May 28, 2021 - Olive oil is a must on Croatian tables, but its impact and quality transcend borders. A great example is Hvar olive oil, which has made a triumphant return from an international competition in New York.

Turistickeprice.hr reports that Hvar olive oil again achieved great success at the prestigious New York International Olive Oil Competition. It is a continuation of the successful tradition of Hvar olive growers on the international scene.

Despite its impeccable natural beauty and rich history, the island of Hvar is often visited by tourists and recognized as one of the top destinations for summer vacations. However, a real small gastronomic scene takes place on the island of Hvar, and the most commonly used ingredient is certainly Hvar olive oil.

There are more than 200,000 olive trees on Hvar, and the latest awards from the world competition are an indicator of quality. Last year, Hvar olive growers from New York returned with three medals, and this year they were even more successful.

Christmas oil - Oil mill Božić-Svirče

Namely, out of 87 awarded samples from Croatia, as many as seven come from the island of Hvar, from five olive oil producers. Two gold medals went to the trade Zvir for olive oils Radojković Levantinka and Radojković Forms. One gold, for Oblica oil and a silver medal for the Christmas Selection, was awarded to Uljara Božić - Svirče d.o.o. Gold medals were also received by: OPG Čurin for oil Eva Marija, then OPG Magdalena Plenković for oil Atena, and OPG Makjanić Moškatelo for their MMuje.

Last year on the island of Hvar was extremely fruitful, not only with the amount of oil produced but also with very good quality, which this year was confirmed by the most prestigious competition in New York. The world competition for olive oil NYIOOC is the largest. The annual list of award winners is considered an authoritative guide to the best extra virgin olive oils of the year.

Dark green olive groves have been formed in this area since ancient times, and so far there have never been more, producing renowned oils with the highest recognition. The most common olive variety is oblica, with a representation of 85%, followed by lastovka, levatinka, and the somewhat newer varieties lećino and pandolino. More than 900 small and large producers talk about the tradition of nurturing olives for their products. It is therefore not surprising that every dish on the island of Hvar is sprinkled with this liquid gold.

When it comes to olive oil, Croatia is one of the leading countries in the industry. From Istria to Dalmatia, you can find all the information you need to know about the origins, processes, and where to buy Croatian olive oil on the Total Croatia page, now in your language!

For more news like this, follow our made in Croatia section.

November 2, 2020 - It is early November, and Dalmatians are answering the call, wherever they are - back to their roots for the olive harvest. 

About ten years ago, I went to Zagreb to do a presentation to the board of directors of one of the big Koncar companies on the subject of compressed air leakage management (yes, really). The director was a man originally from Jelsa on Hvar, where I was living at the time, and in the small chat before the meeting started, there was inevitably a little discussion about life on the island. 

It was late October, and he informed me that he would be returning to Jelsa the following week to take care of his fields, for this was the season of the olive harvest. 

His colleagues teased him about his island ways, but there was a bond between us. Islanders in the big city, but ones who were quick to drop whatever they were doing in their posh city jobs when the call of the olives came around each year.

I saw the director on the main square in Jelsa the following week. His Zagreb suit had been swapped for Hvar olive harvest overalls. He smiled and waved. 

The bond was strengthened. 

It took me a long time to understand the cultural and psychological importance of the olive harvest to local people from my foreign viewpoint - years in fact. And yet now I feel sad that I am not answering the call of the olives this year, as I definitely feel it. 

When I first became part of a Dalmatian family some 17 years ago, I really didn't get the obsession with olive oil. It was on EVERYTHING. As an uncultured Manchester boy, olive oil was not something that entered my dinner plate on a regular basis, and if I had consumed more than half a litre of olive oil during the 33 years of my life before Croatia, I would be surprised. But these guys put olive oil liberally on every meal. 

As with most families on Hvar, my in-laws had their own olive grove, some 80 trees in all. In a good year, this was enough to produce over 200 litres of Dalmatian liquid gold - more than enough for the needs of the household, even with its liberal use. It didn't take long for me to get hooked on the Mediterranean Diet, especially with the delicious fare served up by my wife and punica, and olive oil was now an essential part of my life. 

The only problem with having your own family olive oil...  

... is that someone has to pick the olives. 

For years, I hated it, and I railed against the economics of it all. It would take X people to work Y days to come up with Z litres of oil. Add in the costs of the daily feast for the workers (of which more below), and surely it would be more economical to just buy the stuff from someone else. 

