Matuljicious Pust+ edition: Matulji in January and February turns the Pust tradition into an experience for the whole family
Matulji enters its "fifth season" again this winter with a program that combines the most recognizable features of this region – Pust customs, the sound of bells, community, and good food – with modern content such as workshops, guided outdoor tours, and promotional menus. Matuljicious Pust+ edition is conceived as a winter mosaic of events stretching from mid-January to the end of February, focusing on local caterers, small producers, traditional groups, and visitors who want to experience Matulji outside the classic summer season.
For a municipality that has long been synonymous with Pust in the Kvarner region, this program is not just another event on the calendar, but a way to present local heritage through experience: you come, taste, learn, walk the hinterland trails, and feel firsthand what a region looks like that is literally "read" by the rhythm of bells during the carnival period. If you plan to stay more than one day, it is practical to check
accommodation offers in Matulji in advance, as weekend programs and Pust Saturdays often turn into a reason for a short winter escape to Kvarner.
Pust as identity: bell ringers, processions, and days that define the season's tempo
Pust in the Matulji region is not a folklore postcard, but a living social practice connecting places, families, and generations. At the center are the processions of bell ringers (zvončari) – groups that pass through villages during the carnival period, with characteristic bells and traditional equipment, carrying a message of fertility and "chasing away winter". This custom of the Kastav area is inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and the Matulji region is, in this context, one of the key hubs where tradition continues to unfold "in the field", among people.
The official Pust schedule for 2026, published through the materials of the Tourist Board of the Municipality of Matulji, brings a series of dates that are locally important as landmarks. Already at the beginning of January, the first Pust bells and events are foreseen in the municipality's towns, and January 17 stands out as Antonja (St. Anthony's Day), with a program that includes symbolic acts such as handing over the key and raising the pust in the center of Matulji. In February, Pust Saturday on February 14 stands out, when the 29th Bell Ringers' Review of the Municipality of Matulji is announced, as well as Pust on February 17 and Ash Wednesday on February 18, when the burning of the pust is held at multiple locations according to the program.
Such a schedule is not only important for those who "live Pust", but also for visitors who want to capture an authentic image of the region. It pays to plan arrival around the central dates, and for those who want a quieter rhythm, weekends with gastronomic and educational content offer an equally convincing entry into the Pust atmosphere. In that case,
accommodation near the event venues in Matulji comes in handy, especially if combining the evening program with morning tours.
Outdoor part of the program: "Pomalo da se dugo zajde!" and the masked tour "One su hodile"
One of the more recognizable elements of the Matuljicious Pust+ edition is the idea to experience Pust outside halls and restaurants – on trails, in the hinterland, and through movement. In this spirit, the masked hiking and cycling ride titled "One su hodile", scheduled for Saturday, January 31, 2026, stands out. The gathering of participants is scheduled from 10:00 AM at the Mala riba restaurant in Matulji (Ul. 43. istarske divizije 22a), and the start of the activity is announced for 11:00 AM.
The program foresees two options: a guided hiking tour lasting three hours and a guided cycling tour whose length is listed in the official program as 15 kilometers. Organizers encourage participants to mask up, thereby directly linking the outdoor experience to the Pust atmosphere, and the participation fee is 21 euros. It includes expert guidance as well as "rušnja" and "obed" (lunch) in the style of local tradition – refreshments before and a meal after the tour. According to the organizers' announcement, the event takes place regardless of weather conditions, a message that fits well with the mentality of the Kvarner hinterland: one goes "pomalo" (slowly/steadily), but one goes.
This format attracts a diverse audience: recreationalists wanting a guided outing in nature, families looking for content outside the typical carnival scenario, but also guests who want a "story" – an experience with local words, customs, and gastronomy. If you are coming from outside Matulji and want to make use of the whole weekend, it is practical to check
accommodation offers for visitors in Matulji in time, as the Saturday program often continues with Sunday gastronomic contents.
Bike Matuljišs: guided tours on electric bicycles
Along with "One su hodile", the program includes guided Bike Matuljišs tours held on Saturdays: January 24, February 7, February 21, and February 28. The concept is intended for those who want an interpreted tour of the wider area with an electric bicycle, a guide, and additional contents like "Matuljišs obed", tastings, and storytelling. The start is announced at 10:30 AM, and the price is 80 euros. Such tours target an audience that wants an active but comfortable approach to the hinterland – without haste, with a story and flavors in the same package.
"Za prsti polizat!": promotional menus, Pust sweets, and local products
Gastronomy is the second great pillar of Matuljicious, carried by the idea of promotional menus in catering establishments that offer specially designed food combinations throughout Pust. According to official program materials, promotional Matuljicious menus are available on weekends, in accordance with the establishments' working hours, with a recommendation for prior reservation. Stancija Kovačići, Oštarija Fiorin, Bistro Mala riba, and Carpe Diem Rupa stand out in the program, and sweet delicacies from the Zvončarnica pastry shop in Matulji join in the Pust tone.
