Kastela: Wine & Olive Tasting Tour w/Delicacies & Live Music

The best part of this experience is that you do not simply sit at a table and taste finished products. You walk through the organic vineyards, olive trees, and almond orchard, then fill, cork, and label your own bottle of wine straight from a fermentation tank. I like that the farm shows the full path from blossom and fruit to bottle.

I also like the personal scale. The group is limited to six people, and Kathrin leads the visit with the kind of warmth that makes a family farm feel like a home visit. The outdoor meal, paired wines, wood-fired peka bread, Pag cheese, dried figs, and traditional accordion songs give you a real taste of Dalmatia, not just a quick sampling at a counter.

The main consideration is the price: $173 per person is a serious spend for three and a half hours. You are paying for transport options, a private-feeling small group, a full meal, entertainment, and hands-on activities, but this is best for visitors who value a personal food and farm experience over a cheaper wine tasting.

Key points to know

• You bottle your own wine: Fill, cork, and label a bottle directly from the fermentation tanks.
• The farm is fully organic: The walk covers vineyards, olive trees, almond trees, wild herbs, and seasonal work.
• Kathrin is the central host: She explains the farm, wine, and olive oil production, then plays traditional Dalmatian songs on accordion.
• The food is substantial: Prosciutto, Pag cheese, peka bread, salted fish, olives, peppers, tomatoes, figs, and almonds accompany white and red wine.
• The setting has a view: From the farm near Kastel Novi, you can look toward Kastela Bay and Split.
• The group stays small: A maximum of six people makes it easier to ask questions and get personal attention.

A family farm above Kastel Novi

Family Farm Strizic sits at Put Bijaća 38 in Kastel Novi, in the Kastela area between Trogir and Split. The farm setting is rural and calm, with vineyards and orchards rather than a polished commercial tasting room.

That difference matters. You are not only learning what a bottle costs or which grape is being poured. You see the trees, vines, herbs, and cellar that support the final meal. If you enjoy knowing how food is produced, this visit gives you a useful look at small-scale Dalmatian farming.

The farm is also near Bijaći, an area linked to Croatian history from the 7th century. Kathrin includes this local context during the walk, so the visit is not only about wine and olive oil. It connects the land to the older story of the region.

Do not expect a formal archaeological tour, though. Bijaći is part of the background and sense of place rather than a separate sightseeing stop. The main focus remains the farm and its food.

The orchard walk: olives, almonds, and wild herbs

The tour begins outdoors with a walk through the olive and almond orchard and the vineyards. Depending on the season, you may see almond trees in bloom, olives and almonds ripening, and different wild plants along the path.

The farm’s plant life includes thyme, rosemary, oregano, dill, bay leaves, St. John’s Wort, wild asparagus, and other wild flowers. Kathrin explains how the family tends the trees and vines from early spring through late fall. That seasonal view helps you understand why farming is not a single harvest-day task.

I like this part because it gives the tasting a practical foundation. When you later sample extra virgin olive oil, you have already seen the trees and heard how the fruit is handled. When you taste the wine, you have a better sense of the work that takes place before fermentation.

The walk also means you should wear proper shoes. Comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing are specifically advised. This is not a long mountain hike, but it is still an outdoor farm visit with uneven ground and changing conditions.

From grape to wine in the cellar

Inside the wine cellar, Kathrin explains the wine-making process and the techniques used on the farm. You can taste homemade schnapps and liquors while learning how the spirits are distilled.

The most unusual cellar activity is the bottle-filling session. You get the chance to fill a bottle of wine directly from the fermentation tanks, then cork and label it. That turns the tasting into something you can take home as a personal souvenir, rather than another bottle purchased from a shop.

This hands-on moment should appeal to anyone who likes food experiences with a bit of participation. It is also a good feature for couples or small groups who want something more memorable than a guided explanation followed by standard pours.

The details of the available wine and schnapps can vary, so do not arrive expecting a fixed list of grape varieties or spirits. The experience promises a choice of homemade schnapps and liquors, along with award-winning white and red wine, but the exact tasting lineup may depend on what the farm is producing.

Wine, olive oil, and a generous Dalmatian table

After the farm and cellar portions, you sit outdoors under a pergola beside the olive and almond orchards. This is the relaxed center of the visit, with food, wine, music, and views toward Kastela Bay and Split.

The menu is broad enough to function as a light meal rather than a few decorative bites. You can expect:

• Locally dried prosciutto
• Aged cheese from the island of Pag
• Peka bread baked under a wood fire
• Locally sea-salted fish fillets
• Traditionally prepared black olives
• Small bell peppers filled with cheese
• Cherry tomatoes
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Wild herb-infused olive oil
• Organic dried figs
• Hand-picked dried almonds coated in sugar
• White and red wine
• Water

The pairing is simple and effective. Salty prosciutto, fish, and cheese work well with wine and olive oil, while figs and sweet almonds bring a softer finish. Peka bread is especially useful here because it gives you something sturdy for tasting the oils.

The meal is also a chance to compare plain extra virgin olive oil with the wild herb-infused version. I would pay attention to that contrast. Herb-infused oil can be more immediately aromatic, while the extra virgin oil lets you focus on the character of the olives themselves.

Because so much food is included, eat a light breakfast or lunch beforehand. The exact serving size is not stated, but the list is much more extensive than the usual wine tour snack plate.

Accordion music and traditional dress

Kathrin does more than guide the agricultural walk. During the outdoor meal, she plays and sings traditional Dalmatian songs on her accordion while dressed in traditional Dalmatian folklore clothing.