The olive harvest was a major operation within the family, and one which I tried to avoid due to work for several years.  

But I gradually began to understand that the olive harvest is far more than the oil produced at the end of the picking. It is an essential part of the Dalmatian way of life, and one which has changed little - if at all - in hundreds and even thousands of years. 

No modern gadgets here, no time pressures, and nothing but relaxing nature, and the constant picking, picking, picking. 

Extended family return to help out - either from the mainland or the island itself. Friendships that have been put on hold due to the busy tourist season are rekindled. It is an extremely social event. 

If you want it to be. Or, if you was a complete detox from people and the pressures of modern life, choose a tree on your own in another part of the field. There is no hard and fast rule for olive picking - people do it at their own pace and in their own way.  

Growing up in Manchester, my connection with nature and the land was tenuous, and my fruit and vegetables grew in supermarkets. One of the things I loved about bringing up young children on a beautiful Dalmatian island was that early bond with nature. And nowhere was the bond stronger than helping out in Grandad's field... 

The olive harvest is above all a family event which brings together different generations of the same family in a very relaxed setting.  

And there are plenty of opportunities for the little ones to play and explore while contributing to the olive harvest. Tree climbing is always fun, and the lighter and more nimble members of the team are always preferred to get to those harder-to-reach olives.  

Depending on a number of factors, including the weather and number of pickers, the harvest for our family will take anything from three to eight days. 

The precious olives are collected in containers.  

At the end of each day, they are taken off to the olive mill close by and pressed.  

And one of the rewards for all the hard work will be several litres of this nectar, hopefully enough to service our annual needs back home in Varazdin. 

And one of the other rewards - and a definite highlight - is the daily grill for the workers in the cabin the field. Grilled meat or fish, salad from the field, the family rakija and wine, and plenty of the family olive oil of course. 

Dalmatia at its very finest. 

For the first time in several years, I will not be at the olive harvest this year. School and work commitments took care of that. I am a little sad, as I still feel the bond with my Koncar director, and I definitely feel the calling. 

But then I started to smile inside, as I took my wife to Varazdin Bus Station for the early bus to Zagreb. There, she would meet her sister and older brother, who were both taking time off from their corporate jobs, and they would drive to the island together. Her other brother is already on the island, and the four siblings will be reunited with their parents but without the kids or spouses, for a few days in the field, some 25 years after finishing school and moving on with their lives. 

I can't imagine a similar example of something like this in the UK, and I think it is brilliant. One more example, perhaps, of why the sense of community and family is so strong in Croatia. 

Next year, I will be there. 

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

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April 20, 2019 - More success for the olive oil kings of Istria, as Chiavalon penetrates the upper echelons of German football and gastronomy. 

Looking for a happy Croatian success story which is going global? Look no further. 

Although I have only met one of the brothers once, I am still smiling from that meeting all these years later. A Croatian success story to warm the heart and give hope to any budding entrepreneur. 

In a country where succeeding as an entrepreneur is very much the exception rather than the rule, to do so as emphatically as Tedi and Sandi Chiavalon have done, and with such positivity and such big smiles on their faces, is nothing short of remarkable. 

And it all started looking after a few olive trees for Grandad. 

We have covered the news of their many international awards, including Chiavalon extra virgin olive oil being named among the best in the world, so let's just get onto the latest news, in their own words:

OMG?...its official! From today we are supplier of the legendary Alfons Schuhbeck. The most known german chef and his great staff will use our extra virgin olive oil in all his restaurants including the Michelin stared Alfons. Last but not least Mr. Schuhbeck will use our EVOO’s Atilio and Romano for a daily menu of FC Bayern München players and staff

Congratulations! Just one more chapter in the incredible Chiavalon story, which you can follow on our dedicated TCN page. 

To learn more about olive oil in Croatia, check out the Total Croatia guide. 

March 16, 2019 - More international recognition of Istrian olive oil excellence, as Chiavalon picks up a 3-star EQOO award in Florence.

It is one of my favourite business success stories in Croatia, and a story which keeps on growing. 

