MOZAIK
OKUSA
Gastro vodič kroz
tradiciju i delicije
Riječkog prstena
Rijeka’s Grand market
market is located between the Theatre Square, numerous restaurants, and the sea.
The three Art Nouveau market buildings and the space between them, filled with fresh produce and vibrant colours, serve as a gathering place for producers, locals, tourists, and restaurateurs.
As the seasons change, so do the offerings at the stalls, but the spark in buyers’ eyes when they see fresh, enticing produce remains the same. Imagination conjures flavours, visions of the ingredients on a plate take shape, and the lively atmosphere brims with life.
In spring, you’ll find wild asparagus, curd cheese, and wild herbs at the Rijeka market; in summer, peak-season vegetables; in autumn, chestnuts and forest mushrooms; and in winter, cabbage, potatoes, and an array of dried, smoked, and fermented products.
This has been the tradition for over 120 years since the market was built. The three pavilions and the space between them offer fish and seafood, meat, cheeses, and seasonal fruits and vegetables. But let’s start at the beginning, with the fish market, a treasure trove of delicacies from the sea, just 100 metres away.
Rijeka fish market
the opulence of the Adriatic sea
Dating back to 1866, the fish market is a masterpiece of architecture designed for market needs.
The tables feature water flow systems, the interior houses four fountains, and the walls are adorned with stone carvings of fish, crabs, and shellfish. This fusion of functionality and art is the work of Rijeka architect Carlo Pergoli and Italian sculptor Urban Bottassa.
The beauty of the space and the richness of its offerings are best captured from the gallery of the fish market.
Nema rakova, školjki, muzgavaca i riba iz Jadranskog mora koji se u pojedinom periodu ne mogu pronaći i na riječkoj placi.
Top restaurant chefs arrive early in the morning to secure the finest specimens, locals select ingredients for meals to delight their families and friends, and tourists enjoy the sights and take photos.
The pride of Kvarner is undoubtedly Kvarner scampi, renowned for their delicate, subtly sweet sea flavour. Serving scampi, or inviting someone to a meal featuring them, is a gesture of honour and hospitality. Large and medium scampi are often grilled briefly with olive oil, chopped parsley, and garlic. Medium and smaller scampi are prepared in a tomato-based buzara sauce, while the smallest are cleaned for risottos and pastas, and their shells are used for broths. These dishes can be found in almost every seafood restaurant in Rijeka and the Rijeka Ring.
An essential part of restaurant menus is buzara dishes made from shellfish. Before preparing buzara with mussels, clams, cockles, or other shellfish, you’ll be asked whether you prefer them “red” (with tomato sauce) or “white”. Shellfish are also reputed to have aphrodisiac properties, and their consumption – without utensils – breaks down social barriers. You open the shells with your hands and dip bread into the sauce, savouring the perfect blend of shellfish, sea, wine, and subtle seasonings (parsley, garlic, tomato, and sometimes capers).
Oysters are an exception, served raw on ice with just a few drops of lemon juice. Scallops are most often gratinated.
Molluscs
like squid, cuttlefish, and octopus require little cleaning. Adriatic squid is typically grilled, cut into rings or fried in rings. Cuttlefish is best known for its role in black risotto, and octopus is prepared in salads, grilled, or baked with potatoes and vegetables. A traditional dish from the Primorje region, especially Kostrena, is squid brudet with polenta. The fish market also showcases dozens of fish species of various sizes and shapes. Most are unavailable in supermarkets because they are sold at the market just hours after being caught. Many are used in brudet stews, where their flavours and textures meld, while larger fish are often cut into pieces, cooked, and preserved in oil after the meat is separated from the bones. They make excellent snacks or additions to pasta dishes.
Sprats, anchovies, and sardines, small fish full of flavour, have nourished generations. Fresh, they carry the richness of the sea and can be quickly fried or grilled. They are also excellent raw, simply marinated in lemon juice and olive oil. Historically, they were preserved by salting. A tradition of the Primorje region, often enjoyed with a glass of wine and good conversation.
Bluefish like mackerel and bonito often end up on the grill or in the pan. They are also suitable for drying and smoking, and then a great addition to salads, pasta, bruschetta.
Fresh hake is usually fried or boiled (only briefly boiled in salted water). Shark is sliced and grilled or used in brudet. Ray is fried or added to soups. Scorpionfish and gurnard are typically baked with potatoes and enhanced with a few drops of local Žlahtina wine. Scorpionfish’s bony head enriches broths and brudets with its compressed flavours.
Tuna, abundant in size and meat, is often served as steak. Historically (and still today), it is preserved by boiling and storing in oil.
Raw tuna is featured globally in sushi but in the Adriatic is served smoked, sliced thinly like prosciutto, raw as carpaccio, or prepared as tartare.
In the Bay of Bakar, during the tuna fishing season, the entire community participated – some as lookouts, others on fishing boats. This tradition is celebrated annually in the Tira, tira festival held in early August.
Delicacies made with ingredients from the Rijeka fish market can be found in Rijeka’s gastronomic fishing ports, Rijeka’s gastronomic ports of local produce, as well as in fish restaurants in Kostrena, Bakar, and Kraljevica, and in the fish restaurants and taverns of Viškovo and Kastav.
