Open Day of Family Farms in Zadar County on 11 April brings tastings, special menus and direct encounters with local producers
On Saturday, 11 April 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Zadar County Tourist Board is organising the Open Day of Family Farms as part of the
Welcome Taste & Buy project, which has for several years been systematically promoting small producers, tasting rooms and authentic products from the Zadar hinterland, islands and the wider county area. This is an event that simultaneously has a promotional, educational and sales role: visitors will be able to taste local specialties at promotional prices, talk with producers, learn more about how certain products are made and buy directly at the place of production. In this way, the eno-gastronomic offer of Zadar County is presented not only as a tourist attraction, but also as part of the everyday life, work and identity of the area.
Official announcements by the Croatian National Tourist Board and the Zadar County Tourist Board confirm that the aim of the project is to brand producers who offer an authentic experience through tasting rooms and direct sales, thereby further enriching the tourist offer of the region. It is precisely this combination of experience, local food and personal contact with hosts that in recent years has become one of the more important directions in the development of more sustainable and more substantial tourism. Instead of the classic purchase of products from a shelf, the visitor comes to the farm itself, sees where cheese, oil, wine, honey, cured meat product or fish delicacy is made, and gains an experience that is difficult to convey through a standard sales channel.
A project that connects gastronomy, tourism and small producers
The concept of the Welcome Taste & Buy project is based on the idea that Zadar County is not only an area of sea, sun and beaches, but also a strong gastronomic region with a developed tradition of olive growing, fishing, livestock farming, beekeeping and the processing of autochthonous ingredients. In official promotional materials, the project is described as an invitation to guests to discover local flavours where they are created, with an emphasis on hospitality, tasting rooms and buying directly from producers. Such an approach is particularly important at a time when guests are increasingly looking for experiences with the signature of the place, and not just a standardised tourist offer.
For local family farms, programmes like this also have broader economic significance. They do not bring only greater visibility in a single day, but open up space for longer-term connections with visitors, the tourism sector and local hospitality businesses. For visitors, on the other hand, the event means access to products and dishes that are deeply linked to the season, the climate and family tradition. Anyone planning to visit several locations in one day can also consider
accommodation in Zadar County, especially if they want to combine the event with a weekend stay on the coast, in the hinterland or on the islands.
From Ravni kotari to the islands: an event spread across the entire county
The special value of the Open Day lies in the fact that it is not taking place in one central location, but at several farms distributed across different parts of Zadar County. This gives the event a strong geographical dimension as well: from the Benkovac area and Ravni kotari, through Jasenice and Gračac, to Pašman, Ugljan and Dugi otok. Visitors thus tour not only the table, but also the space in which this food makes sense — olive groves, tasting rooms, taverns, island settings, the hinterland and small production facilities.
Such an arrangement will be especially suitable for those who want to design their own route according to their interests. Some will choose island gastronomy and fish specialties, some Lika or Velebit flavours, and some a spring tour of Ravni kotari and the hinterland. For those coming from outside the county, organising a short stay with
accommodation near Benkovac and Ravni kotari or
accommodation for touring the islands of Ugljan and Dugi otok may also be useful, depending on the planned route.
Highlighted promotional offers that will mark this year's programme
This year's edition places emphasis on promotional tasting menus and special packages designed specifically for the Open Day. The focus is on spring ingredients, island and inland products, traditional dishes and combinations that offer the visitor, in a single sequence, the flavour of the place and the character of the host.
Šopot, Polača and Gornje Ceranje: spring plates and the tradition of Ravni kotari
At the Lolina vatrenica family farm in Šopot near Benkovac, visitors can expect asparagus risotto with a glass of homemade wine or nettle juice at a price of 9 euros, along with a tasting of donkey milk. The offer fits well into the spring moment of the season because asparagus is one of the recognisable motifs of Dalmatian inland and coastal cuisine in April. Along with the dish itself, an important part of the experience will also be staying in the agritourism setting for which Lolina vatrenica has already become recognised in the project's promotional materials.
In Polača, the Zagorac family farm is preparing a salad of asparagus and eggs, homemade bread, a glass of wine or juice, and fritters at a promotional price of 10 euros. Such an offer combines simple seasonal ingredients and an approach that relies on domestic production and direct serving. In the official descriptions of the project, this producer is connected with the Ravni kotari area and the olive-growing tradition, which further reinforces the impression that this is a farm that bases its experience on local origin and continuity of production.
At the Mate Gašpar family farm in Gornje Ceranje, the most generous promotional packages are offered: spit-roasted lamb with side dishes and a glass of wine for 35 euros, lamb with peas and side dishes for 18 euros, and prosciutto and cheese with a glass of wine and prisnac for 12 euros. Such an offer clearly targets both individual visitors and smaller groups looking for a more complete gastro experience. For those who want to explore this part of the hinterland in more detail, a logical choice may also be
accommodation for visitors in the Zadar hinterland so that visiting several farms can be done without hurry.
Pašman and Tkon: island plates, mišancija and products bearing the host's signature
On the island of Pašman, the Rozalinda Banić family farm in Kraj is preparing an offer that includes mišancija, asparagus with eggs, sheep cheese, buđola, sausages and wine at a price of 10 euros. This is a menu that clearly highlights island and Dalmatian motifs, while also showing how important spring wild and local ingredients are to the identity of this area. The project's official pages present Rozalinda Banić as a hostess who, through a tasting room and local delicacies, offers an authentic Pašman experience, so it is expected that precisely this personal contact will be one of the reasons for visitors to come.
