Matuljicious Pust+ Edition: Matulji in the spirit of Carnival, flavors and active relaxation until the end of February
This winter again, Matulji have entered their “fifth season” with the Matuljicious Pust+ Edition program, which brings together in one calendar what in this area naturally follows one another: Carnival customs, local gastronomy, educational content and time spent in nature. According to the program published by the Matulji Municipality Tourist Board, the activities run from 17 January until the end of February, and are designed to attract both local visitors and guests who want to experience Kvarner outside the classic summer season.
For part of the audience, Matuljicious is above all a gastronomic “showcase” of the area; for others, it is an opportunity for an active day in nature; and for a third group, a reason to get closer to the Carnival tradition that in Matulji is not decoration, but a living practice in villages and hamlets. The organizers emphasize that the concept is conceived as an experiential program: from workshops and guided tours to promotional menus and offers from local producers, with the recognizable Carnival atmosphere that in this part of Kvarner can be felt at every step.
If you are coming to Matulji for events or planning a weekend trip, it is practical to check in advance
accommodation in Matulji and the surrounding area, especially on dates when guided tours and Carnival gatherings are held.
An evening dedicated to cheese: Stancija Kovačići combined education and local flavors
One of the highlights of the program so far was on Friday, 30 January 2026, when the Stancija Kovačići restaurant hosted an evening dedicated to cheese. According to the official announcement of the Tourist Board, it was an event led by certified cheese educator and taster Marina Selak, with a menu prepared by chef Vinko Frlan.
The concept of the evening was as educational as it was gastronomic: through guided tasting and explanations about types of cheeses, tasting techniques and pairings, the audience received a “tool” for recognizing nuances of flavor and texture, but also for understanding the broader story of production. At the same time, the dishes emphasized the value of domestic ingredients and local tradition, with an interpretation that positions the kitchen as a bridge between heritage and contemporary guest expectations.
In practice, evenings like these are often also a test of how much local gastronomy can be a “story” and not just an offer. The organizers put precisely that aspect in the foreground: learning, tasting and socializing in a format that is accessible to a broader audience, yet substantial enough to attract those who follow gastronomy systematically.
For visitors who would like to combine such events with several days’ stay, it is useful to look in advance at
accommodation offers in Matulji, because part of the program takes place on weekends and in several consecutive time slots.
“One su hodile”: a costumed hike that combined recreation and the Carnival spirit
The day after the gastronomic evening, on Saturday 31 January 2026, the costumed hike “One su hodile” was held, conceived as a combination of organized recreation, time in nature and Carnival socializing. According to the program announcements, it is content that deliberately steps outside the framework of a “square event” and moves the experience into the landscape: participants follow routes that connect several places and points, with breaks and refreshments.
The route description highlights movement through local points such as Biškup, Ivanići, Lepotnjak, Kućeli, Rukavac and Rukavac as a final segment that logically connects to the Carnival identity of the area. According to information from the organizers in the announcements, part of the program includes an organized meal after the tour, which makes such an outing an all-day experience rather than just a short walk.
An important element is also partnerships on the ground. The implementation mentions expert support from a hiking association, while the “local station” in the form of an OPG or a hospitality venue appears as a place of rest and meeting. This gives the event the character of a “trek” in which participants move not only for fitness, but also for the experience of community, which is otherwise one of the key social functions of the Carnival period.
If you plan to come to one of the upcoming outdoor tours or themed trips, it is reasonable to secure in advance
accommodation near the event location, especially if you want to combine multiple activities in the same weekend.
“Pamet va glavu!”: workshops that turn coffee, wine and cooking into an experience
The educational part of Matuljicious is not conceived as a side add-on, but as an equal program line. Under the name “Pamet va glavu!”, workshops and trainings are gathered that offer the public knowledge about preparing drinks and food, as well as creative formats that connect gastronomy with art and everyday life.
In January, the program highlighted workshops related to coffee in the Hug & Punch venue. According to the official program, coffee-painting workshops were held in cooperation with the Anzotica association, as well as home coffee-brewing workshops led by an authorized Specialty Coffee Association trainer. The idea is clear: coffee is not treated only as a habit, but as a culture and a skill – from understanding the bean to preparation technique and tasting.
In February, the educational content continues with other topics. According to the published program, today, 4 February 2026, a wine workshop organized by the Kapić winery is scheduled, while on 3 February a cooking school of traditional dishes from the Kvarner hinterland was planned at Stancija Kovačići. In both cases, the emphasis is on structured learning with a limited number of places and mandatory registration, which suggests a format aimed at quality of work and interaction rather than mass attendance.