A story of how a teenage passion for the family olive trees and olive oil blossomed into a thriving business producing some of the very best olive oil in the world. From the Chiavalon website:

Ever since my earliest days, my love for olive trees grew each time I visited our little olive grove with my grandfather. I have always been fascinated by its slow growth, its beauty and the gift it gives us after all the hard work. Until 1997, we cultivated only 50 olive trees, about 300 to 400 years old. After my grandfather fell ill, there was nobody left to cultivate our olive grove, so while my peers were busy collecting football cards and riding their bikes, I had a somewhat different hobby. My only goal was to learn each and every fact about this beautiful tree and to produce extra virgin olive oil that would make my whole family happy. It was certainly not easy at the beginning – a 14-year-old, stating that he wants to work, can only get an "oh, it's just puberty" reaction. However, my family soon recognized my passion for olive trees and jumped in to help me. With time, this hobby marked my entire life and grew into our family business.

Many years later, and the passion of Sandi Chiavalon and his brother Tedi remains, and those 50 trees have mushroomed into a major business producing about 16,000 litres of high-quality olive oil each year. 

You can read about the numerous previous awards on the dedicated Chiavalon page on TCN, but now we have to add another after events in Florence last night. Perhaps this is best explained by Sandy Chiavalon himself and his Facebook post:

"Yesterday we were awarded with 3*** Extra Quality Olive Oil together with other eleven European producers by Premio il Magnifico???

"Getting the 3*** for a producer of olive oil is like getting the 3*** Michelin for a restaurant. We are so proud of this award that belongs completely to our great team."

Congratulations - again! To learn more about the amazing olive oils of Chiavalon, visit the official website. 

To learn more about olive oil in Croatia, check out the Total Croatia guide. 

The Packaging of the World website has included the packaging design of Chiavalon olive oil, created by the Bruketa&Žinić&Grey team, among the best-designed packaging of the year. In the past ten years, Packaging of the World has grown into one of the world's leading websites dedicated to packaging design, and their projects are seen about a million readers each month, reports Agrobiz.hr on January 14, 2019.

“Our family wanted to communicate more forcefully the origins of our olive oils and the blend of tradition, contemporary technology and the art of the production," said Tedi Chiavalon. "The special edition of the Chiavalon olive oil packaging is inspired by traditional architecture and art in Istria, by film, music and Vodnjan murals, combining historical and contemporary heritage."

Chiavalon is also the only olive oil in the world and the only project from the region which has been awarded at the WorldStar competition. It is a competition that exists since 1970 and is organised by the World Packaging Organization, founded in 1968 in Tokyo. This year's competition included by 35 countries, and among the award-winners are Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Sony, LG, Dove and Tetra Pak.

Chiavalon's packaging has now received five awards, including three at the international level. Previously, it has won the Croatian prize Cropak for the best packaging design, it was selected for an exhibition of Croatian design, and has won the Hiiibrand brand design award in China.

More news on the Chiavalon olive oil can be found in our Lifestyle section.

Translated from Agrobiz.hr (reported by).

Sandi and Tedi Chiavalon have developed the most successful export brand of top-quality Istrian olive oils in the last 20 years. In an interview, they talk about the stages of their business development, the decisions that were the key to the success of the Chiavalon olive oil and the most significant export challenges, reports plavakamenica.hr on January 11, 2019.

Is Croatia seen internationally as an olive-growing country, like Spain or Greece?

The perception varies significantly depending on the market segment. Experts certainly perceive Istria as a serious olive-growing region. The results and achievements in the production of the last fifteen years mean that the Istrian olive-growing is nowadays spoken about with a great deal of respect. On the other hand, we still have to work hard on the popularisation of our extra-virgin olive oils among the wider public, the consumers themselves. Branding a region, a production area, is a long-term job that we must continuously be worked on at multiple levels. This, of course, involves a strategic approach with clearly set goals in the synergy between producers, regions and all ministries – Agriculture, Tourism, Economy, Finance and Foreign Affairs.

Which olive-producing country is the best in branding?

Spain is an excellent example. In addition to Italy and Greece, Spain is undoubtedly the most famous olive-growing country. This year, they launched a major promotion campaign for their olive oils called Olive Oil World Tour. The European Commission supports the campaign. This is the way we have to go if we want to put ourselves on the global map of top-quality olive oil producers that are relevant to consumers around the world.

Are Istrian oils becoming more recognisable as compared to olive oils from Tuscany, Provence or super-premium Spanish oils?

