Kvarner 2026: European Region of Gastronomy celebrates carnival tradition in Matulji, Rijeka and across the Kvarner area

Kvarner as the European Region of Gastronomy 2026: the carnival table, local products, and a big year for Kvarner’s identity

In 2026, Kvarner is the proud holder of the international title European Region of Gastronomy, an award granted by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism (IGCAT). The title is awarded to regions that convincingly connect the preservation of gastronomic heritage, local production, sustainable tourism, and cultural identity, and Kvarner welcomes it as an opportunity to present its own diversity – from islands and the coast to the highlands – through what is most tangible in everyday life: food, customs, and the people who preserve them.

The celebratory year was symbolically opened in Matulji, in a municipality that is often described in this area as “the most carnival-loving.” On Thursday, 15 January 2026, in Zaluki, the first in a series of local openings was held, linked to the long-running Festival of Carnival Food, an event in which the carnival tradition of the northern Adriatic is recognized at the tables as well – through carnival sweets, “spoon dishes,” and specific recipes that in many families are passed down through generations. For visitors planning to come and stay in this part of the Opatija Riviera, a practical option is also accommodation in Matulji during carnival events, especially in the weeks when the program intensifies.

What the European Region of Gastronomy title means for Kvarner

IGCAT’s European Region of Gastronomy program generally emphasizes the long-term value of local food and table culture: encouraging short supply chains, recognition of indigenous ingredients, the role of restaurateurs and producers, and community involvement. In Kvarner, this story naturally builds on geographic and climatic diversity: within the same area, Mediterranean influences of the coast and islands meet the continental and pre-mountain characteristics of the hinterland, which is reflected in seasonality and menus. It is precisely this “arc” from sea to mountains that is often highlighted as one of Kvarner’s particularities: within a short radius, fish and seafood, olive oil and island herbs alternate, but also dishes of game, cabbage, potatoes, and cured meat products from more mountainous areas.

For the tourism sector, this is more than a promotional message. The title opens space for stronger connections between local producers, restaurateurs, hoteliers, and tourist boards, and it is also a platform for events that do not depend on the summer season. In that sense, in 2026 Kvarner has the opportunity to further affirm the pre-season and post-season – especially through events that have a clear link to tradition, such as the carnival period.

Why the start in Matulji was more than protocol

Matulji had strong symbolism for such an opening: carnival customs in this area are not just a folkloric backdrop, but a living practice in which a large part of the community participates, from bell-ringer groups to carnival associations and families who prepare traditional dishes. In that context, the Festival of Carnival Food logically imposed itself as a “stage” that connects what the European Region of Gastronomy title aims to communicate: local ingredients, recipes, togetherness, and identity.

The organizational framework of the opening gathered the tourist boards of the Opatija Riviera – Matulji, Opatija, Lovran, Ičići, and Mošćenička Draga – together with guests from Rijeka and the Rijeka ring, the Crikvenica–Vinodol Riviera, Gorski kotar, and the islands of Krk, Cres, Lošinj, Rab, and Lopar. The patronage of the Kvarner Tourist Board further emphasized the regional character of the whole story: the goal was not to single out one destination, but to show how Kvarner’s eight subregions fit into a single gastronomic whole.

Gathering of Kvarner in Zaluki: who the actors were

Alongside gastronomic presentations, the opening also had a strong social and protocol aspect. It brought together representatives of the tourism sector, mayors and heads of Kvarner’s towns and municipalities, and representatives of carnival and bell-ringer associations from across the region. The distinctive recognizability of the carnival period in this area is given precisely by bell-ringers and carnival groups: their presence at the event was a reminder that in Kvarner gastronomy is often not separated from customs.

The event also included the Prefect of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Ivica Lukanović, who in his address emphasized how the combination of top-quality ingredients, hardworking people, and carnival customs can become a strong tool for promoting the indigenous, but also an incentive to preserve and present local products even more systematically to guests – and, equally importantly, to enjoy them more “at home,” within the community that created them.

The Director of the Kvarner Tourist Board, Dr. Irena Peršić Živadinov, highlighted the concept that accompanies the whole of 2026: each of the eight subregions is preparing its own local opening of the celebratory year in order to highlight local bearers – producers of food and drink, restaurateurs, winemakers, hoteliers, family farms, craftspeople, cultural and educational institutions, and civil society organizations. The message is clear: heritage is safest when it is presented by those who live it.

