Second humanitarian Fritulijada at Trsat Castle: scent of fritters, holiday atmosphere and help for the most needy
At the historical Trsat Castle in Rijeka on Saturday, December 20, 2025, the second edition of the humanitarian Fritulijada was held as part of this year's Advent manifestation Winter at the Hill (Zima na Gradini). The event gathered numerous visitors who enjoyed the scent of freshly fried fritters, the holiday program, and a humanitarian action for the Social Supermarket Bread of St. Elizabeth Rijeka. Along with sweet bites and a competitive spirit, Fritulijada confirmed that the Advent atmosphere at Trsat Castle is increasingly recognized as a place of encounter, solidarity, and togetherness.
Trsat Castle, one of Rijeka's most recognizable landmarks, has become the central stage of the Winter at the Hill manifestation in December in recent years. Thousands of lights, carefully designed lighting, a music program, and creative installations create an atmosphere for which more and more domestic guests and tourists plan a holiday visit to Rijeka, often combining the tour with a weekend break and accommodation offers in Rijeka in the immediate vicinity of Trsat Castle.
Holiday atmosphere of Winter at the Hill
This year's Winter at the Hill lasts from the end of November to the end of December and includes a diverse program – from family events and children's workshops to musical performances and special Advent content. During this period, Trsat Castle becomes a promenade filled with light, music, and the scents of traditional winter delicacies, among which fritters are one of the favorite treats for visitors of all generations.
Within the Winter at the Hill program, Fritulijada is designed as a blend of gastronomic competition, entertainment, and humanitarian action. Visitors have the opportunity to taste various versions of this traditional dessert – from classic fritters with raisins and powdered sugar to more modern interpretations with chocolate, citrus, or other additions – while simultaneously supporting the work of the social supermarket with their contributions. Thanks to the attractive ambiance, the manifestation also attracts visitors from outside Rijeka, who more often plan their arrival with accommodation near Trsat Castle to fully experience the entire Advent program.
Six teams in search of the title for the best fritter
Six teams participated in the competitive part of this year's Fritulijada: FrituLude, Fritule i šušur d.o.o., Orašari, 105 pa opet, Tim Gradina, and Tonkine fritule. Each team brought their own recipes, secret ingredients, and preparation styles to Trsat Castle, trying to win over both the jury and the audience.
The contestants had the task of preparing fritters that would stand out in taste, texture, and appearance. Although it seems like a simple dessert at first glance, small differences in the ratio of ingredients, type of flour, added aromas, or oil temperature are crucial for the final impression. These nuances, as stated by the organizers and the jury, decided the winner.
During the event, visitors could visit the stalls, follow the preparation of fritters, and taste the products of all teams. Tasting was organized in a way that funds were collected through voluntary contributions for a humanitarian purpose, giving every rating and every tasted bite additional value. Although the competition had a competitive character, the atmosphere was dominated by friendly rivalry, exchange of experiences, and playful teasing among the teams.
A close fight and victory for the FrituLude team
According to the jury's assessment, the fight for the title of the best fritter was extremely close. All teams showed a high level of creativity and dedication, and the differences came down to very fine nuances in taste, dough softness, and impression on the plate. In the end, the title of the best fritter was won by the FrituLude team, consisting of Doris Vlah, Ljiljana Ferenčić, and Sandra Skoko.
The winning fritters stood out with a combination of airy, soft dough, balanced sweetness, and a recognizable scent of citrus that blended with the warmth of freshly fried cookies. According to the visitors' impressions, it was precisely this balance of tradition and a small but effective modern twist that tipped the scales in favor of the FrituLude team.
For the members of the winning team, this recognition also has symbolic weight – a confirmation that effort, love for cooking, and readiness to get involved in humanitarian activities are well recognized. In informal conversations with visitors, they emphasized that the most important thing for them was to participate in an event that helps those who need help the most, and the award is, as they say, just a beautiful upgrade to the whole story.
Humanitarian note: support for the Social Supermarket Bread of St. Elizabeth
The humanitarian character of Fritulijada is a key part of the manifestation's identity. All voluntary contributions collected through the tasting of fritters, as well as the remaining ingredients used in preparation, were donated to the Social Supermarket Bread of St. Elizabeth from Rijeka. It is a social project that has been providing support to the most vulnerable citizens of the city and its surroundings for years, distributing basic food items and hygiene supplies.
The Social Supermarket Bread of St. Elizabeth operates as a place where people in need can, with a referral from the competent services, pick up packages of food and other necessities. Volunteers play a key role in its work, contributing through volunteering, collecting donations, and organizing actions so that the supermarket shelves do not remain empty. Manifestations like this, like Fritulijada at Trsat Castle, are an important source of help because they connect the local community with concrete support projects for the most vulnerable groups.
