Writing about yourself is probably one of the most difficult things to do, and I’ve postponed this first post for quite some time. After all, there is an About page if you’re curious about my professional background. This is something else. This is simply a welcome—to my little corner of the internet where travel, food, photography and curiosity about the world come together.

I have been living in Vienna for well over a decade, but I still consider both Vienna and my hometown of Zagreb home. Rather than feeling divided between two countries, I have always felt fortunate to belong to both. The older I get, the more I realise that home is not necessarily the place where you were born, but also the place where life quietly happens, where friendships grow, where favourite cafés become part of your routine and where you stop feeling like a visitor.

Vienna

Perhaps that is also why Vienna fascinates me so much. It is undeniably one of Europe’s great imperial cities, yet it is equally one of its most multicultural ones. Living here means hearing half a dozen languages before your morning coffee, discovering cuisines from every corner of the world and constantly being reminded that cities, just like people, are shaped by those who arrive as much as by those who were always here.

Vienna has always been a crossroads. For centuries, people came here from every corner of the Habsburg Monarchy, including the Croatian lands, bringing with them their languages, traditions, recipes and customs. Many settled, many returned home, many became part of the city’s fabric, while new generations continue to arrive. The shared history is still visible today—not least in neighbouring Burgenland, where Croatian remains a recognised minority language and bilingual or even trilingual road signs are part of everyday life.

VIENNA AND THE BALKANS

There is an old Viennese saying that the Balkans begin at the Rennweg. Whether the famous quote was really spoken by Prince Metternich or simply became part of the city’s folklore almost doesn’t matter. It has survived because it captures something about Vienna that visitors quickly discover for themselves. This city belongs to Central Europe, but it has always looked south and east as well. Today, large communities from the former Yugoslavia, Türkiye and many other countries continue to shape its neighbourhoods, its markets and, perhaps most deliciously, its food.

Food tells those stories better than almost anything else.

Where else can you happily debate whether to order a Wiener Schnitzel or ćevapčići? Where goulash travelled from Hungary, dumplings from Bohemia became local favourites, and recipes crossed borders long before passports existed? Vienna’s cuisine is, like the city itself, the result of centuries of influences that blended into something uniquely Viennese.

Photography

Photography has always travelled with me. Sometimes a photograph captures details that words overlook—a quiet Viennese courtyard, morning light on an Himalayan trail or the colours of a market in Zagreb. Many of those moments will find their way into these stories, and into the galleries you’ll find on this website.

And because every journey eventually leads back to food, you’ll also find restaurant recommendations, local specialities and, from time to time, recipes inspired by my travels or by years spent cooking, writing and collecting culinary stories. Some may eventually find their way into e-books as well.

Although this English-language blog is new, blogging has been part of my life for many years.

I was among Croatia’s early generation of bloggers. My food blog, Marina kuharica, led to a cookbook and later became one of the featured blogs hosted by one of Croatia’s leading daily newspapers. Later, I founded Okusi – Taste the World, a Croatian food and travel web magazine where recipes, travel stories and contributors come together to celebrate the joy of discovering the world through its flavours.

Professionally, I have worked as a freelance journalist and photographer, and earlier in my career with international organisations including the United Nations and the OSCE. Journalism has given me the opportunity to tell many stories, but writing has always been much more than a profession. It has been my way of understanding places, meeting people and preserving memories before they quietly disappear.

So what can you expect here?

Practical travel guides and personal stories.

Lists of great restaurants alongside neighbourhoods that deserve a closer look.

Road trips, mountain trails and family adventures.

History, culture, photography and, of course, plenty of food.

Above all, I hope you’ll find stories that encourage you not only to travel farther, but also to look a little closer.

Welcome.

I’m delighted you’re here.

One last thing…

If you enjoy these stories and find them useful, one of the easiest ways to support Helena’s Travels and Food is simply to use the booking and travel links you’ll occasionally find on the blog. If you make a reservation or purchase through them, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. It helps cover the costs of running this website and allows me to continue creating new articles, travel guides and photography.

If you enjoy travel photography as much as I do, I’d also love to invite you to visit the Photography section of the website, where you’ll find galleries from many of the places featured on the blog, along with selected fine art prints.

Whether you’re here to plan your next journey, discover a new restaurant, browse photographs or simply enjoy a good story, thank you for stopping by.

I hope you’ll enjoy the journey.