The Director of the Matulji Municipal Tourist Board, Marijana Kalčić, described this year through a simple local thought: “Without the small, there is no big!” – a reminder that big projects are built from a series of small but important steps. She also announced the carnival edition of the Matuljicious Pust+ edition project and invited visitors to come to Matulji during carnival time and experience the tradition “on site.”

The carnival table of Kvarner: from sweet fritters to spoon dishes

The central part of the evening was dedicated to what is remembered best: the aromas, flavors, and stories behind the recipes. Carnival specialties from different parts of Kvarner were presented, with the emphasis on traditional dishes and products that are especially present in the carnival period. Below is an overview of what could be tasted, with the note that many bites were also a kind of “postcard” of an individual subregion.

Rijeka and the Rijeka ring: sweets and a glass that rounds out the table

• mendulača
• fritule a la Bakar cake
• Halubje presnac
• doughnuts
• kroštule
• Kastav Belica as a distinctive wine accompaniment

In the Rijeka and Kastav area, carnival time traditionally implies a strong “sweet repertoire,” but also drinks associated with local identity. Such tables are often the best introduction to broader carnival programs in the city, so for those planning a multi-day stay, accommodation in Rijeka during the carnival is also useful, especially around the most visited weekends.

Gorski kotar: winter cuisine that warms and brings people together

• blood sausages
• sour cabbage salad
• pajtica with poppy seeds and cheese
• savory rolls with fresh cheese
• heated rakija

At such events, Gorski kotar is often experienced as a “contrast” to the coast and islands, but gastronomically that becomes its advantage: winter dishes, preserving, sour dishes, and traditional cured meat products naturally fit into the carnival period.

Crikvenica–Vinodol Riviera: dishes that speak of fishermen’s and coastal everyday life

• thick “batuda” soup from Crikvenica
• Novi Vinodolski marinada with polenta
• Bribir prisnac
• frita

This subregion presented a typical blend of coastal flavors and dishes that fed the community in everyday life – from soups and marinades to sweets that are indispensable during carnival time.

Island of Krk: signature plates and sparkling wine as a hallmark

• “peach in frost”
• “frozen sea”
• presnoc
• Biser žlahtine sparkling wine

The Krk offer showed how tradition and a modern hospitality approach can complement each other: alongside recognizable local sweets, signature plates were also presented that rely on island ingredients and the idea of seasonality. For those planning to tour the Kvarner islands throughout the year, a practical option is also accommodation in Kvarner from islands to highlands, as a starting point for multi-day routes.

Rab and Lopar: simplicity based on olive oil

• olive oils
• lentils as a traditional spoon dish prepared with legumes and olive oil

Island cuisine often works best when it is modest and clear: a few strong ingredients, a good method, and a recipe cooked “as it has always been cooked.” That is exactly the impression left by the Rab–Lopar presentation.

Cres: mutton, cheese, and a new cake for a tourism jubilee

• palenta škrobić (polenta cooked in mutton broth)
• udić (sheep prosciutto)
• žgvacet of mutton
• Cres cheese
• rice fritters
• “Creska rožica,” a signature cake presented on the occasion of marking 180 years of tourism on Cres

Cres presented itself strongly through identity: mutton and cheese as the island “foundation,” with an interesting novelty in the confectionery part – a cake that aims to become a new recognizable edible souvenir.

Lošinj: krokant as a ceremonial act and a symbol of island heritage

The Lošinj “krokant” stood out both in form and ritual: it is a layered sweet made of almonds and caramelized sugar that in tradition is often associated with festive occasions. Special attention was drawn to the moment of cutting the krokant with a sword – a detail that at the event further emphasized the carnival aesthetics and the ceremony of the opening.