Meat pavilion
The central pavilion of Rijeka’s market houses butchers and producers of cured meat products. In spring, you’ll find young lamb, and in autumn, game.
The best lamb comes from the nearby islands of Cres and Pag, where sheep graze on wild herbs naturally salted by the sea. Lamb is a staple of Easter meals, often roasted with potatoes in an oven or under a peka. Life’s milestones – births, anniversaries, great successes – are traditionally marked by spit-roasted lamb.
For celebrations, spit-roasted pork is prepared on a spit or in the oven, and it is a tradition to have it on the New Year’s table. In certain restaurants and butcher shops around the Rijeka Ring, spit-roasted pork is available year-round. Pork specialties in restaurants often include medallions in mushroom sauce or pork tenderloin stuffed with prosciutto and cheese. Smoked and cured prosciutto is a staple of nearly all restaurants, frequently featured in both meat and seafood dishes. Rijeka’s market abounds with various fresh and cured sausages, most famously the Grobnik sausages. Cured meats are integral to traditional dishes like jota, pašta-šuta, turnip and beans, and hearty stews with legumes and vegetables.
Beef is often used for goulash, served with homemade gnocchi or pasta. Popular dishes include schnitzels in sauce with mashed potatoes and tenderloin in truffle sauce.
Minced beef and pork find their way into stuffed peppers, zucchini, and cabbage rolls, as well as lasagnas, Bolognese sauce, burgers, and ćevapi.
The regular lunch specials offered by restaurants, a midday meal that provides strength for the rest of the day, often include seasonal vegetables stuffed with minced meat and hearty soups (maneštre) made with legumes, vegetables, and cured meats.
The tradition of midday meals (marenda) has been a part of the local culture for centuries. Freshly prepared daily cooked meals can be found on the menus of Rijeka’s Daily Gastronomic Harbours and in the restaurants of the Rijeka Ring that serve midday specials (marende).
Cheese, fruit, and vegetables
Pavilion No. 1, located closest to the main road at Rijeka’s market. It gathers cheese producers, makers of preserved fruits and vegetables, and pasta vendors.
One of the local cheese brands is Grobnik cheese – a full-fat, hard, and very salty cheese.
It is made from sheep’s or cow’s milk. It is served on platters, grilled, or paired with polenta or potatoes. This cheese is the star of the Festival of Polenta and Cheese, jointly organised by Čavle and Dražice. Alongside Grobnik cheese, a traditional dish called palenta kompirica, made from potatoes and cornmeal, is often served. At the market, you can occasionally find flour milled traditionally at the Gašpar Mill in Martinovo Selo.
In spring, you can purchase a cheese delicacy – fresh sheep or cow curd cheese, which is now often paired with raw scampi tails in restaurants.
Among the preserved popular meal additions, you’ll find various types of olives, capers, peppers, and pickles.
In autumn, pickled cabbage heads, used to make sarma (stuffed cabbage leaves), are very popular. This dish is a must for restoring the body during and after the festive winter gatherings.
Sauerkraut and shredded pickled turnips are also available in winter, sold among the pavilions where small producers – daily stall renters – gather.
The spaces between Pavilion 3 (the fish market) and Pavilion 1 are filled with tables selling seasonal fresh produce: fruits, vegetables, herbs, and local eggs.
In spring, the market features wild asparagus, wild garlic, mišance (a mix of wild flavourful greens), and paske (young garlic shoots).
Summer is rich in fruits and vegetables, offering local varieties of grapes, figs, cherries, and zucchini.
In autumn, the stalls display large chestnuts (maruni), persimmons, pomegranates, and forest mushrooms, among which porcini and parasol mushrooms are the most prized.
In winter, you’ll find collard greens, kale, young broccoli shoots, and Jerusalem artichokes. Dried figs, an essential part of the winter table and a symbol of hospitality in the Primorje region, are also available.
Among the stalls, some producers follow biodynamic principles in their farming (such as Ana’s Vegetables from the Kastav area), while others delight passers-by with the aesthetics of their stands, like Vesele Koke (Cheerful Hens) from Grobnik.
Small bakeries nestled between the stalls offer homemade breads, bread baked under a peka, Bakarski baškoti (traditional biscuits), pastry sheets for pies and cakes, and homemade pasta.
RIJEKA
Throughout its history, Rijeka has been contested by numerous nations, each leaving a mark on its gastronomy.
For over 120 years, the Art Nouveau buildings of Rijeka’s market and their surroundings have been home to a rich exchange of produce and culinary experiences. As the pavilions also feature galleries, in recent times, the pavilions (especially the Fish Market area) have occasionally hosted various gastronomic presentations, events, and concerts. During the Rijeka Carnival, the Fish Market transforms into a dance floor.
Throughout its history, Rijeka has been contested by numerous nations, each leaving a mark on its gastronomy.
One of the main reasons for these conquests was Rijeka’s strategic position as a port city, located in a sheltered bay with waters deep enough for ships, and a mainland suitable for transporting goods and people, crowned by the Trsat Fortress.
