Cres Olive Oil
Olive groves climb the slopes all around Cres town. According to the tourist board, the oil made here was the first in Croatia to receive a protected designation of origin.
What makes it special:
• The main varieties are the old Plominka and Slivnjača (also called Simjača).
• Machines can hardly be used on the stony terrain, so olives are picked by hand from late October into November, sometimes December.
• The olives are cold-pressed at the cooperative oil mill on the same day.
Fresh oil is green, cloudy, thick and distinctly peppery. After a few weeks it settles, turns golden and becomes milder. If you visit in autumn, be sure to taste the new oil.
Where to buy:
• At the morning market under the loggia on the main square
• Directly at the cooperative oil mill
• In summer at the open-air shop Creska butega in town
Insider tip: marked trails 315 and 316, the trails of the centuries-old olive groves (5.8 and 7 km), lead through the farmland around town. Perfect for a walk before shopping.