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

Wine tastes better at the source. This small-group outing near Kaštel Novi combines a family vineyard and olive farm with a generous tasting table, so you learn how local products are made before trying them. I especially like the chance to fill, cork, and label your own bottle straight from a fermentation tank, and the relaxed meal under the pergola with accordion music and traditional Dalmatian dress. The main consideration is the price: at $173 per person, this is a special-occasion experience rather than a quick tasting.

The setting also gives the tour real character. You walk among olives, almonds, wild herbs, and vines while looking across Kaštela Bay toward Split. The small group, limited to six people, allows host Kathrin to spend time with each person, though the three-and-a-half-hour schedule may feel long if you only want a brief drink and snack.

Key things to know before you book

• Fill your own wine bottle: You can draw wine from a fermentation tank, then fill, cork, and label the bottle yourself.
• A working organic farm: The visit covers olive trees, almond trees, vineyards, wild herbs, wine production, olive oil, schnapps, and liquors.
• A full Dalmatian tasting: Expect prosciutto, Pag cheese, wood-fire peka bread, salted fish, olives, peppers, tomatoes, figs, almonds, and olive oils.
• Music is part of the welcome: Kathrin plays and sings traditional Dalmatian songs on the accordion while dressed in local folklore clothing.
• Easy access from Trogir and Split Airport: Pickup is available from Trogir City Beach or Split Airport, or you can drive to the estate in Kaštel Novi.
• Best for adults who enjoy food and conversation: The tour is limited to six people and is not suitable for children under 18.

A family farm above Kaštela Bay

Family Farm Strizic sits at Put Bijaća 38 in Kaštel Novi, between Trogir and Split Airport. It is close enough to fit into a Dalmatian coast itinerary, yet the orchard setting gives you a break from town streets, beach traffic, and ferry schedules.

The farm looks out toward Kaštela Bay and Split. You spend much of the visit outside, among olive and almond trees, vineyards, herbs, and wild flowers. Depending on the season, the trees may be flowering or carrying ripening fruit. That seasonal change matters here. This is not a staged agricultural display with the same view year-round. The farm’s work follows the calendar.

The historic area of Bijaći adds another layer. Kathrin explains its importance as a cradle of Croatian history dating to the seventh century. The tour does not appear to be a formal archaeological visit, so you should come for the connection between place, agriculture, and local history rather than expect an extensive ruins tour.

Walking through olives, almonds, and wild herbs

The agricultural walk begins with the olive and almond orchard and continues through the vineyard. You learn how the owners care for the trees and vines from early spring through late fall, then how that work leads to the final bottle of wine or oil.

I like this part because it gives meaning to the tasting later. You are not simply handed a glass and told that it is organic. You hear about the natural cycle from blooming to fruit, and from harvest to production. You also learn how extra virgin olive oil is made and how wild herbs are used to flavor some of the farm’s oils.

The walk includes identifying and picking wild herbs. Thyme, rosemary, oregano, dill, bay leaves, St. John’s Wort, wild asparagus, and other wild plants may appear, depending on the season. Do not expect every herb on every visit. The useful point is that the farm’s food culture extends beyond grapes and olives.

Wear comfortable shoes. The tour includes walking through an agricultural property, and the instructions specifically recommend weather-appropriate clothing. The available information does not promise a fully paved route, so sensible footwear is a better choice than beach sandals.

Inside the cellar, from schnapps to fermentation tanks

The wine cellar changes the pace from open-air farm walk to hands-on production talk. Kathrin explains how wine is made and how schnapps is distilled. You also taste homemade schnapps and liquors before moving on to the wine.

The most unusual activity is the bottle-filling task. You get the chance to fill a bottle directly from a fermentation tank, then cork and label it. That simple job makes the wine feel personal. You are not just buying a finished souvenir from a shelf. You take part in one small step between fermentation and the bottle you can carry home.

The wine is described as award-winning, and the tasting includes both white and red varieties. The tour information does not specify grape types, vintages, alcohol levels, or how much wine you receive, so do not book this expecting a technical tasting sheet. The emphasis is on making and sharing the farm’s products in an informal setting.

For anyone who avoids alcohol, this may be less suitable than a standard food-focused farm visit. Wine, schnapps, and liquors are central to the cellar portion and the meal. Water is included, but no nonalcoholic tasting menu is specified.

A Dalmatian table under the pergola

After the walk and cellar visit, you sit outside under a pergola beside the olive and almond orchards. This is where the outing becomes a long, social meal rather than a quick sampling session.

The food selection is broad:

• 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
• Organic dried figs
• Hand-picked almonds coated with sugar
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Wild herb infused olive oil
• White and red wine
• Water

The best value here is the range. You try salty, smoky, creamy, sweet, herbal, and savory flavors in one sitting. Pag cheese gives the table a distinctly Croatian touch, while peka bread points to the country’s wood-fire cooking tradition. The dried figs and sugar-coated almonds provide a sweet finish without turning the meal into a formal dessert course.

This is not described as a restaurant meal with a printed menu or several plated courses. Think of it as a carefully presented farm table, eaten outdoors and paired with products made or selected by the host. If you want a polished fine-dining service, this may feel rustic. If you want a personal introduction to Dalmatian food, the format works well.

Kathrin’s music and personal hosting

Kathrin is the host, producer, guide, and performer. She explains the farm, pours the tastings, and plays traditional Dalmatian songs on the accordion while wearing traditional local dress.