Rijeka became a port as far back as the Liburnian era, whose position was taken over by the Romans in 119 bc. In the 14th century, it was ruled by the Princes of Krk (later the Frankopans), and during the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in the early 16th century, the city began to experience significant economic growth. The French occupied it in the 18th century, followed by the Austrians in the 19th century, and later the Croats, Hungarians, and Italians. In 1948, the cities of Rijeka and Sušak united as the city of Rijeka, part of the Republic of Croatia and, until 1991, Yugoslavia. Each group passing through Rijeka left behind their spices and cooking methods.
Due to its position, ideal for importing raw materials from around the world, Rijeka became home to numerous food processing facilities and factories, many of which contributed to the city’s gastronomic offerings.
Rijeka’s Cocoa and Chocolate Factory developed brands such as Riječki kakao Slon, Riječki kakao Jadran, Riječke tortice, and Adria šnite. Founded in 1896, the factory underwent several name changes and, until 1944, operated as Gerbeaud Chocolate Factory.
Cocoa is also a key ingredient in rigojanči, a cake made from thin dark sponge layers and chocolate. It was designed by the famous Roma violinist Rigo Jancsi as a symbol of his love for the Belgian princess Clara, with whom he spent some time in Rijeka, along with the message: “Try it, it’s brown like my skin, sweet like your heart.”
A rice hulling facility shared the space with the chocolate factory. Risottos are now an integral part of almost all restaurant menus, most often offered with shellfish and prawns, squid, and, as a special delicacy, black cuttlefish risotto.
Pasta factories and Italian influence have also left their mark on Rijeka’s cuisine, from pužići pasta used in stews to wide noodles cooked in various combinations with produce from the market in local homes and restaurants. Local pasta variations include fuži, a recipe from Istria, and šurlice, a recipe from Krk, both of which are made in-house by some Rijeka restaurants.
To help visitors easily find dishes suited to their tastes, the Rijeka Tourist Board, in collaboration with Gastronauts, launched the Rijeka Gastronomic Ports project. The project won the Simply the Best title in 2024 for creativity, innovation, and enhancing the destination’s tourism offer.
The title Rijeka Gastronomic Ports is awarded in 10 categories: Local ingredients ports, fisherman’s ports, vegan ports, barbecue ports, business ports, romantic ports, family ports, wine enthusiast ports, speciality ports, and international flavour ports.
Here are just a few of the specialities you can try at some of Rijeka’s Gastronomic Ports:
Rijeka Fisherman’s Gastronomic Ports: Ugor, Girica, Nautica, Ribica, Borik, La Scarpetta, Feral, Mornar, and Fiume offer a variety of specialties made with fresh fish, musky octopus, prawns, and shellfish. Marinated and salted sardines and anchovies, octopus salads, fish stews, buzara with prawns and shellfish, fried, boiled, and grilled fresh fish, risottos, and pasta with seafood are integral parts of their menus, as well as the tables of Rijeka households.
Rijeka Gastronomic Ports of Local Ingredients: Tarsa, Nautica, Antack, Girica, Mornar, Fiume, Conca d’oro, and La Scarpetta, in addition to dishes featuring ingredients from the sea, also prepare meals with ingredients sourced from the green hinterland and local small-scale farmers, breeders, and producers. Most serve pasta and gnocchi made in-house.
Rijeka Daily Gastronomic Ports: Mezanin, Blato 1902, and Užanca preserve the tradition of marendas, offering freshly prepared, traditional cooked dishes made from fresh ingredients, available only in the morning. Here, you can find a variety of maneštras, fažol na padelu (bean stew), žgvaceti (stews), and goulashes with gnocchi and fuži, fried liver, fried calamari and small fish, stuffed peppers in the summer, and cabbage rolls (sarme) or dishes with sauerkraut and turnips in the winter.
Marendas and early lunches are also offered at the 100% vegetarian daily harbour Tifan, located in the industrial heritage complex.
The Oldest Gastronomic Harbour – Conca d’oro, works with local ingredients and stories, also offering the traditional Rijeka cake rigojanči. The Historical Harbour – Tarsa, guides you through Rijeka’s history with its menu, while the Fine Dining Harbour – Nebo Restaurant & Lounge and the Bistronomy Harbour – Hidden Wine Bistro, proudly share the story of every local ingredient featured in their delicacies.
For detailed information about the offerings of all Rijeka Gastronomic Ports, visit the tourist board’s website.
Good food in Rijeka’s restaurants is complemented by good wine, which locals often choose at one of the city’s wine festivals.
The largest wine festival is WineRi. It is held in March.
Gastronomy is an integral part of numerous events in Rijeka. During the holidays, various dishes are served outdoors at multiple locations around the city.
Special occasions are marked with the preparation of fried sardines, cod stew, maneštra (hearty stews), or large fritajas (scrambled egg dishes) for passers-by, with the meals organised by the City of Rijeka and supported by local businesses.
Rijeka is surrounded by charming towns and municipalities such as Kostrena, Kraljevica, Bakar, Čavle, Jelenje, Viškovo, and Kastav, each with its own culinary specialities and stories. Together, they make the Rijeka Ring a destination where you can spend days exploring and enjoying authentic flavours and experiences.
KOSTRENA
South of Rijeka lies Kostrena, a maritime town dating back to the 15th century. It is renowned for its beautiful beaches, rich underwater world that attracts divers, and numerous opportunities for active holidays.