The offer is designed to show the range of this region's cuisine: from "laborer's" dishes of the hinterland, through meat platters and homemade desserts, to fish variants that logically link Matulji with the coastal belt. At the same time, the program emphasizes local producers, who further spread the story of the domestic eno-gastro scene through promotional prices and actions. Among the highlighted are Vina Kapić from Matulji, Suza Croatian Spirit from Bregi, OPG Ružić – Jarbola from Zvoneća, OPG Dokozić from Bregi, OPG Robert Kos from Rukavac, Sharky – smoked fish from Bregi, Buretić Bregi, and Hug&Punch from Matulji.
In practice, this means a visitor can assemble a "Pust itinerary" that is not just going to one dinner. One day can be reserved for a tour and refreshments, another for lunch with a promotional menu, and a third for buying local products and sweets. Precisely because of this, Matuljicious also functions as a stimulus for winter tourism: it offers a reason to stay longer and for spending to be "dispersed" across local addresses, instead of everything being reduced to a single, passing stop. If you want such a tempo without logistical stress,
accommodation in Matulji for a weekend tour can be the simplest solution – especially since Matulji is a good starting point for surrounding places in the municipality as well.
Where and when to taste Matuljicious menus
Through a leaflet, the program also provides practical frameworks: several restaurants offer menus on certain Sundays and weekends in the period from mid-January to February 22, with a highlighted need for reservation. For visitors, it is useful to keep in mind that the capacities of smaller locations are limited, and the Pust period traditionally attracts a large number of guests from the wider region. That is exactly why the call to reserve places in time is repeated in announcements, especially for workshops and tastings.
"Pamet va glavu!": workshops, tastings, and educational program for all ages
The third pillar of Matuljicious Pust+ edition is focused on education and workshops, and here the program is particularly branched out. It does not target only the gastronomic audience, but also families, creatives, and everyone who wants to learn something concrete – from cooking traditional dishes to wine and coffee.
On Friday, January 30, 2026, at 6:00 PM at the Stancija Kovačići restaurant, a tasting of cheeses and dishes with cheese is announced under the expert guidance of Marina Selak and chef Vinko Frlan. Already on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at 5:30 PM, in the same restaurant, chef Vinko Frlan leads a "Cooking School" dedicated to traditional dishes of the Kvarner hinterland. For those who want to expand their knowledge about wines, on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at 6:30 PM at the Kapić Winery, a wine workshop dedicated to wine tasting and exploration is foreseen.
A particularly interesting part of the program takes place on Saturday, January 31, 2026, when Hug&Punch organizes two creative workshops: a painting with coffee workshop in cooperation with the Anzotica association and a home coffee brewing workshop under the guidance of an authorized Specialty Coffee Association trainer. The idea is clear: Pust does not have to be just "watching", but also a "workshop" – an experience where a new skill, the smell of coffee, or knowledge about proper pairing of wine and food is taken home.
For animal lovers and active stays in nature, the program also includes horse riding workshops at OPG Dokozić – Ranč Anđeli. According to the official announcement, workshops for children are held on Saturdays at 3:00 PM (except in case of rain) in multiple terms from January 17 to the end of February, while workshops for adults are scheduled for Sundays at 3:00 PM, also with the exception of bad weather. Such content further expands the Matuljicious audience: it is not intended only for those who come "because of Pust", but also for those looking for a meaningful winter weekend with nature and learning.
Overview of highlighted dates attracting visitors from outside Matulji
- Friday, 30.01.2026 (18:00) – tasting of cheeses and dishes with cheese at Stancija Kovačići
- Saturday, 31.01.2026 (10:00 gathering / 11:00 start) – masked hiking and bike tour "One su hodile" (Matulji)
- Tuesday, 03.02.2026 (17:30) – "Cooking School" of traditional dishes of the Kvarner hinterland (Stancija Kovačići)
- Wednesday, 04.02.2026 (18:30) – wine workshop (Kapić Winery)
- Multiple dates on weekends – coffee workshops and painting with coffee (Hug&Punch), horse riding workshops (OPG Dokozić – Ranč Anđeli)
What Matuljicious means for the local offer: a joint story of caterers, producers, and heritage
Matuljicious Pust+ edition has a simple logic at its core: tradition is strongest when it is not "put under glass", but when it turns into a contemporary experience involving people. Because of this, bell ringer processions and a wine workshop, Pust dance (tanac) and a guided e-bike tour, "rušnja" in local style and a creative coffee workshop can all be found in the same program. In this combination, Matulji positions itself as a winter weekend destination, especially for an audience seeking authenticity without excessive spectacle, but with enough content to fill the day.
For visitors, this means that coming to Matulji during Pust time is not "one evening and done", but an opportunity to get to know the rhythm of the place over several days: morning in nature, afternoon with local products, evening with menus or dance, and in between, an encounter with customs that still shape the identity of the entire area. Whoever wants an experience without haste will fare best with good organization and a little advance planning – including
accommodation offers in Matulji if combining multiple events in one weekend.
Sources:- Tourist Board of the Municipality of Matulji – official page Matuljicious Pust+ edition ( link )- Tourist Board of the Municipality of Matulji – official leaflet "Matuljicious Pust+ edition Jenar/Febrar 2026." with program, dates, and prices ( 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 – description of intangible asset inscribed on UNESCO list (bell ringers of the Kastav area) ( link )- Novi list – report on "One su hodile" tours and event organization in Matulji ( link )- Riportal – announcement of Matuljicious Pust+ edition and overview of content (outdoor, gastro, producers) ( link )
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