That combination is one of the experience’s strongest features. The music is not listed as background entertainment from a hired band. It is part of the host’s presentation, which makes the meal feel like a personal welcome into her family’s version of Dalmatian culture.

The available comments repeatedly praise Kathrin’s passion, warmth, and ability to explain things clearly. One German-speaking couple described her as a perfect host, while an American couple highlighted the way she made them feel like family. Another assessment praised her as informative and entertaining. Those comments point to an experience shaped heavily by the person leading it.

That is also a practical consideration. If you prefer to explore independently, this is not the right style of outing. The host is present throughout, and the appeal comes from conversation, explanation, music, and shared food. The tour is offered in German, English, French, and Croatian, which helps make that interaction easier for a mixed group.

Why the six-person limit matters

The group is limited to six participants. For a farm tour with tastings and a hands-on bottle activity, that is a useful limit. You should have a better chance to ask questions, see the cellar work, and take part without being lost in a crowd.

A small group also suits the meal. Sitting under the pergola with a few people feels more like a hosted gathering than a bus tour stop. That intimacy is a major reason the experience can command a higher price.

The trade-off is that a small-group outing can feel more personal and less anonymous. You should be comfortable sharing a table, listening to stories, and taking part in the group rhythm. The tour is not suitable for children under 18, and the stated age limit also excludes people over 95.

Pickup from Trogir or Split Airport

You have three ways to reach the farm.

From Trogir, pickup is at Bistro Baketina on Trogir City Beach, at the T4 parking lot on Kneza Trpimira. It is about a five-minute walk along the seaside from Trogir Bus Terminal, followed by roughly a 10-minute drive to the estate.

From Split Airport, pickup is at the airport bus station on the main road toward Split. The directions are specific because the meeting point can be easy to miss. You wait at the bus station, looking toward the airport, with the sea behind you and to your right. A glass-covered overpass from the parking and rental-car area leads toward the terminal building.

If you have your own car, you can meet the host at Put Bijaća 38, Kaštel Novi. The driving directions involve the Airport exit, Put Vlaka, and then Put Bijaća, with a turn up the hill after passing a large greenhouse. Use the address and written directions carefully rather than relying only on a general map pin.

Pickup is included, which adds value if you are staying in Trogir or using Split Airport as your base. If you drive yourself, remember that wine tasting is part of the program. The supplied information does not describe a designated-driver arrangement, so plan your transport responsibly.

Is $173 a fair price?

At $173 per person, this is expensive compared with a simple winery tasting. But it is not priced as a simple winery tasting. The three-and-a-half-hour visit includes pickup, a farm walk, cellar instruction, schnapps and liquor tasting, hands-on bottle preparation, a substantial food spread, wine pairings, live accordion music, and a small group capped at six.

The value depends on what you want from a food and wine outing. If you want two glasses of wine and a quick look at vines, you can spend less elsewhere. If you want a hosted half-day with food, music, countryside views, and personal contact with a family producer, the price is easier to justify.

The chance to purchase organic products on site is useful, but those purchases are not included. You may want to budget extra if you would like to take home olive oil, wine, dried fruit, almonds, or other farm goods. The tour information does not give product prices or shipping details, so ask before buying if you are concerned about luggage space.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start, and you can reserve without paying immediately. Those policies make the booking less risky, especially when your coast itinerary is still changing.

Who will enjoy this most

I would choose this for adults who care about how food is produced and who enjoy a host-led meal. It fits couples, small groups of friends, and solo visitors who are happy to share a table with a few other people.

It is especially well suited to you if you are staying in Trogir, passing through Split Airport, or looking for a food experience outside the main tourist centers. The combination of orchard, vineyard, cellar, and bay views gives the day more variety than a tasting room alone.

I would think twice if you dislike structured activities, do not drink alcohol, or want a short stop. The tour lasts 210 minutes, and its charm comes from taking time over the walk, explanations, meal, and music. It is also not designed for children.

Should you book the Family Farm Strizic tour?

Book it if you want a personal Dalmatian experience built around a real family farm, not just a flight of wine glasses. The strongest reasons are Kathrin’s warm hosting, the small group, the broad local food selection, and the rare chance to handle your own bottle from fermentation tank to label.

Skip it if $173 feels too high for a farm meal and tasting, or if you would rather spend the afternoon moving between several wineries. For the right person, though, this is a memorable choice near Trogir and Split, with enough food, culture, and hands-on activity to make the price feel considered rather than casual.

FAQ

Where does the wine and olive tasting tour take place?

The tour takes place at Family Farm Strizic, Put Bijaća 38, 21217 Kaštel Novi, Croatia, in the Dalmatia region.

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts 210 minutes, or about three hours and 30 minutes.

Is pickup available from Trogir?

Yes. Pickup is available at Bistro Baketina on Trogir City Beach, at the T4 parking lot on Kneza Trpimira. The drive from Trogir to the estate takes about 10 minutes.

Can I be picked up at Split Airport?

Yes. The pickup point is the bus station on the main road toward Split, outside the airport area.

Can I meet the host at the farm?

Yes. You can drive directly to the estate at Put Bijaća 38 in Kaštel Novi.

What languages are available?

The live guide is available in German, English, French, and Croatian.

What food is included?

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

Is wine included?

Yes. The experience includes white and red wine paired with Dalmatian delicacies, as well as homemade schnapps and liquors in the cellar.

Can I make my own bottle of wine?

Yes. You can fill, cork, and label a bottle directly from the fermentation tanks.

Is the tour suitable for children?

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