Kostrena’s restaurants focus primarily on seafood specialities. Dishes include marinated and grilled fish as well as buzara (a traditional shellfish or crustacean dish) with crabs and shellfish. A standout Kostrena dish is squid brudet with polenta.
Along the 3-km-long promenade and beaches, you’ll find dining options at Anić Restaurant, Konoba More, and Green Garden Restaurant.
Anić Restaurant offers seafood and grilled dishes, including brudet od mrkača (cuttlefish stew) and the traditional Kostrena dish of squid in sauce with polenta.
Konoba More surprises guests with creative interpretations of local ingredients alongside its selection of fresh fish, both large and small.
Green Garden Restaurant serves homemade pasta such as šurlice, pljukanci, tortellini, and gnocchi paired with sauces made from fresh, seasonal ingredients.
In the inner part of Kostrena, Seafood Papalina Fish Market prepares fresh fish on-site, while Paris Restaurant, known for its pizzas and pasta, also offers several traditional Kostrena dishes, including squid in sauce with polenta.
Further south lies Tavern Vidikovac. It serves fish and meat dishes daily, as well as hot marendas (midday meals), including traditional local dishes prepared just as they are in households.
Kostrena’s culinary heritage is captured in the book “Traditional Kostrena Cookbook”, available online through the tourist board.
One unique plant that grows in Kostrena is the drenjula (cornelian cherry). Its bright red berries, sweet and tangy in flavour, are rich in health benefits, giving rise to the saying “healthy as a cornelian cherry”.
The local agricultural producer E-Kos makes liqueur and jam from the berries.
Kostrena also boasts an edible souvenir – the Kostrena Cake. It is packaged in a custom-designed box by renowned Croatian designer and Kostrena native Juraj Zigman. This cake was traditionally prepared in Kostrena households during major celebrations and holidays.
The cake is rich in flavour, with a delightful crumbly crust, almonds, dates, raisins, and a hint of rum, alongside a few secret ingredients.
It is made by the Snjeguljica Pastry Shop, which has been crafting fine desserts for over 25 years.
If you visit Kostrena on Palm Sunday (March or April), you can enjoy the Easter in Kostrena festival, featuring a large asparagus fritaja for free tasting. For information on other events and festivals in Kostrena, visit the tourist board’s website.
BAKAR
In the Bay of Bakar, the town of Bakar captivates with its beauty and rich history.
Its entire old town centre is designated as a cultural monument, with highlights such as the Frankopan Castle, the Turkish House, and the Co-Cathedral of St Andrew attracting tourists. Beneath Bakar lies an abundance of freshwater springs, commemorated by public water fountains now featured on the tourist map of Revived Bakar Fountains. If you’re lucky, you may witness a natural karst phenomenon at Ponikve, where a lake appears and disappears.
Bakar’s maritime heritage is reflected in its renowned Bakarski baškot, a ring-shaped dry bread that sailors took on long journeys because it retained its taste and freshness for months. It served as a substitute for bread, a snack, or soaked in red wine. Today, you can find it at the Bakarski Baškot Bakery, also known as Baškotarna.
Among edible souvenirs is the Bakar cake, a dessert made of alternating layers of light and dark sponge cake with a light yet rich walnut cream. It is prepared using a recipe over 150 years old. People from Bakran cherished it as part of festive menus, and today you can get it at the Vrbnik bakery.
Bakar encompasses villages such as Hreljin, Krasica, Kukuljanovo, Plosna, Ponikve, Praputnjak, Škrljevo, and Zlobin.
Above the Bay of Bakar, on the steep slopes below Praputnjak, you’ll find the Bakarski prezidi – Takala, terraced dry-stone walls where vines are cultivated for Bakarska Vodica, a sparkling wine.
In the 18th century, industrious locals carried soil in baskets to this area, fenced it, and planted the indigenous belina grape variety. Inspired by 18th-century French sparkling wines, Bakarska vodica is now produced by the Dolčina Agricultural Cooperative from Praputnjak.
Local gastronomy can be enjoyed at Ribarnica Vladimir Bakar, which serves dishes made from fresh fish and seafood, including traditional marendas like cod stew, brudets, and maneštras. At Bakarska konoba and Vallis Restaurant, you can savour seafood dishes and meat prepared under hot ashes. One of the long-standing hospitality establishments in the Rijeka Ring is the tavern Bujan in Praputnjak, known for its homemade soups, roasts, and strudels. Among its specialties is Grobnik cheese with potatoes.
You can find information about events and festivals on the tourist board’s website, including Margareta’s Summer, which features the Brodetto Fest held in July
KRALJEVICA
Kraljevica is the centre of a region comprising six settlements: Bakarac, Kraljevica, Križišće, Mali Dol, Veli Dol, and Šmrika.
Driving south through the Bay of Bakar toward Kraljevica, you’ll spot tunere – 16-metre-high wooden lookout towers above the sea.
Historically, fishermen used these to watch for tuna entering the bay, signalling the shore with shouts when it was time to fish. Tuna fishing involved the whole community, a tradition now commemorated through the Tira, tira Festival in August, which earned the Simply the Best award for creativity. Tuna dishes are available year-round in local restaurants and taverns.
