Tourists enjoy old traditions in Croatian fishing village of Betina

On Saturday, in the Croatian village of Betina, it was all about old customs and traditions, as well as delicious local food that had people coming back for seconds.

The fifth “marenda” event, organised by the Šibenik-Knin County Tourist Board and the Betina Tourist Board, once again proved to be an interesting and authentic concept that attracted both locals and numerous visitors from other cities, as well as international tourists.

The event kicked off with performances by children from the oldest folk group in the Šibenik region, KUD “Zora” Betina, who delighted the audience with traditional dances such as “Betinsko kolo, Pljeskom, pljeskom tata gre, and Biračko kolo.”

In the past, Betina was home to many shipyards, and each morning, wives would bring their husbands lunch in small baskets known as “kartilci” while they were at work.

This tradition was charmingly recreated by members of UTV Mihovil Šibenik in their culinary presentation, “A Mouthful of Betina’s Marenda.”

On the Seafront Square, an intriguing exhibition titled “How Our Ancestors Ate” was displayed on easels right by the sea, perfectly complementing the overall ambiance.

The exhibition was enriched by engaging workshops for both children and adults, hosted by the Betina Museum of Wooden Shipbuilding, where participants learned how to tie sailor’s knots.

Three local restaurants took care of the food, with Na moru preparing cuttlefish with cornmeal porridge, Konoba Treva serving cornmeal porridge with bacon, and Stari Mlin offering a meat stew.

In addition to these traditional meals, the famous Betina fritters, “pršunate,” were also prepared, along with Karibu Kaaawa coffee.

Good food was paired with excellent wines from local wineries including Vinoplod Šibenik, Birin Winery, Baraka Winery, and Livaić Winery. The idyllic atmosphere was perfectly complemented by M.S.A.Q., whose unique blend of musical genres added a distinctive touch to the event.

Visitors also had a wide selection of local products from various family farms and craftspeople: OPG Zlatko Srdarev, OPG Ledenko, OPG Ante Bulat, OPG Gorka Trokić, BeYou crafts, OPG Ranch4me, OPG Juron, and Franka Roca crafts.

– I’d like to thank all the restaurateurs who prepared food and everyone who participated in our programme; KUD “Zora” Betina, the Betina Museum of Wooden Shipbuilding, LAG More, and all the volunteers, as well as the group M.S.A.Q. for the wonderful atmosphere.

A big thank you to the wineries and family farms who enriched the offering of Marenda in Betina. Thanks to the county tourist board and the Break a Leg agency for excellent organisation and for creating the concept of marenda.

The turnout exceeded all expectations, and we were blessed with beautiful weather. We hope to have the chance to participate in this project again – concluded Ana Kapov, director of the Betina Tourist Board.

For a glimpse of the atmosphere last Saturday in Betina, take a look at our photo gallery below.