Family-run Vineyard Tour & Award Winning Wine Tasting/Delicacies

The best part of this experience is its personal scale. Kathrin welcomes you onto her family estate near Trogir, then leads you through the vineyards, olive trees, and almond groves before serving food outdoors with Croatian songs on her accordion. I especially like the chance to taste wine straight from the fermentation tanks and to bottle some wine yourself. The setting also reaches beyond food: Bijaći is tied to a Croatian charter from 852.

I like the generous homemade meal, with prosciutto, cheese, sardines, peka bread, stuffed peppers, figs, sugared almonds, and orange peel. I also like the small group, limited to eight people, which suits a conversation-based visit. The main consideration is the price, $225.18 per person, and the fact that this is an alcohol-centered outing not recommended for anyone under 18.

Key points at a glance

• Walk a working family estate: See the vineyard, olive grove, and almond trees while Kathrin explains the work behind the wine and extra virgin olive oil.
• Taste from the cellar tanks: Sample wine during fermentation and learn about the tools used for wine making and grappa distilling.
• Try three wines and seven liquors: The tasting includes homemade rakija, with green walnut and limoncello among the memorable choices.
• Eat a full Dalmatian spread: Expect prosciutto, aged cheese, sardines, stuffed peppers, olives, bread, figs, almonds, and orange peel.
• Enjoy music in traditional dress: Kathrin plays Croatian songs on the accordion while wearing local costume.
• Stay in a small group: The maximum is eight people, and pickup is offered.

A family estate in the Bijaći story

This is not a polished winery visit built around a quick tasting counter. You arrive at a family estate in the historical area of Bijaći, near Kaštel Novi, and spend time seeing where the grapes and olives grow.

Bijaći carries a useful bit of Croatian history. A charter from Prince Trpimir dating to 852 mentions the word Croat for the first time. That detail gives the setting a sense of place beyond the usual coast-and-sunshine story. You are tasting local food in an area connected to an early chapter of Croatian identity.

The address is Put Bijaća 38, 21217, Kaštel Novi. The activity begins at 11:00 am and ends back at the meeting point. Pickup is offered, but confirm the pickup arrangement when booking rather than assuming it replaces the stated meeting point.

The tour lasts about three and a half hours. That is enough time for a proper meal and conversation, but not so long that the visit takes over your entire day in the Trogir and Split area.

Walking among olives, almonds, and vines

The first part is an agricultural walk. Kathrin explains how the olive and almond groves are cared for, along with the vineyards. This is where the experience earns much of its value. Instead of tasting a finished bottle with no sense of its origin, you see the plants and hear about the labor needed before anything reaches the table.

You will learn about pruning, care, and harvest work. The effort is especially clear with olives and grapes, crops that depend on careful timing and steady work throughout the year. The visit also helps explain why small family production can cost more than mass-market wine or oil. You are not simply paying for a drink. You are paying for access to the place, the process, the food, and the family running it.

The walk includes views over the bay, adding a scenic layer without making the visit only about photographs. Wear shoes suitable for an outdoor estate and walking between the groves and vines. The supplied information does not describe the surface or the amount of uphill walking, so ask ahead if mobility is a concern.

This portion will appeal most to you if you enjoy seeing how food is made. If you want a quick tasting with little explanation, the agricultural tour may feel slow. That is also the point of the visit: the produce and the people matter as much as the glasses.

Inside the cellar, from tank to bottle

After the walk, you go down into the wine cellar. Kathrin explains the equipment used for wine making and grappa distilling, then serves wine directly from the fermentation tanks.

That tank tasting is a particularly useful touch. It shows you wine at a stage you rarely encounter in a standard restaurant tasting. You can better understand that wine is a process, not just a finished label. The experience may also be more informal than a formal winery presentation, which suits the family-run character.

You may also get to bottle your own wine. This hands-on step has become one of the most distinctive parts of the visit. It gives you something practical to remember the estate by, rather than only a tasting note or a photograph.

The exact wines are not listed by grape or vintage, so you should not book this expecting a technical lesson in specific Croatian varietals. The focus is on the family’s methods, the cellar tools, and the work behind the bottles.

Three wines and seven homemade liquors

The tasting includes three wines and seven liquors. The liquor selection brings the strongest sense of household tradition, especially with rakija, Croatia’s familiar fruit and herb brandy.

Green walnut rakija is one of the more unusual options. Homemade limoncello is another highlight, and the tasting gives you a chance to compare the different flavors rather than stopping at one standard spirit. Grappa is also part of the explanation in the cellar.

Because the experience includes ten alcoholic pours or samples in total, pace yourself. The tour is not recommended for children under 18, and it is best suited to adults who are interested in wine and spirits rather than people who simply want a light lunch.

You should also keep the meal in mind. This is a substantial food-and-drink session, not a tasting where you receive a few tiny bites. The food helps balance the alcohol and turns the event into a long, relaxed table experience.