Opatija Riviera – the hosts: synergy of places, recipes, and winemakers

• Rukavac and Zvoneje presnac
• grašnjaki stuffed with Lovran chestnuts (maruni)
• ulenjaki
• kroštuli
• turnip with beans and dried meat
• prosciutto in bread
• cured meat products from the Bregi area
• bakalar in bianco and salted fish
• sparkling wine and wines from local producers as accompaniments to the dishes

In the hosts’ segment, the idea of “Riviera synergy” was especially emphasized: for example, connecting the Rukavac sweet with the Lovran chestnut as an ingredient that is itself a strong symbol of the area. Such details perhaps best explain why gastronomy in Kvarner is not just an “offer,” but a way of telling the story of a place.

Carnival tradition and bell-ringers: intangible heritage that has a taste

In Kvarner’s carnival context, food and customs are often inseparable. Bell-ringer groups and carnival associations are not only participants in parades, but also bearers of practices that set the rhythm of the community in the first months of the year: from gatherings and rounds to shared lunches, preparations, and socializing. In the area of Kastavština and Halubje, the tradition of bell-ringers is inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, which further increases the interest of the public and visitors, but also the responsibility of the local community to keep the custom alive and not museum-like.

For visitors, that means that in the carnival period in Kvarner they do not come only “to an event,” but enter a time in which local identity is seen in the street, heard in bells, and felt at tables. Anyone planning to visit multiple locations – from Matulji and Opatija to Rijeka and the hinterland – can also consider in advance accommodation near the main carnival events, because programs often follow one weekend after another.

What follows after the opening: the carnival period calendar and major dates in 2026

Announcements at the opening did not remain at general messages. The carnival period 2026 in Kvarner brings a series of events for different generations: children’s parades, bell-ringer gatherings, carnival dances, music programs, and events that combine humor, satire, and tradition.

In Rijeka, among the key dates are the election of the Rijeka Carnival Queen on 23 January 2026, the Children’s Carnival Parade on 31 January 2026, and the International Carnival Parade on 15 February 2026, an event that usually attracts a large number of visitors from Croatia and abroad. In Opatija, one of the most picturesque carnival attractions is announced as Balinjerada on 8 February 2026, a traditional race of ball-bearing vehicles down the main city street, which for decades has gathered thousands of spectators. For those who want to experience this part of the Riviera in its liveliest winter edition, a practical option is also accommodation in Opatija near Balinjerada.

In the Matulji area, the carnival program extends over several weeks, with bell-ringers’ rounds and local events through settlements, which further confirms why this municipality was chosen for the start of the year of the European Region of Gastronomy.

Gastronomy as a development story: sustainability, producers, and season extension

Behind the festival atmosphere and full tables there is also a serious development ambition: the European Region of Gastronomy title can be an incentive to connect local production and hospitality even more firmly, to brand indigenous products better, and to extend the destination experience beyond the summer months. Especially important is the emphasis on local bearers – family farms, small producers, winemakers, and restaurateurs – because they are the ones who in practice preserve knowledge about ingredients, recipes, and methods.

Through the concept of eight subregions in 2026, Kvarner wants to avoid “one big central event” and instead show a network of local stories. That means that visitors during the year will have more opportunities to come to different openings and events, compare the cuisines of the islands and the highlands, taste traditional carnival dishes, but also see how modern hospitality approaches rely on heritage. In this story, gastronomy stops being only an “offer on a plate” and becomes a way of understanding a place: from what is planted and grown, how food is preserved in winter, to how the community gathers around customs. In Kvarner, this is especially visible during carnival time, when – along with bells, masks, and parades – it is reaffirmed that food is part of tradition, joy, and togetherness.

Sources:

• IGCAT – announcement about awarding the title to Kvarner for 2026 ( igcat.org )
• European Region of Gastronomy Platform – Kvarner profile and concept description ( europeanregionofgastronomy.org )
• Novi list – announcement and context of the “Festival of Carnival Food” in Matulji ( novilist.hr )
• Primorje-Gorski Kotar County – announcement about education and preparations for the project “Kvarner – European Region of Gastronomy 2026.” ( pgz.hr )
• Visit Rijeka – official information on key dates of the Rijeka Carnival 2026 ( visitrijeka.hr )
• Visit Opatija – official announcement of Balinjerada with the 2026 date ( visitopatija.com )
• Visit Matulji (croatia.hr) – overview of the carnival period and program in the Matulji area ( croatia.hr )
• Viškovo Municipality Tourist Board – information on the bell-ringers’ inscription on the UNESCO list ( visitviskovo.hr )