Absolutely, our potential is growing year after year. We are achieving better and better results, and it does not go unnoticed. But for a more serious step forward, and to position Croatia and Istria as a serious olive-growing region, producers need institutional assistance and cooperation. We need a joint master plan with clear goals and specific resources and deadlines. The government should understand that olive oil is one of few Croatian agricultural products that we can say are the best or among the best in the world, and as such is a tremendous economic potential that is currently left unused.

Which phases did Chiavalon pass, from the first steps in international markets to its present status?

There were a lot of stages – sometimes planned, sometimes accidental. If I had to describe them together, I would say that the key is uncompromising work on the quality in all business segments, which we have set as the goal from the very start, and the great passion and love of our entire family towards the work we do.

What was the most important thing for success at each stage?

The unregulated market in Croatia and the impossibility of collecting receivables were probably the main triggers for us to start thinking about exports almost immediately. Another significant moment for our business was the entry of Croatia into the European Union. This has opened an enormous market which functions without administrative barriers we used to encounter, and we have used this in the best possible way. Since entering the EU, our business has increased revenues almost five times.

What would you say is the most critical element for the successful export of Croatian olive oils?

We cannot compete with large olive-growing regions in quantity and in the segment of low cost and medium-range olive oils, so we should not even try to compete there. That is why it is vital that we do not lose focus from producing premium olive oils because that is the only way to differentiate us and position us in the eyes of consumer and experts. Besides, the segment of environmentally-certified products is growing much faster than conventional production, and we certainly should encourage manufacturers to follow that route.

What are the most common mistakes we make in foreign markets?

The most significant limitation is probably the fact that we act independently as producers, without institutional support. Unlike in Italy, Spain or Greece, our producers are creating their own path and thus making a path for others from Croatia, but they are doing it with their resources and money. This is undoubtedly the most crucial obstacle to the faster and more efficient promotion of our oils on the global stage.

Your major export markets are the United States, Japan and Taiwan. Are you planning to expand to additional ones?

We are just finishing export documentation for Peru and Mexico. This will be our first step into the markets of South America. In the next period, we are intensely thinking about Russia and Switzerland, where we want to increase our presence.

Why aren’t there more producers ready to submit their oils to prestigious competitions?

Taking part in such events is very expensive, especially if you want to compete at the world's major shows. One of the ways in which the government and the ministries could assist in exporting and branding of our olive oils would be to co-finance the costs of sending samples to various events, as well as to co-finance the costs of attending special events. Other olive-growing regions have been doing this for years.

What is the goal of exporters like you, to place their oils in shops or to sell them to restaurants?

We want to reach the target audience, whether it is through direct sales, specialised stores or restaurants. Businesses which offer our olive oil must know everything about us, about our family, about our philosophy and our way of working. Our distributors must be our ambassadors, and that is why we carefully select them and improve our cooperation year after year.

How important are branding and design in your project? Have they influenced your reputation abroad?

Branding and design are essential in creating and promoting every product, including olive oil. We have worked very hard on this, and I would dare to say that we have given the branding and design the same attention as the production itself. Aside from the quality of our oils, we have received many awards for product design. We have won the prestigious Red Dot packaging award, and some of our labels are exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Essen and in Chicago. The well-conceived design definitely gives added value to the product and differentiates it in the market. We are also very interested in co-branding and co-operation efforts like the one we have with the Jeunes Restaurateurs d'Europe (JRE) in Croatia and Austria.

Could you describe the process of designing a new label and introducing a new brand to the market?

The process is always the same. We start from the idea which we develop ourselves to the smallest details. Then we give this idea to designers who have to turn it into a finished product. The process is fascinating and complex, and we have learned a lot about the basics of industrial design, technology and the problems that we will face during this process. Each product is a new challenge, but we are helped by our partners, designers, printers, packaging makers, photographers and others who are involved in creating a new product. Without them, we would not be what we are today. These are all large and small companies from Croatia, which proves that we know and can realise everything we want to.

More news on the Croatian olive oils can be found in our Lifestyle section.

Translated from plavakamenica.hr.

ZAGREB, November 17, 2018 - More than a hundred exhibitors from Italy, Slovenia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia are presenting their young olive oil, culinary products and farming equipment at the 14th Young Olive Oil Days in the Istria County town of Vodnjan, which opened on Friday and will run through to Sunday.

President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović attended the opening, saying that olive oil and numerous other farm products show diversity and authenticity and bring multiple economic benefits such as jobs, rural development, improving tourism services and promoting Croatia in the world.

