PHOTO: MAJA DANICA PEČANIĆ IZVOR: HTZ
Top Things to Revel In

Must-See Locations and Experiences

  • Tasting Lamb-Sack Cheese and Sheep Cheese or Drniš Prosciutto
  • Appreciating Roasted Lamb and Potatoes Under the Bell in Drniš and Knin
  • Relishing Skradin Risotto, "Koprtlje", "Bižot" and "Čokalice" in Skradin
  • Trying "Gregada", "Brudet", "Lešada" and "Luganige" Along the Coast
  • Enjoying "Kroštule", "Mandulat", "Vlaška čaša" or Carob Tart in Šibenik
  • Savouring "Babić", "Plavina", "Debit", "Maraština", "Prošek" and Home-Made Wines, "Lozovača" and "Travarica" Brandies, or Jujube, Sour Cherry, Blueberry, Walnut, Pear, Fig and Rose Petal Liqueurs Throughout the Entire County

Dalmatian Flavours

The cuisine of the maritime part of Šibenik-Knin County is based mostly on the ingredients like fish, shells and various other seafood. Homemade olive oil is the main spice in most dishes, whereas salt and pepper are being used in minimal quantities. The most famous specialities are roasted fish, "buzara" style mussels, brodetto, as well as risotto with seafood. Šibenik Bay and tributary Zaton Bay are one of the best-known places on the Dalmatian coast for mussel breeding. It is generally known that the mussels of Šibenik grow three to five times faster than mussels in other parts of the world. The main condition for the outstanding mussel breeding is the brackish water that comes from the sea water of the bays being mixed with Lake Prokljan, several nearby springs and the Krka River.

Continental Specialties

The hinterland of the region inclines to the continental cuisine mostly based on meat and potatoes. The specialities of this part of Šibenik-Knin County are roasted lamb or veal with roasted potatoes and assorted salad, which you can find on the menu of every local restaurant. They are traditionally prepared for a couple of hours under "peka", an iron bell filled with meat and potatoes and covered with ember. To the list of the most famous specialities of the region we must certainly add autochthonous cheese ripened in a lamb sack and smoked ham. The smoked ham from Drniš in particular has been awarded many times and internationally recognized as one of the highest world quality products.

Superb Seafood and Home-Made Wines

The islanders of the area are well-known for excellent seafood specialties and tasty home-made wines, especially among yachtsmen and other sailors that frequent local "konobe", i.e. small and peaceful traditional taverns. Some high-profile celebrities are regular guests of a few such taverns on the islands of Kaprije and Žirje, e.g. If you prefer more animated festivities of local cuisine, visit some of the eventful gatherings like "Brudetijada" (a celebration of Dalmatian fish stew) on the island of Zlarin.

Light Specialties of Local Cuisine

Whether you want to dine in some of great town restaurants and taverns or try home-made products of rural households and farms, the coastal cuisine of Šibenik-Knin County will delight you with its variety and simplicity. The abundance of fresh juicy seafood and great olive oil, mild herbs and spices and exquisite garnishes, great red wines like Primošten's famous "Babić", ripe sheep cheese, "luganige" sausages, light dishes like "gregada", "lešada", "brudet", and slightly seasoned grilled fish will all fill your nostrils and excite your taste buds in one memorable gastronomic experience!

Indigenous Dishes of International Renown

The inland of the county has extraordinary rich and diverse cuisine that can please gourmets of all preferences. The filling Drniš specialties as lamb-sack and sheep cheese, prosciutto, roasted lamb or veal under the bell; the distinctive Skradin meat recipes as "koprtlje" and Skradin risotto (a demanding dish traditionally prepared only by men) or seafood delicacies as "bižot" (eel brodetto) and "čokalice" (tiny fishes that live between the upper layer of the Krka River and the lower layer of the Adriatic); fruit-based desserts as Skradin cake (based on almonds, walnuts and honey), "bruštulani" (sugared almonds), fig, bearberry and rowan berry jams; aromatic sour cherry, pear, blueberry, fig, jujube, walnut and rose petal liqueurs; as well as quality vine sorts as "debit" and "maraština" (for white wines) or "lasina" and "plavina" (for red wines), all enchant, excite and always leave you asking for more!

Tasty Desserts and Sweets

The most traditional desserts of Šibenik-Knin County cuisine are: "rožata", a cake made of eggs, milk and caramel; "fritule", mini doughnuts made with raisins and liqueur (little balls formed to the size of a plum and then fried in hot oil); "kroštule", made in a similar manner as "fritule", only in the form of long bands; and "mandulat", a dessert made by mixing almonds and honey. Some of the more contemporary desserts include: carob tart served with tangerines, ripe peaches or early slightly grilled figs; and refreshingly innovative "vlaška čaša", an olive oil mousse mixed with melon jam and almond biscuits.

Great Wines and Digestifs

"Babić" wine, produced in the vineyards of Primošten, is a renowned red wine of the highest quality, and a picture featuring Primošten's vineyards is permanently exhibited in the main building of the UN in New York, representing hard human labour through the centuries and struggle with Dalmatian stone. Alongside indigenous red wine varieties of Babić, Lasina and Plavina, white wine varieties are also cultivated: Debit, Maraština and Pošip, as well as several international varieties of which Merlot stands out as the most fruitful in the area of Drniš. Prošek is a unique sweet wine made using dried wine grapes and is part of the tradition of Dalmatia. Recent times have seen a rise in production of sparkling wines using indigenous wine varieties. Although the brandy rakija is known as a great digestive, locally it is mostly served with dried figs as a welcoming aperitif. Locally, rakija is usually made using wine grapes mixed with native herbs and fruit. More notable types include, for example, herb brandy, walnut brandy, jujube brandy and sour cherry brandy.