Kraljevica is the centre of a region comprising six settlements: Bakarac, Kraljevica, Križišće, Mali Dol, Veli Dol, and Šmrika. Its history as a settlement dates back to the Illyrians. Part of its natural harbour became a shipyard, and its long fishing and maritime traditions are celebrated at the Small Museum of Fishing and Shipbuilding. Located in the Nova Kraljevica Castle, this restored castle features four towers and views of Krk Island and the Bay of Bakar. The castle hosts numerous events, and the rich legacy of the Frankopan and Zrinski families is presented by the Visitor and Interpretation Centre Kraljevica. At the castle, Konoba Fran Krsto Frankopan offers dishes featuring tuna, the symbol of the region, as well as other seafood and meat specialities, including meals prepared under hot ashes. The tavern also serves two craft beers, Škveranka and Gajetanska. The names of the beers are related to Kraljevica. Gajetanska got its name from the grotto in the Carovo bay, which the local population knows well, and Škveranka is a kind of thanks to all the women who spent their working lives in Škvera.
Seafood specialities draw guests to the Frankopan Restaurant in Kraljevica and taverns like Portić in Bakarac and Sidro – Prdela in Črišnjeva Cove, offering fresh fried small fish and buzara dishes with shellfish.
Above the Črišnjeva Bay lies the village of Šmrika, home to a donkey farm. The Lucić family offers experiences and activities with donkeys, and their family farm produces donkey milk. Its taste is mild and sweet, with a composition most similar to human breast milk.
In addition to the Tira, tira Festival, gastronomy plays a significant role in Summer in Kraljevici, a summer event featuring the Dagnjada in July – a mussel festival where teams from Kraljevica and surrounding areas compete in preparing mussel buzara.
ČAVLE I JELENJE
The municipalities of Čavle and Jelenje lie between Rijeka and Gorski Kotar, rich in livestock farming, agriculture, forests, and opportunities for outdoor activities in nature.
The region has a long tradition of dairy farming, cheesemaking, butchery, and cornmeal production.
The legacy of Grobnik’s milkmaids, who carried up to 70 litres of milk on their backs to Rijeka, is honoured with monuments at Mljekarski trg in Rijeka, in the centre of Dražice, and in Mavrinci. These brave women walked from all parts of Grobnišćina to Rijeka, carrying milk with great effort. Their historical path is now celebrated through the popular “Milkmaid Trail”, which runs from Hrastenica to Rijeka, where their routes converged. The tourist boards of Čavle and Jelenje organise guided walks along these historical trails several times a year, reviving the rich heritage of the milkmaids.
Cheesemaking complements milk production. At the family run farm Gizdulić in Dražice and the PTO Frankulin Dairy in Grobnik, you can find fresh curd cheese in spring and the famous Grobnik cheese year-round. This full-fat, firm, and salty delicacy is traditionally made from sheep’s milk and, more recently, cow’s milk. The Frankulin Dairy also offers škripavac cheese and has a special cheese-tasting room available for group visits
In Martinovo Selo, you will find the enchanting Gašpar Mill, which is still operational today. It grinds around 50 kilograms of corn flour (muka) daily.
The Gašpar Mill cornmeal and Grobnik cheese are the stars of the Festival of Polenta and Cheese, held on the last Saturday of June and organised by the Čavle and Jelenje tourist boards. The festival’s highlight is the preparation of polenta in a 700-litre pot. The polenta is stirred with oar-sized paddles by about twenty cooks. The finished polenta, weighing approximately half a tonne, is poured onto a wooden platter (taruj) with a diameter of 3 metres. The Palentar Association is dedicated to preserving the name and traditional recipe of authentic Grobnik polenta kompirica.
Milk, cornmeal, and Grobnik cheese inspire unique culinary creations such as Grobnik savoury ice cream and Grobnik cornmeal biscuits, developed by Tomaž Maglica and Andrea Dević, a young MasterChef contestant from Čavle.
Čavle is also renowned for its butchery, with its shops finding loyal customers wherever they open. The Kobasica Open festival, held at the beginning of the year, gathers sausage enthusiasts and offers a chance to taste and judge the best boiled and grilled sausages.
The Automotodrom Grobnik is full of competitive spirit and attracts more than 80,000 drivers from all over the world on its spectacular track that is just over 4 km long. Restaurants nearby offer dishes prepared with local ingredients. Traditional hot meals are served daily at Buffet Pomorac, Mehana Tavern, and Putniku Tavern. Aerosteak features juicy steaks and baked polenta with cheese, while mountain lodges at Platak serve specialities such as wild game, stews, and seasonal delicacies like wild garlic and breaded nettles. Villa Sandi offers Grobnik products, including wild game and local cured meats.
For a bird’s-eye view of Grobnišćina and its surroundings, try parachuting, hang gliding, or a safe cockpit experience. Grobnik Airfield, located in Čavle, is one of the few places in Croatia where all branches of aviation converge.
For more information about activities and events in the region, visit the Čavle and Jelenje tourist boards’ websites.
VIŠKOVO
Once a land of farmers and shepherds, Viškovo is now one of Croatia’s most entrepreneurial municipalities.
Its progress has not hindered the preservation of traditions. Alongside numerous cultural and culinary highlights, visitors are drawn to its dry-stone wall-lined walking trails, offering tranquillity and stunning views.