She said that this event is of exceptional importance because "we need to provide support to farmers so that we can strengthen their position on the market and show that we value their contribution to the development of the economy and rural communities." She added that she advocates proactive economic policies toward rural areas and farm products that will reflect their strategic importance.

"It is equally important that citizens realise how much work, know-how and dedication is required to produce quality food while at the same time respecting the postulate of sustainability, particularly in preserving the climate and environment," Grabar-Kitarović said, and added that the Young Olive Oil Days event is an excellent occasion to raise awareness and understanding in society about the importance of domestic farm products.

"Between 15,000 and 20,000 people visit the Young Olive Oil Days each year and this year we expect even more during these three days. Fourteen years ago we wanted to tell the people how good young extra virgin olive oil is and that it is immediately ready for use in cooking. This event has grown in the number of visitors and exhibitors," Vodnjan Mayor Klaudio Vitasović said and added that Vodnjan has been branded as the town of olive oil and it is this event that has contributed to its promotion.

For more on the olive oil production in Croatia, click here.

The very name Chiavalon brings a smile to my face. 

Every time. 

As I write these words on October 28, 2018, I realise from my diary that it is almost  a year to the day since I met arguably the happiest man in all Croatia, working with a product which industry experts have judged to be not only organic healthiness personified, but among the top 15 olive oils in the whole world. 

About this time last year, I was fortunate enough to meet the olive oil phenomenon that is Chiavalon, a small Istrian family business which is getting larger by the day and touching all corners of the planet, but with a humility and dedication of two brothers who have found their calling in nature and simply love what they do. And, as luck would have it, we arrived just as the first olives of the 2017 harvest came in from the Chiavalon olive groves. You can read about last year's olive pressing experience here (and watch it in the video below). 

Chiavalon is about much more than olive oil. If you believe in karma, I suggest you visit, for there is such contentment and dedication to excellence at Chiavalon, that it really is a privilege to experience it. Here is the Chiavalon story from the official website told by Sandi Chiavalon, which tells you more than I could with my words:

"Ever since my earliest days, my love for olive trees grew each time I visited our little olive grove with my grandfather. I have always been fascinated by its slow growth, its beauty and the gift it gives us after all the hard work. Until 1997, we cultivated only 50 olive trees, about 300 to 400 years old. After my grandfather fell ill, there was nobody left to cultivate our olive grove, so while my peers were busy collecting football cards and riding their bikes, I had a somewhat different hobby. My only goal was to learn each and every fact about this beautiful tree and to produce extra virgin olive oil that would make my whole family happy." (Read more)

From those handful of olive trees all those years ago, Sandi Chiavalon explained to me last year that he was expecting about 16,000 litres of oil from the olives which would be pressed at his new state-of-the-art mill near Vodnjan. And the awards followed. As I wrote last year:

"We have written about the outstanding success of Chiavalon Extra Virgin Olive Oil several times this year, as international recognition has followed international recognition: back in March Chiavalon was awarded an extra gold medal in the category of the world's best organic extra virgin olive oil at BIOL in Italy; in August, it was named 13th best olive oil in the world by World Best Olive Oils; and in May, it was named best organic extra virgin olive oil of all at Olive Oil Award in Zurich. No disrespect to the excellent quality of my father-in-law's wonderful oil, but that is some seriously impressive recognition."

Since my visit last year, the good news has not stopped coming. Flos Olei awarded the Istrian olive oil producer 95/100 last December, placing it once more about the world's top olive oils, following its top 15 appearance for its Ex Albis in 2008. And a quick look at the Chiavalon news page shows that all is well with the two happy brothers. 

The early signs for this year's harvest are extremely encouraging. Tedi Chiavalon took a few minutes from the harvest to give a quick update earlier today:

"We are still harvesting. This year harvest is amazing! The quality of the olives is fabulous, practically we had a year without diseases. The Mlado/First of this year is a blend of buza, bianchera, Rosignola and leccino. It’s very intensive on taste, bitter and spicy and very green on smelt as is coming from the first three days of early harvest. This year we produced 2.500 bottles of it half of which are going to Japan. Our fans can order it directly from our webshop."

I have seen a LOT of family producers in Croatia who make outstanding products, but who fall down on marketing and sales. Not so with Chiavalon, whose marketing and sales strategy is among the very best in the business. The launch of the website will be great news for the growing army of gourmet fans. You can visit the online shop here, but I would really encourage you to visit Chiavalon - the karma is unforgettable. 