In Tkon, the Katica Mušćet family farm offers octopus salad and a glass of wine for 7 euros, along with a tasting of homemade jams. According to the official description on the tourism pages of the Zadar region, this is a small family farm and tasting room where homemade delicacies, handicrafts and the strong personal stamp of the hostess meet. Such places are particularly attractive to guests who seek authenticity on the islands, rather than serialised offers. Visitors who want to combine the event with a weekend on the island may also find
accommodation on Pašman or
accommodation offers in Tkon and Kraj interesting.
OPG Matulić, known for specific island products, among which aceta and other gourmet items are highlighted in official promotional descriptions, is also participating on Pašman. For this occasion, an aceta tasting and a special surprise have been announced, along with a gift for every visitor. In this way, the Open Day does not remain only at the level of a classic food tasting, but also includes an element of direct presentation of products that have already built recognisability among lovers of island gastronomy.
Kali and Žman: the sea, cheese and the flavours of the Zadar islands
The Moćun fishing craft in Kali on the island of Ugljan is preparing two very clear offers: shrimp in white sauce with pasta for 12 euros and marinated anchovies for 10 euros. Official tourism descriptions place this farm within the tradition of the fishing village of Kali, which means that for many visitors this location will be an opportunity to taste dishes that arise from real local experience, and not from tourist stylisation. In that sense, Moćun offers one of the most direct encounters with the maritime identity of the Zadar archipelago.
On Dugi otok, the Žampera family farm in Žman offers a tasting of three types of cheese with oil and wine at a price of 8 euros. The project's official pages describe Žampera as a farm specialised in cheesemaking and island products, and precisely such a combination of cheese, olive oil and wine communicates very clearly what visitors expect from an authentic Mediterranean tasting room. Anyone planning to visit several island locations in the same weekend could also consider
accommodation for touring Ugljan, Pašman and Dugi otok.
Maslenica, Poljica and Gračac: honey, figs and the Lika table
In the Jasenice or Maslenica area, official tourism materials mention OPG Barichevich 1854, a beekeeping farm that particularly stands out with its offer of honey, mead and sparkling mead. For the Open Day, a promotional package has been announced that includes bacon, cheese, gingerbread biscuits and sparkling mead at a price of 25 euros. In the official descriptions of the project, Barichevich is highlighted as an example of combining tradition and innovation, especially through sparkling wine made from honey, which makes this stop one of the more distinctive on the route.
In Poljica, the Šinjorina smokva family farm is preparing the Dalmatian Šinjorina snack with grape brandy, wine and dessert for 19 euros. This is a farm that is also linked in tourism descriptions to the interpretation of the fig as one of the Mediterranean symbols, so it can be expected that this offer too will be shaped as a small rounded gastro experience, and not just an individual tasting.
In Gračac, Lički Sokol offers several promotional packages, from spirits and jams to complete Lika platters, at prices of 7, 8 or 16 euros. This location is important because it shows that the Welcome Taste & Buy project does not remain only within a narrow coastal or island framework, but also includes the inland, Lika part of Zadar County. For visitors wishing to explore this part of the area,
accommodation for a trip towards Gračac and southern Lika may also be practical.
Why this kind of event is important for Zadar County
The importance of the Open Day of Family Farms lies not only in one-day promotion or more affordable tasting. Events like this show how the modern tourist offer is increasingly being built on small, authentic and locally rooted experiences. On official tourism websites, the Zadar region is already strongly presented as an area of gastronomy, wine and homemade products, and the Welcome Taste & Buy project brings that identity down to the concrete level of meeting the producer.
In economic terms, this means greater visibility for small family farms, the expansion of sales opportunities and the creation of additional value around the product itself. Cheese, wine, honey, jam, olive oil, cured meat product or fish specialty in this case are not just goods, but also a story about the place, the people and the way of working. In tourism terms, Zadar County gains an offer that relieves the busiest points on the coast and motivates guests to head towards the hinterland and the islands. In social terms, the event reminds us that rural and island areas are not just the backdrop of the season, but active bearers of local production and identity.
It is also particularly important that what is promoted here is a tourism model in which consumption is tied to the local value chain. When a guest comes to a farm, tastes a product and buys it directly from the producer, a larger part of the economic benefit remains in the local community. That is why the Open Day of Family Farms is not only an invitation to an excursion, but also an invitation to a different relationship with food, travel and destination.
How to plan the visit
Since the programme takes place simultaneously at several locations, the most important thing for visitors will be to choose a route in advance. Those who want island gastronomy can combine Pašman, Tkon, Kali and Žman, while lovers of the hinterland will rather choose Šopot, Polača, Gornje Ceranje, Poljica and Maslenica. To visit several points in one day, it is advisable to focus on one geographical unit so that enough time is left both for tasting and for talking with the hosts. The event time from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. provides enough room for a half-day or full-day trip, but only with good organisation.
For those coming from other parts of Croatia or from abroad, the event can also be a good reason for an extended weekend. In that case, it is useful to check in advance
accommodation near the event locations, especially on the islands and in parts of the hinterland where the distances between farms are greater. And that is precisely where one of the stronger sides of this event lies: it is not separated from the space, but encourages the guest to truly get to know the space.
Sources:- Croatian National Tourist Board – official announcement on the Open Day of Family Farms Welcome Taste & Buy on 11 April 2026. link- Zadar County Tourist Board – official project pages and presentations of Welcome Taste & Buy members. link- Zadar Region Tourist Board – overview of Welcome Taste & Buy members and descriptions of individual farms on the English edition of the official pages. link- Zadar County Tourist Board – promotional brochure Welcome Taste & Buy with a description of the project concept and a presentation of producers. link
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