Situated on the heights overlooking Rijeka and the Opatija Riviera, at the foot of the ancient town of Kastav, Viškovo preserves carnival customs, authentic flavours, the art of dry-stone wall building, and ancient music – four cultural treasures recognised by UNESCO as part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage.
The Ivan Matetić Ronjgov Institution, housed in the composer’s birthplace, attracts fans of the Istrian scale, nurturing indigenous musical and linguistic expression. However, the best-known representatives of Viškovo are the Halubajski Zvončari. With their bells, animalistic masks, and ritual movements, these guardians of centuries-old traditions are a highlight wherever they appear, whether during carnival or other times. Every year on Carnival Sunday, Carnival Monday, and Carnival Tuesday (before Ash Wednesday), the bell ringers embark on a traditional procession through the villages of Halubje and Kastavština, following an ancient route to banish winter and welcome spring. The bell ringers stop in about 20 villages daily, where they are greeted with traditional dishes, including local desserts such as supice (fried bread), fritule (doughnuts), and presnac, which has its own variation in Viškovo.
Here, the dough for presnac is filled with a mixture of rice or crumbled old bread, butter, raisins, walnuts, sugar, chocolate, and a range of spices.
Viškovo and its surroundings preserve dishes and flavours characteristic of the Adriatic hinterland. Traditional dishes like sauerkraut (kapuz) or pickled turnips with polenta kompirica, pašta i fažol (pasta and bean stew), and vegetable stews with beans, carrots, and barley are still part of Halubje family meals. These dishes can also be found as marenda options at Konoba Kume, Restaurant Mladenka, and Bistro Mario.
Meat specialities are the focus of Nono Frane and Trampov Breg restaurants, while Jist elevates them into a fine-dining experience. Delicious meat dishes can also be found in the municipality’s butcher shops.
Konoba Maretina prepares fresh seafood delicacies, including traditional fish dishes like salted sardines and cod stew.
At the family run farm Srok in Kosima, you can taste and buy wines made from Muscat and the indigenous belica grape, as well as the first olive oil produced in Viškovo.
With its characteristic ingredients, traditional dishes, preparation methods, customs, and local dialect, the heritage cookbook “Bokunić Užanci” offers a deep dive into the region’s culinary traditions. It is available online through the Tourist Board’s website. The Mediterranean diet of the Adriatic hinterland is recognised as part of UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage under the Mediterranean Diet Project, encompassing Croatia’s Adriatic coast, islands, and parts of its hinterland.
The traditional lifestyle and customs of the municipality of Viškovo are celebrated annually at the Majevica Festival, held on the first Sunday in May. Historically, this day marked the final spring dance before the onset of major agricultural work. For young women, it was eagerly anticipated, as it was customary for young men to decorate their windows with flowers overnight. A “maj” – an evergreen tree (commonly juniper, fir, or bay), or a blossoming branch of ash or cherry – was placed on a chimney or another prominent spot near her house. Today, this festival revitalises the traditional way of life with old-fashioned games, recitations, and a fair showcasing local and eco-products. Special emphasis is placed on creating authentic culinary experiences, including the preparation and presentation of traditional local foods.
KASTAV
Perched on a hill with views of the sea on one side and forests on the other, Kastav boasts a history dating back to nearly 3000 bce.
The town’s medieval architecture has left a significant mark, and its narrow streets and squares now host numerous cultural events, surrounded by art studios, galleries, and restaurants with national and international acclaim.
For centuries, Kastav has been synonymous with wine. Historical records in the medieval Kastav Statute outline the obligations of local residents to contribute wine and penalise its adulteration. Tales of wine and Kastav’s residents are also documented in the 17th century by the renowned Slovenian polymath Valvasor.
The Belice House Interpretation Centre, located in the old town, introduces visitors to the winemaking, viticulture, and cellar traditions of Kastavština. It showcases the effort of local farmers in clearing rocky terrain to create arable land, along with the tools and methods used in winemaking. At the end of the tour, visitors can sample Belica wine in the ambience of an old tavern and cooperage workshop, hosted by the Belica Association, which spearheads the revitalisation of Kastav’s winemaking and viticulture. The centre also hosts cultural, enological, and educational events promoting Kastav’s winemaking heritage.
The main indigenous grape varieties of Kastavština include mejsko, divjaka, brajkovac, and jarbola, which, alongside malvazija and verdić, create the light, fresh, and drinkable Belica wine.
Belica is pale yellow to straw-coloured, with a delicate aroma and refined, distinctive flavour. It is served 9–12°C and it pairs beautifully with all kinds of seafood, fish dishes, and white meat. The family run farm Plovanić from the Rubeša family has received a label of excellence for their Belica wine, earning a bronze medal at the 2022 Decanter World Wine Awards. They also produce Plovanić sparkling wine from the indigenous verdić, jarbola, and divjaka varieties, along with a unique Georgian amphora wine, macerated for eight months and aged for a further 12 months in large wooden barrels.
White Sunday is a traditional three-day fair in Kastav, held on the first Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of October. Dedicated to young wine, it is mentioned in the Kastav Town Statute of 1400. The event features a diverse market offering, presentations of old crafts, and cultural-entertainment programmes. The CrekVINA Kvarner Wine Festival is held during this time in Crkvina Square.
