Not far from the
historical town of Zadar, in a small bay, lies the town of
Nin, one of the sunniest places in the Mediterranean. Due to its
excellent geographical position, favourable wind, shallow sea and numerous sunny days, a
thousand-year-old saline was built in this place. If you stay in one of our beautiful
villas in Dalmatia, we recommend you to spend a day in the salt works, where you can learn about
salt production, but also about its history.
The Saline Nin covers an area of 55 hectares in the shallow lagoon of Nin, whose history dates back to Roman times. At that time salt had the
same value as gold. It is also known that the Romans paid their soldiers with salt from Nin. The Roman name for payment with salt is salarium, and it is believed that the English word for salary derives from this word. The Saline Nin is
surrounded by five national parks - Plitvice, Paklenica, Kornati,
North Velebit and Krka (about which you can read more in our My Istria Guide), which is another indication of the
clean and untouched nature of the bay. The salt from Nin has an authentic taste and
high nutritional value. The biodiversity comprised of more than 200 species of birds, seaweed, fish, medicinal mud and untouched nature contribute to the
unique taste. The Adriatic Sea, the sun and the wind from Mount Velebit take part in the production and it is harvested in a traditional, natural way, where the human hand is an indispensable element.
To get to know the Nin salt works better, the saline
organises tours where you can learn more about the traditional salt production,
take part in harvesting and find out all about the history of salt.
Educational salt tour
This salt tour consists of a round through a salt field with an
expert guide. This tour tells us about salt, how to
ecologically produce it, the crystallisation process and its harvesting. The tour lasts 45 minutes and is suitable for all ages.
Solar man experience
An unforgettable experience where you become a
salt worker for a day and learn about the creation of salt, its harvesting and packaging. This tour depends on the season, which affects the process of salt production. In the summer months you can
participate in the harvesting of salt, in spring and fall you will see how the seawater ponds are maintained, and in the winter months, you can be part of the storage and packaging of salt. This tour also includes
working with a professional salt worker, walking along the basins, releasing seawater through the sluices (wooden barriers between the basins) to gain ecological salt. This tour lasts 1.5 hours and is ideal for group team building.
Museum and House of Salt
The saltworks also includes a museum and the House of Salt. Here you can learn more about the
history of the salt works through black and white photos from the past, old tools, wagons that were used to transport salt from the basin to the warehouse and a
documentary about the Saline Nin. The tour of the museum and the House of Salt is suitable for all ages and lasts 30 minutes.
In the small
souvenir shop, there is a presentation of salt products, which you can also buy as a
perfect little gift for yourself or your loved ones. In the shop you will find more than 200 different products, from which we have picked out our favourites for you:
- Nin Flower of Salt - hand-picked salt that crystallises on the surface of the water. It is harvested exclusively under ideal conditions in the early morning or late evening when there is no wind. It is rich in natural minerals that add intense flavour to any dish.
- Salt - natural salt from the Adriatic Sea.
- Chocolate with a flower of salt - a combination of salty and sweet flavours, creating a unique delicacy that will delight your palate
- Wooden mini-saline - ceramic bowl and highly concentrated saltwater that allows you to make your own homemade organic salt at home
We hope that we have acquainted you enough with Soline Nin and that we have created a desire in you to
visit this salt works during your stay in one of
our villas with pool. For more information, visit the Soline Nin website:
https://www.solananin.hr/hr/pocetna/
Ana-Marija Tot
9.3.2022
MY ISTRIA GUIDE