A Dalmatian table in the olive grove

The meal is served in a calm setting between the olive and almond groves. The menu brings together familiar Dalmatian ingredients and homemade treats:

• Prosciutto and aged cheese
• Peka bread
• Sardines and olives
• Filled bell peppers
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Dried figs
• Sugarcoated almonds and orange peels

That range matters. You get salty foods, preserved foods, fresh oil, sweets, and fruit, so the table feels like a broad introduction to regional eating rather than a single signature dish.

I especially like the pairing of extra virgin olive oil with the bread and savory foods. After hearing about the olive grove, you have context for what you are tasting. The dried figs, sugared almonds, and orange peels also work well as small sweet bites alongside the liquors.

The food is homemade, but the information does not provide a fixed portion size or substitutions. If you have dietary restrictions, ask before booking. Sardines, prosciutto, cheese, bread, and stuffed peppers are all listed, so this is not a menu designed around vegetarian, vegan, or allergy-free dining.

The meal is generous enough to function as lunch, which is important when you compare the price with a simple cellar tasting. You are receiving a full food experience along with the estate walk, music, and drinks.

Croatian songs and a personal welcome

During the meal, Kathrin plays traditional Croatian songs on her accordion while wearing local costume. This is a small detail, but it changes the mood. You are not just listening to an explanation of local culture. You are seeing it folded into the meal.

Kathrin is the central personality of the visit. Her hospitality is warm and direct, and the experience feels closely tied to her family’s daily work. Her husband is also described as part of the welcoming team, and both are presented as people who care deeply about their wine and farm.

This personal contact is likely to be the strongest reason to choose the tour. A large group could not offer the same easy conversation or hands-on moments. With a maximum of eight people, you have a better chance to ask about pruning, harvests, rakija, or the cellar without being lost in a crowd.

The trade-off is that the experience depends heavily on the hosts and the group dynamic. It is intimate by design, not a scripted attraction. If you prefer to keep to yourself, or if you dislike long shared meals, you may find the format less comfortable.

Is $225.18 a fair price?

At $225.18 per person, this is expensive compared with a basic wine tasting. The value comes from the complete package: pickup offered, about three and a half hours on the estate, a guided agricultural walk, cellar instruction, three wines, seven liquors, a substantial Dalmatian meal, live traditional music, and a small group capped at eight.

The price makes more sense if you would otherwise pay separately for transport, lunch, wine, and a countryside visit. It also suits you if personal hosting matters more than sampling a large number of commercial labels.

It is less convincing for someone who only wants to taste Croatian wine cheaply. You will not find a listed breakdown of vintages, grape varieties, or technical wine scores. The draw is the family setting and the stories behind the products, not a formal sommelier class.

The included food is an important part of the calculation. Prosciutto, cheese, sardines, bread, peppers, olives, sweets, wine, and liquor make this closer to a hosted farm meal than a short tasting. If you are looking for a special occasion near Trogir, the higher cost may feel justified. If your budget is tight, save this for a trip when you value a memorable food experience over several lower-cost tastings.

Who should book this experience?

I would recommend it to adults who enjoy small-scale food production, local spirits, homemade meals, and conversation with the people who make what they serve. It is a strong fit for couples, friends, and small family groups with adult children.

It also suits anyone who wants a break from the busiest coastal sights. The estate gives you a rural setting near Trogir, while the Bijaći connection adds a historical layer. You do not need to choose between scenery and food here. Both are part of the visit.

This is not the best match for children under 18, nondrinkers, or anyone seeking a quick stop. It may also be a poor fit for people with serious food allergies unless the hosts can confirm suitable alternatives in advance.

Service animals are allowed. The activity is offered in English, and confirmation is received at booking. Free cancellation is available until 24 hours before the start time. After that point, the amount paid is not refunded, and changes made within 24 hours are not accepted.

My call: book it for the host, not just the wine

I would book this if I wanted a personal introduction to Dalmatian food and drink, especially with enough time to walk the property, see the cellar, and sit down to a proper meal. The chance to taste tank wine, sample green walnut rakija and limoncello, and bottle wine yourself gives the day more character than a standard tasting.

Book with realistic expectations. You are paying for hospitality, homemade food, a working family estate, and a small-group setting. You are not booking a formal wine certification class or a quick, low-cost tasting.

For an adult who values genuine contact with local producers, the combination is persuasive. For anyone who does not drink alcohol or wants a tightly structured sightseeing tour, spend the money elsewhere.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin?

It begins at Put Bijaća 38, 21217, Kaštel Novi, Croatia.

What time does the experience start?

The start time is 11:00 am.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes.

Does the tour end at the same place?

Yes. The activity ends back at the meeting point.

Is pickup available?

Pickup is offered. Confirm the exact pickup details when booking.

What language is the tour offered in?

The tour is offered in English.

How many people can join?

The maximum group size is eight people.

What food and drinks are included?

The experience includes three wines, seven liquors, and Dalmatian delicacies such as prosciutto, aged cheese, peka bread, sardines, olives, filled bell peppers, extra virgin olive oil, dried figs, sugarcoated almonds, and orange peels.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the experience are not accepted for a refund.