What are the Croatia travel experiences Americans are looking for in Croatia? A new survey reveals all.

One of the highlights of this week's Days of Croatian Tourism on Hvar, which finished on October 25, 2018, was a presentation from Al Merschen of Myriad Marketing, on the results of a detailed survey of wealthy American tourists and their potential interest in visiting Croatia. Among the various results of the survey which were covered in Merschen's presentation (an overview of which you can read here), he revealed the top 11 things Americans want to experience when visiting Croatia. In descending order... 

11. Croatia Travel Experience - Olive Oil Factories

They say a fish in Dalmatia swims three times in its life - firstly in the sea, then in olive oil during preparation, and finally in excellent Dalmatian wine. It is one way to enjoy three of the main attractions of life in Dalmatia. Croatian olive oil is EXCELLENT, among the best in the world, and it is little surprise that it is on the list of American desired experiences in Croatia. The next step to aid that process would be to build an online resource to facilitate tourism interest in olive oil.  

10. Croatia Travel Experience - Zagreb Christmas

A lesson for all in tourism worldwide - how to create a new product in a successful tourism country, far away from its main attractions - the coast and in summer - and within just a few years become the 10th most sought-after experience. Advent in Zagreb has been voted the best Christmas marketplace for three years in a row. A wonderful time to visit Croatia. Here is the TCN guide to Advent in Zagreb 2017.  

9. Croatia Travel Experience - Korcula Island

The birthplace of Marco Polo and also the 2018 Best Destination in Croatia, according to the annual Vecernji List Tourist Patrol. Thinking of visiting? Here are 25 things to know about Korcula. 

8. Croatia Travel Experience - Hvar Island

And if you are looking to combine as many of these Croatia travel experiences as possible, you are in luck - the island of Hvar is just a short catamaran journey from Korcula. Hvar, which is celebrating 150 years of organised tourism in Europe this year, is also home to the most island sun in Europe, the oldest public theatre in Europe, and the most UNESCO heritage of any island in the world. Here are 25 things to know about Hvar.  

7. Croatia Travel Experience - Game of Thrones Sites

Croatia is popular for so many reasons these days, but there has been a real surge of interest in recent years from the hit HBO series Games of Thrones, which was filmed in various locations in Croatia. Learn more about the top 5 Game of Thrones tours in Croatia. 

6. Croatia Travel Experience - Art Museums

Did you know that Zagreb has more museums per square kilometre than any city in the world? Allegedly, and many of which are art museums. Good news for our American guests, as Art Museums features high on the list of desired things to do. 

5. Croatia Travel Experience - Wineries and Vineyards

What to say? Croatian wine is fantastic! With more than 130 indigenous varieties, including the original Zinfandel, Croatian wine is so good TCN built an entire website to celebrate it. Learn all about Croatian wine on the TCN Total Croatia Wine website. 

4. Croatia Travel Experience - The Blue Cave

The Blue Cave on Bisevo - one of the great natural tourist attractions in Croatia. Located close to the island of Vis, the Blue Cave tour has become insanely popular in recent years. Here are some things you need to know if you are planning a visit to the Blue Cave. 

3. Croatia Travel Experience - National Parks

More than 10% of Croatia is covered by national parks and nature parks. Visit them, they are amazing. UNESCO World Heritage Site Plitvice Lakes, above, is magnificent in different ways all four seasons of the year. 

2. Croatia Travel Experience - The Old Walls of Dubrovnik

With more than a million people a year now walking the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the old walls of Dubrovnik, the walls were popular enough. Then came Game of Thrones and Kings Landing - no wonder the walls of Dubrovnik are almost at the top of the list. There is plenty more to do in Dubrovnik once you have finished a stroll around the walls - 25 things to know about Dubrovnik. 

(Photo credit Igor Tomjenlovic)

1. Croatia Travel Experience - The Dalmatian Coast

 And, with such a high quality of places to visit and things to experience, what could possibly be the most desirable experience for American tourists in Croatia? Why, heaven of course - the Dalmatian coast. 

To learn more about Al Menschen's presentation on American tourism interest in Croatia, click here. 

August 10, 2018 - A unique opportunity to adopt an olive tree, and not just any olive tree. With an anti-oxidant count of 2,433ml/kg, some of the very best olive oil in the world. Made on Hvar.