In a year marked by rising living costs and a greater burden on household budgets, every action that facilitates the procurement of basic groceries for users of social programs gains additional weight. The organizers of Fritulijada point out that the goal of the event, along with good fun and presenting the local gastronomic tradition, is precisely to encourage citizens to show solidarity, reminding them that behind the holiday lights and joy stand those for whom systematic help and support are needed throughout the year.
Sunny weather, music and good energy at Trsat Castle
The weather this Saturday played into the hands of the organizers and participants: the sunny December day further emphasized the beauty of the view from Trsat Castle over Rijeka and the Kvarner Bay. Visitors filled the plateaus and promenades within the castle, creating a vivid picture that combined locals, families with children, tourists, and passers-by who stayed longer than they planned.
DJ Tommy was responsible for the musical part of the program, creating an atmosphere of pleasant, relaxed socializing with selected holiday and pop hits. Music, combined with the scent of fritters and the ringing laughter of children, rounded off an atmosphere that rarely any other location can provide during Advent. Many visitors took the opportunity for photography, sightseeing the castle, and enjoying the panoramic view of the city, which is increasingly combined with a shorter winter break and accommodation for manifestation visitors.
Trsat Castle as a symbol of togetherness and a tourist magnet
Trsat Castle has been positioned for years as one of the key places of Rijeka's Advent. As part of the Winter at the Hill manifestation, the historical fortress turns into a thematically decorated space with several zones – from the main plateau with a stage to smaller environments intended for children and families, such as Santa Claus's Post Office. Such a concept attracts visitors from all over Croatia, but also foreign guests who use Advent in Rijeka as a reason for a short winter break.
Humanitarian activities, like Fritulijada, give this concept an additional dimension. Besides strengthening Rijeka's image as a city that nurtures a culture of solidarity, they also create concrete benefits for organizations that care for the most vulnerable. For tourism, this means authentic content that goes beyond the classic tourist offer, and for the local community, an opportunity to get involved in activities of broader social importance through fun and socializing.
For visitors coming from outside the city, manifestations like Winter at the Hill are a motive to adjust their travel plans and book accommodation offers in Rijeka in advance. Thus, Advent at Trsat becomes not just a day trip, but also part of a wider tourist experience where cultural heritage, gastronomy, and the holiday program merge.
Togetherness of volunteers, citizens and institutions
The success of Fritulijada would not be possible without the cooperation of a series of actors – from the organizers of the Winter at the Hill manifestation and the Tourist Board of the City of Rijeka, through the volunteers of the Social Supermarket Bread of St. Elizabeth, all the way to the competitive teams and numerous visitors. Every contribution, whether in the form of time, work, donation, or simple support by presence, participates in creating chains of help that end up on the tables of families in need.
Volunteerism, on which the work of the social supermarket rests, has once again shown its strength. Along with food collection actions in shopping centers, schools, and kindergartens during the year, events like Fritulijada contribute to the visibility of the project and encourage new people to get involved. Many participants of the manifestation pointed out that through events like this they heard detailed information about the work of the supermarket for the first time, which is an important step in sensitizing the public.
The humanitarian aspect of Fritulijada is also important from the perspective of the wider community. In a time when social inequalities are increasingly discussed, local initiatives that put concrete help in the foreground – whether through food packages, or through a warm meal and a word of support – show that solidarity can be built in a very practical way. That is why Fritulijada at Trsat Castle transcends the frameworks of a classic gastro-manifestation and becomes part of a wider story about the community's responsibility for its most vulnerable members.
Fritulijada as an inspiration for future humanitarian stories
The second humanitarian Fritulijada confirmed that through a well-designed program, an attractive location, and a clear humanitarian message, an event can be created that equally attracts families, young people, tourists, and local visitors. The successful response, cheerful mood, and concrete contribution to the Social Supermarket Bread of St. Elizabeth are a strong incentive for the manifestation to continue developing in the years to come.
For many participants and visitors, this year's Fritulijada will be remembered as a day when the holiday atmosphere, the scent of fritters, the sound of music, and the view of the illuminated Trsat Castle gained an additional, humanitarian meaning. And it is precisely in this combination – of enjoyment, tradition, and readiness to help – that the message lies which spreads from Trsat much further than the Advent season.
Sources:
- Tourist Board of the City of Rijeka / Visit Rijeka – event announcement "Winter at the Hill: Fritulijada" (link)
- Kanal Ri – announcement of Fritulijada at Advent on Trsat (link)
- Regionalni.hr – announcement of Fritulijada at Trsat Castle (link)
- City of Rijeka – Social Supermarket "Bread of St. Elizabeth" (link)
- Glas Koncila – history of the social supermarket "Bread of St. Elizabeth" (link)
- Neodoljiva Hrvatska – description of the manifestation "Winter at the Hill" (link)
Find accommodation nearby
Creation time: 2 hours ago