacksmiths, smiths, crystal makers; over time, some of these professions disappeared, but some are very much alive in Samobor, where numerous products are made in small family factories; glass, ceramics, crystal, auction houses, candles, hand-painted souvenirs, metal fences, wooden doors, cosmetics, gastronomic packages with local specialties. It is enough to walk around the city and everything is available. Or even better; sit down in a Samobor restaurant, pour a glass of domestic wine or bermet.
Samobor bermet
Samobor bermet; photo credit: Bermet Fabek
Samobor Bermet has been linked to Samobor for centuries. Bermet as a refined aperitif is indispensable as a start to dinner or as a relaxing drink in good company, and although the ingredients are more or less known, the method of preparation is specific to each family that produces it, so Samobor Bermet differs in bitterness or sweetness. It is made from red wine and selected ingredients of fruits and herbs.
At the beginning of the 20th century, bermet was a common part of the domestic production of alcoholic beverages. Milan Lang wrote about bermet in the famous ethnographic monograph of Samobor. In Lang's recipe, carob, dried figs, candied sugar, nutmeg and other spices are added to the grapes (Lang doesn't specify which ones, but notes that it can easily give you a headache).
Several different recipes for bermet are offered in the literature, which is always an indication of the popularity of the drink, so it is likely that almost every family (who kept it to themselves) had their own version of bermet. Some recipes, for example, mention raisins, quinces, lemons, oranges, cinnamon or even sliced horseradish, and they all have bitter wormwood and candied sugar in common. After all, bitterness is always easier to bear with a little sweetness. (source: Food and drink, July 2016)
Recipes for making bermet date back to the beginning of the 19th century, and such production is still cherished today. It was once used as a medicine, and today it is an indispensable aperitif on the gastronomic scene that can be tasted in bars in the city of Samobor, but also in the whole of Croatia.
Samobor, a medieval town with baroque architecture located on the eastern slopes of the Samobor Mountains at the entrance to the romantic valley of the Gradna stream. Only twenty kilometers away from Zagreb, the capital of Croatia.
Samobor and its surroundings are the oldest and most attractive picnic spot for the people of Zagreb, mountaineers, hikers and tourists from all over Croatia and abroad. This picturesque town with a French touch will enchant you with its architecture, relax you with its casual atmosphere, conquer you with flavors and colors... and entice you to come back again.
Illyrian history
The area has been inhabited since ancient times. The oldest artifacts found date from the Stone Age - a stone axe, a hammer and a knife. There are much richer remains from the Bronze and Iron Ages and from the era of Roman rule. These regions were inhabited by the Illyrian tribe Japoda. There are numerous archaeological sites in the Žumberačko Mountains, near the villages of Budinjak, Bratelji and Gornja Vas.
the charter of Bela the Fourth
The oldest written evidence of Samobor is the Charter of Bela IV, the Croatian-Hungarian king. With that document, after the war with the Tatars, the king recognized the privileges that Archduke Koloman had given the Samoborci two years earlier. The town of Samobor was thus elevated to the status of a "free royal favored trading post", with the right to elect priests, judges and trials, including the "right of the sword" (ius gladii), e.g. capital punishment. Samobor had no other lords than its citizens, and it paid taxes only to the king.
samoborski stari grad
Photo credits: Zagreb County Tourist Board
The Old Town of Samobor is a ruined castle on top of the Tepec hill in Samobor. If you're in town, you can't miss it. It is located just a 10-minute walk from the city center. The remains of the old palace moat, the massive entrance and most of the walls are still visible.
The castle was built on a hill above the intersection of then important roads in the northwestern corner of the Sava Valley, above the medieval market town of Samobor. The castle was built by supporters of the Czech king Ottokar II of Bohemia between 1260 and 1264, who was then at war with the Hungarian king Stephen V. Croatian-Hungarian forces under the command of Prince Okići soon recaptured the castle, for which they received the town of Samobor, as well as the privilege of collecting local taxes.
The fort was originally a stone fort built on solid rock - an irregular and indented floor plan, consisting of three parts, of which the central core is the oldest part of the castle. In the southeastern part of the core there was a high guardhouse (today a ruin), which is the only remaining original part of the castle. Right next to the guardhouse is a semicircular tower with a small Gothic chapel of St. Anne, which is estimated to have been built in the third decade of the 16th century.
Today, the Samobor castle is just a picturesque ruin above the Vugrinščak stream in the center of Samobor. Although there is a project to restore the castle, so far only the walls of the chapel have been restored. In its reconstruction, stones from the ruined parts of the castle, cement and slaked lime were used.
How to get to Samobor?
Photo credi: TZG Samobor / Vladimir Bogovčić
The best option to get to Samobor from Zagreb is by car, which takes about 25 minutes. The second best option is the bus, and the journey takes about 40 minutes.
It is also possible to get there by Uber or Taxi, but that option is a bit more expensive, around 160 kunas (20 euros).
Samobor is surrounded by the Žumberak Nature Park; The Samobor Mountains offer numerous attractions, relaxation in untouched nature, walks, waterfalls, and a range of activities from hiking and biking to paragliding.
Whether you're aiming for an easy hike with minimal ascent and few obstacles, or a more difficult hike, some of which may be off-piste, Samobor has it all. Check the following link for the best hiking routes:
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