Eating dormice on Hvar Island

One of the most unique culinary traditions in Croatia is probably the tradition of eating dormice ( lat. Glis Glis). It is an ancient tradition as dormice were very popular appetizer with Roman emperors. The tradition in Europe is almost completely lost except in Slovenia and Croatia. In Croatia, dormouse (or puh in Croatian) is…

Hiking to the bottom of Blue Lake of Imotski

The Blue Lake (Modro jezero) has been dry for over three months now and no one even remembers when was the last time the drought was so serious… I had a post on Modro jezero a while back so I won’t go into too many details. Just a few basics: – the depth of the…

From Italy to Croatia

Traveling from Italy to Croatia – despite looking so easy – may hold several obstacles. Many of our clients are looking for reliable information on how to travel from Italy to Croatia so we compiled this list of possibilities Traveling from Italy to Croatia can be quite a challenge unless you are familiar with all…

Eating shellfish in Croatia

This is a post on one of my favorite foods! I simply adore all sorts of shellfish: Arca noae, mussels, lobster, scampi, clams … Luckily, Croatian Adriatic is  still a very good source of all mentioned so we often visit the fish markets both in Zadar and Split. We also have several friends who dive…

Villa Rosina Restaurant – Split

Fifty years after it was closed down, Villa Rosina finally opened it’s doors as one of the Split’s latest restaurants. The location: Bacvice beach, the view: million dollars, the restaurant: long way to go… First, the location and this classical building soon-to-be a boutique-hotel are simply the best in Split. The spacious garden, fairly private…

Wine bar in Split – Klub gurmana i hedonista

Split has had several wine bars opened in the past few years but all with limited success. Not sure if it was for poor advertising, lack of real enthusiasm behind it or maybe something else, but it never really worked out: there was never a place that would make one go back and learn about…

Best Restaurants of Croatia – Mediteranium, restaurant – lounge bar in Split

I’ve heard of this place only a month ago going through some Facebook friends. It immediately caught my attention as it looked like something different and so badly needed in Split.  Several restaurants in Split are  fairly classy looking but with mediocre food. Someone would think that would be impossible in the region surrounded by…

Sacred places of Illyria

Illyria is probably not the best name for the region that is still so mysterious as we struggle in getting answers to even the basic quastions about the ancient inhabitants that lived here. It encompasses  Dalmatia and it’s hinterland including Hercegovina in modern day Bosnia and Hercegovina as this region shared a lot of history…

Konoba Hvaranin, Split

My clients often ask where they can have something authentic and eat like the locals. Konoba Hvaranin in Split is definitely one of those places! This past Sunday we decided to eat out as we spent too much time on the Riva with our clients leaving for a week long gulet trip. Hvaranin seemed the…

Outer Islands of Dalmatia: Jabuka, Svetac and Brusnik

I have been to numerous islands, hidden fortresses, unknown caves, crazy places… But these islands: Jabuka, Svetac and Brusnik  I wanted to visit ever since I was a kid! Jabuka – a volcanic rock in the middle of the Adriatic. Svetac – the stronghold of Illyrian queen Teuta and Brusnik, another volcanic island just like…

Best Restaurants in Croatia – Zrno Soli, Split

Ok, it is pretentious to put this newly opened restaurant on a list of the best restaurants but let’s be supportive. It definitely has all the elements that can get it there: wonderful settings in Split’s ACI Marina, great and stylish interiors and fairly good chef… So, I invited my business partner Martin of Cro…

Maraschino of Zadar

If there is one thing that can put Croatia on the World map of very unique delicacies and fine drinks, it would be Maraschino. In Zadar area, marasca sour cherry (Prunus Cerasus Marasca) has been regarded for centuries as medicine and food. This very special plant has adjusted well to the specific soils of Zadar…

Ethnographic Museum of Split

From this year, we will include a visit to the Ethnographic Museum of Split with our private Walking tour of Split. Just before Christmas, my guide Rada took us there for a lovely exhibition of traditional chests that were used to store valuables or personal items. Since I haven’t been there in a while, it…

Dalmatian food traditions – Fall and Winter in Imotski

In the time of uniformed restaurant offer, it is always nice to find some authentic Dalmatian tastes. Problem is that most of the traditions are nearly gone and that you can get traditional meals at very few places. Steak, french fries, pizzas…are taking over and that is ok. People have the right to eat what…

Roman ball games in Dalmatia

One of the most interesting pieces of Roman art, in Dalmatia, is definitely a tomb monument of a Roman boy that can be seen as a wall decoration in Sinj. The monument represents a 7 year old Gaius Liberius holding a ball in his hand. It was excavated in the nearby Roman stronghold of Gardun…