Such workshops are also a signal of a broader trend: events increasingly offer content that leaves a “trace” even after the weekend. The visitor leaves not only with photos and impressions, but also with concrete knowledge – a recipe, a preparation technique, an understanding of the product and the local story behind it.
“Za prsti polizat!”: promotional menus, Carnival sweets and producers from the area
The gastronomic backbone of the Matuljicious Pust+ Edition unfolds through promotional menus and special offers during weekends. According to the Tourist Board program, this line includes the hospitality venues Stancija Kovačići, Oštarija Fiorin, Bistro Mala riba and Carpe Diem Rupa, with the note that offers are implemented in accordance with the venues’ working hours and with prior reservations.
The concept of promotional menus, as implemented in Matulji, has a dual function: it gives guests a clear reason to come and taste “signature” combinations, and enables restaurateurs to show both tradition and contemporary interpretation in the same period. The program also lists specific menu examples, price ranges and the dates on which the offers are available, making planning easier for visitors.
Carnival sweets have a special place. The Zvončarnica pastry shop in Matulji, according to the official program information, offers traditional delicacies such as rukavački and halubajski presnac, ulenjak and grašnjak, thereby conveying the Carnival identity through flavors as well. Such products are often an “entry point” for guests who are just discovering local gastronomy, because they are simultaneously recognizable, practical and strongly tied to customs.
In addition to restaurateurs, the program also includes local producers with promotional actions and offers. The list mentions a winery, OPGs and smaller brands from Matulji and nearby places, from drinks and agricultural products to fish specialties. This gives Matuljicious a dimension of the local economy: the event becomes a platform where domestic products are not promoted abstractly, but through a concrete incentive for the consumer to taste, buy and recommend.
For those who want to “complete the circuit” – lunch, sweets, a tour and another activity in nature – it is practical to consider
accommodation for visitors to Matulji, because the contents are spread across several weekends and time slots.
“Pomalo da se dugo zajde”: outdoor content and experiencing the landscape
The third program line of Matuljicious is focused on outdoor experiences and guided tours, with an emphasis on safety, organization and interpretation of local heritage. Program announcements mention guided tours that include professional guidance and additional elements such as tastings, lunch and storytelling about local specificities, turning time in nature into a complete experience.
In this model, it is important that the landscape is not viewed only as a “backdrop” for recreation. On the contrary, interpretation – stories about places, customs, names and local practices – becomes content in its own right. This is especially important in Matulji and the wider Kastav area, where villages and hamlets are spatially close, but identity-wise diverse, and the Carnival period traditionally connects communities through rounds and meetings.
In practice, such an approach also suits the new audience that travels off-season: visitors increasingly seek experiences that are active but also informative, with a clear framework and logistics. That is precisely why details such as an organized start, guidance and included content are emphasized in the announcements, so that the participant knows what they are getting and how to prepare.
Bell ringers and the “fifth season”: Carnival tradition as identity, not decoration
Behind the entire program stands what makes Matulji special in this period: Pust as a social and cultural fact. Matulji are often described as a place where Carnival customs are not a tourist reconstruction, but a living tradition. In the wider Kastav area, the bell ringers are one of the most striking symbols of that period, with rounds that connect villages and communities.
International confirmation of the importance of this tradition is the inscription of the “Annual carnival bell ringers’ pageant from the Kastav area” on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. According to UNESCO and Croatian cultural institutions, it is a custom that takes place during the carnival period, in which groups of bell ringers go around villages, with characteristic clothing, bells and choreography, and the custom has both a symbolic and a social function in local communities.
Precisely because of such a context, the Matuljicious Pust+ Edition also makes sense as a “platform” that does not separate tradition from everyday life. Gastronomy, education and outdoor content in this case are not opposed to customs, but are a contemporary way to explain to the visitor why Pust is important, how it is lived and how it is experienced from within. For guests coming for the first time, it is also the simplest path to understanding: first you experience the atmosphere, flavors and people, and only then do you grasp the broader story.
For arrival during the Carnival period, especially if you plan to visit several places and follow multiple contents, it is good to look in advance at
accommodation in Matulji and the surrounding places, because the program takes place across several weekends, and part of the audience wants to stay at least one night to avoid rushing.
Sources:- Matulji Municipality Tourist Board – official leaflet/program Matuljicious Pust 2026 (link)- Matulji Municipality Tourist Board – announcement “Cheese and cheese dishes tasting” (link)- UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage – “Annual carnival bell ringers’ pageant from the Kastav area” (link)- Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia – intangible heritage on UNESCO’s list: bell ringers from the Kastav area (link)- PodUčkun.net – report/announcement about the Matuljicious Pust+ edition program (link)
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