The Mediterranean area has long been known for its healthy diet, in which
olive oil of course plays an
important and irreplaceable role. Olive growing and processing is a
traditional activity in Croatia, and the area of Istria and Dalmatia stands out. Olive oil has many
healing properties, for example protection of the cardiovascular system, acts against inflammatory processes, improves the health of the digestive system, preserves the health of bones, skin and hair…
Olive oil not only preserves health, but is also
very tasty and gives food a special taste, for which the Mediterranean diet is known. If you are a fan of this type of food and have already booked
one of our beautiful villas, olive oil museums are the
right place for you!
Croatia is known for
quality olive oils, so it is not surprising that two museums have been opened in his honour. The museums are located in
Istria and Dalmatia, so it is certainly interesting to visit them and discover something more about this
medicinal and delicious product.
The Museum of Olive Oil "
Olei Histriae" is located in the center of
Pula, and was founded on the basis of the long olive growing tradition in the area. In the museum, visitors can find out how
olive growing flourished in Istria during the Roman Empire, and there are also amphorae on display, in which the Romans exported olive oil to the rest of Europe. A large part of the museum's exhibition speaks of the current development of olive growing in Istria. Furthermore, you can find out what are the medicinal properties of olive oil, which parts of Istria are covered with olive groves, where the "
Olive Roads” are, how olive oil is produced and why
UNESCO has included the
Mediterranean diet in its protected heritage.
After the visitors learn all about olive oil,
a tasting follows, which everyone is sure to enjoy, they also have the opportunity to apply the newly acquired knowledge. During the tasting, visitors learn how to taste olive oil,
how to recognise real extra virgin olive oil and how to distinguish real homemade olive oil from the industrial ones. The museum offers olive oils from all over Istria - we are sure that you will want to buy some of it and
take it home! The right place for this is the shop located within the museum, which offers
olive oils from over 30 top olive growers from Istria. These are oils that have been awarded recognitions in Croatia but also in the world - London, New York, Japan, Switzerland - which
guarantees their quality.
The museum offers three packages that can be purchased at affordable prices, and visitors choose the package and the duration of the tour based on their preferences. The Museum of Olive Oil is a
different and new kind of experience, and it will be interesting for all ages and generations. Set aside one afternoon and let olive oil
enchant you with its benefits!
The second museum is located in
Dalmatia, more precisely in the
small town of Skrip on the
island of Brac. This museum is slightly different from the one in Istria, and is located in a
traditional Dalmatian village that will enchant you at first sight!
The
Uja Museum was founded in 2013 and is housed in an old stone house, where olive oil was produced
more than 140 years ago, all the way to the invention of modern machines that replaced human labor and the press. The museum was opened by the grandson of the old olive oil makers, who had the
desire to pass on the tradition of olive oil production to future generations. In the museum you can see drawings of
old presses that were used in the production of olive oil, and the whole process is explained from picking and cleaning olives, to the pressing of the olive-paste. The small museum also houses a press and all the other tools needed for the
traditional making of olive oil.
Of course, you can buy homemade olive oil in the museum, but also a delicious spread of green olives and almonds or one of just green olives, and they are
served with warm homemade bread, tomatoes and goat cheese. A surprise is the
fig jam, that will complete the Mediterranean experience. All these products are made from local ingredients according to
autochthonous recipes. The products that can be tasted and bought in the museum have been awarded prizes, which guarantee the quality of their workmanship and the product itself.
This museum, as well as the one in Istria, offers several packages that include sightseeing and tasting of products, which are selected based on personal preferences. We are sure that the Uja Museum in the little town Skrip
will delight you, and make your vacation more colourful and a
little different than usual!
Petra Stazic
13.6.2022
MY ISTRIA GUIDE