A newer wine event is the Kastav Winemakers’ Evaluation Gathering, organised by the Friends of Roses, Grapes, and Wine “Belica” Association. Held on Easter Monday, it brings together numerous winemakers to present their wines, some of which have won awards at both domestic and international competitions.
The green spaces and unspoiled nature surrounding Kastav provide an ideal environment for bees, with the family run farm Nada Gostović and the family run farm Petrović producing excellent honey.
Dr sc. Ana Smokrović, philosopher, gardener, and author, has established a biodynamic vegetable production initiative, Anino Povrće, in Kastav. She also offers a range of educational programmes on organic food cultivation. The topics and schedules are available on her website.
Creative preparation of local ingredients, paired with wines from Kastav, is the hallmark of the internationally acclaimed Kukuriku Restaurant. Oštarija Fortica and Bistro Loža are also beloved for their interpretations of local flavours.
Primarily meat-focused specialities are a feature of Restaurant Bonaca and Villa Mira, both of which also offer dishes cooked under hot ashes. Zlatno Krilo specialises in poultry and other meat dishes.
For more information on events in Kastav, visit the Tourist Board’s website.
List of local ingredients and specialities
Seafood specialities
Kvarner scampi: Served in buzara sauce, grilled, or in risottos and pasta dishes.
Shellfish: Mussels, clams, and cockles in buzara, risottos, or pasta; oysters on ice; and scallops au gratin.
Cephalopods: Squid, cuttlefish, and octopus. Adriatic squid is grilled or fried, Kostrena-style squid is stewed, cuttlefish is prepared in black risotto, and octopus is served in salads, grilled, or baked with potatoes and vegetables under hot ashes.
Fish
Sprat, anchovies and sardines – salted, marinated, grilled, or fried.
Mackerel and bluefish – smoked or dried, grilled, or added to salads, pasta, and bruschetta.
Hake: Boiled or fried. Shark: Prepared in brudet (fish stew) or grilled. Ray: Fried or boiled. Scorpionfish: Baked with potatoes, used in soups and brudet. Tuna: Tuna tartare and carpaccio, tuna preserved in oil, smoked tuna, or grilled tuna steak.
Meat specialities
Lamb: Roasted on a spit, baked, boiled, or prepared as lamb stew.
Game: Prepared as a stew.
Spit-roasted pork: Roasted suckling pig on a spit or baked in the oven with potatoes. Pork: Pork tenderloin in various preparations; fresh and cured sausages, prosciutto, and bacon.
Beef: Goulash, steaks in sauce, or beef fillet in truffle sauce.
Beef and Pork Mixtures: Used in stuffed peppers, zucchini, and cabbage rolls (sarma); included in lasagne, Bolognese sauces, meat patties, and ćevapi.
Cured meat is an essential ingredient in jota and pašta šuta, turnips and beans, as well as stews (maneštre) with legumes and vegetables. Dried sausages, prosciutto, and smoked pork belly are must-haves on cold platters.
Maneštre are hearty soups made with legumes, vegetables, and cured meats (sausages, pork knuckles, prosciutto, or bacon).
Cheeses
Grobnik Cheese: Served on a platter, grilled, or paired with polenta or potatoes. Accompanied by polenta kompirica, a mix of potatoes and cornmeal.
Young sheep or cow ricotta (skuta). Often paired with raw scampi tails in restaurants.
Plants
Herbs: Parsley, bay leaves, rosemary, sage, oregano, marjoram, thyme, garlic, and capers.
Salads: Made with radicchio, lamb’s lettuce, beans, tomatoes, asparagus, or green beans.
Wild asparagus: Served in salads, with fried eggs, in soups, sauces, or as pasta fillings.
Ramsons: Used as a seasonal spring ingredient.
Garlic shoots (paske): Featured in salads.
Green beans: Served in salads with garlic or as stews.
Zucchini: Stuffed or breaded.
Aubergines: Grilled or marinated.
Mushrooms: Cooked with eggs, grilled, stewed, or used in sauces.
Chestnuts: Roasted or used in desserts like chestnut purée and as fillings for poultry.
Pickled cabbage heads: Used in sarma (stuffed cabbage rolls). Grated pickled cabbage or turnips appear in jota and other dishes.
Risottos
Local varieties like šurlice, fuži, wide noodles, and ravioli. Served with seafood, meat stews, or vegetables. Small pasta varieties are added to stews.
Pasta
šurlice, fuži, široki rezanci, ravioli s plodovima mora, s mesnim gulašem, s povrćem; pužići u maneštrama.
Gnocchi and dumplings
Served with stews, baked with cheese, or filled with plums.
Bakery products
Cornbread, bread baked under a peka, and Bakarski baškoti (ring-shaped dry bread).
Oil
olive oil is used to season seafood dishes and salads with fresh herbs.
Fritule
Traditional doughnuts often filled with raisins.
Rigojanči
A historic Rijeka cake made with thin dark sponge layers and chocolate.
Presnac from Viškovo
Leavened dough filled with a mixture of rice or breadcrumbs, butter, raisins, walnuts, sugar, chocolate, and spices.
Bakar cake
A dessert made of alternating layers of light and dark sponge cake with a light yet rich walnut cream in between. People from Bakran cherished it as part of festive menus, and today you can get it at the Vrbnik bakery.