This entertainment gives the meal a local character, though it is worth knowing what kind of experience you are choosing. It is not a quiet, anonymous tasting where you are left to discuss wine among yourselves. Music and presentation are an important part of the visit.

That will be a major plus if you want a social and cultural experience. It may be less appealing if you prefer a technical wine seminar with long stretches of quiet tasting. The tour is designed around hospitality, food, and storytelling as much as formal wine analysis.

The consistently warm impression of Kathrin is one of the strongest reasons to book. She is described as passionate, engaging, informative, and deeply involved in the farm’s operation. You should expect the host herself to shape the mood and pace of the afternoon.

How the timing and transport work

The experience lasts about 210 minutes, or three and a half hours. From Trogir, the drive to the estate takes about 10 minutes, making this an easy half-day addition to a Trogir itinerary.

Pickup is available at Bistro Baketina on Trogir City Beach, at the T4 parking lot. The meeting point is about a five-minute walk along the seaside from the Trogir Bus Terminal. That is useful if you are staying in Trogir and do not have a car.

There is also pickup at the Split Airport bus station on the main road. The instructions are precise: stand at the bus station with the airport in front of you, the sea behind and to your right, and look for the glass-covered overpass connecting the parking and rental-car area to the airport building.

If you have your own car, you can meet the farm directly at Put Bijaća 38, Kastel Novi. The directions involve several turns from the airport exit, including Put Vlaka and Put Bijaća, followed by a drive uphill past a large greenhouse. Save the directions before setting out, since rural street signs can be easy to miss.

Starting times depend on availability. Pickup is included, but if you meet at the estate, make sure you allow enough time to find the address.

Is $173 a fair price?

At $173 per person, this is not a bargain wine stop. The value comes from how many elements are bundled into the three-and-a-half-hour visit.

You receive transport from designated points, a guided farm walk, a cellar tour, tastings of schnapps and liquors, a hands-on bottle activity, a full spread of Dalmatian food, white and red wine, olive oil samples, live accordion music, and a small group capped at six people.

The small group is important. With six or fewer people, Kathrin can answer questions about the vines, trees, cellar, and cooking without the rushed feel of a large coach excursion. The setting and personal hosting also explain why this costs more than a basic tasting at a shop or restaurant.

I would book it if you want a complete local experience and are comfortable paying for personal attention. I would skip it if your only goal is to taste several carefully compared wines at the lowest possible cost. The tour is about the whole farm and its hospitality, not wine education alone.

Who will enjoy this most?

This experience fits adults who enjoy regional food, small farms, wine, olive oil, and meeting the person behind the products. It is especially suitable for couples, small friend groups, and solo visitors who like a social setting.

It is not suitable for children under 18, and the stated upper age limit is 95. The orchard walk also makes comfortable shoes important. Anyone with difficulty walking outdoors should consider the farm setting before booking, since the activity includes movement through orchards and vineyards.

Language support is available in German, English, French, and Croatian. That gives you a practical choice if you are not comfortable taking a food-focused tour in English.

I would also choose this for a spare afternoon between Trogir, Split, and the airport area. The short drive from Trogir makes it convenient, while the airport pickup could work well at the beginning or end of a Croatia trip if the schedule lines up.

What to buy at the farm

The farm’s organic products are available for purchase on site. The exact products and prices are not specified, but the tasting gives you a chance to decide what you actually like before buying.

That is particularly helpful with olive oil. You can compare the extra virgin and wild herb-infused versions at the table instead of guessing from a label. Dried figs, almonds, wine, and other farm products may also be tempting souvenirs, especially if you want something more useful than a standard magnet.

Bring room in your luggage if you are interested in shopping. The purchase is optional and not included in the tour price.

Booking details worth noting

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the experience for a full refund, and the reserve-now, pay-later option keeps your plans flexible. That is useful when you are arranging transport around Trogir, Split, or the airport.

The tour has a maximum of six participants, so availability may be limited. If you want the most personal version of the experience, I would book ahead rather than count on a last-minute place.

Should you book the Kastela wine and olive tour?

Book this tour if you want to meet a passionate host, see how Dalmatian wine and olive oil are made, eat a proper selection of local food, and leave with a bottle you helped prepare. Kathrin’s personal hosting, the farm setting, and the accordion performance give the afternoon a strong sense of place.

Think twice if you want a short tasting, a detailed comparison of many wine varieties, or a low-cost activity. At $173, the tour asks you to value the full package: transport, food, entertainment, hands-on work, and a small family farm rather than just the wine in your glass.

For the right visitor, this is one of the more personal ways to spend an afternoon near Trogir or Split.

FAQ

Where does the tour take place?

The experience takes place at Family Farm Strizic, Put Bijaća 38, 21217 Kastel Novi, Croatia.

Is pickup included?

Yes. Pickup is available at Bistro Baketina on Trogir City Beach and at the Split Airport bus station on the main road. You can also meet directly at the estate.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts 210 minutes, or about three hours and 30 minutes. The drive from Trogir to the estate takes about 10 minutes.

What food is included?

The tasting includes dried prosciutto, aged Pag cheese, peka bread, sea-salted fish fillets, black olives, cheese-filled small peppers, cherry tomatoes, dried figs, sugar-coated almonds, and water.

What drinks are included?

You can taste homemade schnapps and liquors in the cellar, along with the farm’s extra virgin and wild herb-infused olive oils. White and red wine are paired with the Dalmatian food.

Is the tour suitable for children?

No. The experience is not suitable for children under 18.

What languages are available?

The tour is offered in German, English, French, and Croatian.