Kroštule
Fried dough ribbons, usually made during carnival season.
Dried figs
Served as smokvenjak (fig cake).
Beverages
Local wines from native varieties such as belica and žlahtina.
Sparkling wine Bakarska vodica.
Liqueurs: Made from cornelian cherry (drenjule), mistletoe (biska), and honey (medica).
Rakija (brandy): Flavoured with aromatic herbs.
Craft beers: Produced by local breweries in Rijeka.
Donkey milk from Šmrika.
Preliminary calendar of gastronomic and oenological events in Rijeka and the Rijeka ring, along with seasonal ingredients
Spring
Seasonal ingredients: Young lamb, sheep ricotta (skuta), wild asparagus, ramsons, mišance (wild edible herbs), sea fennel (motar), garlic shoots (paske), young peas, green beans, broad beans, berries, apricots.
Events:
March / April
During the Easter season, destinations host various events, with gastronomy as an integral part.
In Kostrena, during Easter in Kostrena, a large wild asparagus omelette (fritaja) is prepared on Palm Sunday (March or April), with free tastings.
In Rijeka, residents are treated to grilled sardines, and a large charity fritaja is also prepared in the run-up to Easter. March features Rijeka’s largest wine festival, WineRi.
On Easter Monday, Frankopan Easter at the Castle is held in Grobnik, where visitors can enjoy the largest šišer (plaited bread) in Grobnik’s history.
On Low Sunday, Kastav hosts the Evaluation Gathering of Kastav Winemakers, organised by the Belica Association, which attracts numerous winemakers.
May
International Workers’ Day (1 May) is celebrated with bean stew prepared for the public, while many mark the occasion with barbecues.
The first Sunday in May sees Viškovo host Majevica, a festival celebrating the arrival of spring with traditional entertainment, crafts, cuisine, and the preservation of cultural and historical heritage and customs.
Summer
Seasonal ingredients: Indigenous grape varieties, plums, figs, tomatoes, courgettes, peppers, aubergines.
Events:
June
On the last Saturday of June, the Čavle and Jelenje Tourist Boards organise the Polenta and Cheese Festival. In even years, it is hosted in Dražice, and in odd years in Čavle. Polenta kompirica is prepared in a 700-litre cauldron and served with Grobnik cheese.
July
Bakar hosts the Margareta’s Summer, featuring the Brudet Festival.
In Kraljevica, the Summer in Kraljevica programme includes Dagnjada, the Mussel Festival. Teams from Kraljevica and surrounding towns also compete in the preparation of dishes in a cauldron.
August
In Kraljevica, the Tira, tira event simulates traditional tuna fishing.
Jelenje Tourist Board organises the IN MEMORY OF THE MILKMAID – “The Lantern that Gave the Signal”, featuring Mlikaričin Put, a themed walk with traditional gastronomic offerings.
At the end of August, Čavle celebrates BARTOJA, which includes a competition for the best Bartojski Kotlić.
September
In mid-September, Rijeka hosts Malik Fest, a festival of Istrian and Kvarner legends and myths. During the fest, you can feast on specialties prepared according to recipes from the time of the great Frankopan.
Autumn
Seasonal ingredients: Sweet chestnuts (maruni), persimmons (kaki), pomegranates, wild mushrooms (porcini and parasol mushrooms), game.
Events:
October
On the first Sunday of October, Kastav’s centuries-old White Sunday celebrates young wine, the beginning of autumn, and cultural richness with presentations of traditional crafts. During this time, the Kvarner Wine Festival CrekVINA also takes place.
November / December
At the end of November, decorations and stalls in Rijeka and the Rijeka Ring herald the upcoming holidays and the year’s end.
Winter
Seasonal ingredients: kale, collard greens, young broccoli shoots, Jerusalem artichokes, dried figs, sauerkraut, pickled turnips, and cured meats.
Events:
The Christmas and New Year’s fair in December
It creates an enchanting Advent atmosphere across the region. Citizens gather in open spaces to socialise, enjoying mulled wine and fritule, as well as the diverse offerings of numerous stalls at the Christmas and New Year’s markets. In Rijeka, a large pot of cod stew (bakalar na gulaš) is prepared for the public before Christmas, and sardines are grilled. Tastings are free.
January / February
In January, the municipality of Čavle, the region’s centre of butchery, hosts the Kobasica Open event at the start of the month. People bring their sausages to be judged, and awards are given for the best boiled and grilled sausages.
Between Epiphany and Lent, the entire Kvarner region is immersed in the carnival spirit.
Rijeka, with its extensive programme and international masked parade, has earned a prominent place on the global list of carnival cities. One of the dances is held at Rijeka’s fish market (Ribarnica), while masked citizens prepare maneštra for their fellow residents and tourists in the town squares.
Throughout the region, masked groups visit their neighbours, who welcome them with eggs, dried figs, and smiles.
The Halubajski zvončari from Viškovo embark on their traditional tour every year on Carnival Sunday, Carnival Monday, and Carnival Tuesday, setting out from Marčelji along a time-honoured route through the villages of Halubje and Kastavština. They drive away winter and call in spring.
Similarly, the Grobnik dondolaši visit the area, symbolically banishing winter and summoning spring. Households welcome them with fritule and kroštule.
