MED&TERRA ŠOLTA 2026: the Festival of Oil, Honey and Wine brings the authentic story of the island through food, education and tradition

The Šolta Municipality Tourist Board organises the event, in partnership with ŠKMER and the expert associates who work with the association on education and food projects. MED&TERRA ŠOLTA, the Festival of Oil, Honey and Wine, runs through May and June. Two events promote the island heritage, the range of Šolta products and the Mediterranean way of life through food, education and local production.

Three key symbols of the Mediterranean, honey, olive oil and wine, will introduce visitors to Šolta in its most original form: through flavours, aromas and the stories of the people who keep the island tradition. From beehives and century-old olive groves to the story of Dobričić, the native grape variety that marked Dalmatian winemaking, the festival joins heritage, modern cooking and sustainable tourism.

The programme starts on 19 May with a press conference and an education session for children and young people called “Medeni menu” (Honey menu). It will be held in the school kitchen of OŠ “Grohote” primary school . After the statements for the media, the pupils will take part in a workshop on cooking with honey. They will then share a “medena marenda” (a honey brunch), which promotes the importance of good and nutritious food from an early age.

The central part of the Honey Festival will be held on 23 May in the cultural centre and in the park in Grohote. Panels, workshops and a cooking show will present the potential of honey as an important part of the food and tourism offer of Šolta.

The panel “Nutritional value of honey in the diet of children and young people” brings together several speakers. Chef Željko Neven Bremec takes part, with the director of the Šolta Tourist Board Maja Radman and nutritionist Dragana Olujić Hudi. Sports coach Ante Jurić and beekeeper Tin Prat join them. They will talk about the role of honey in daily food, about healthy eating habits, and about ways to link local production with education and tourism.

After the panel comes a THINK TANK workshop on the tourism potential of honey on Šolta. It includes a demonstration of a honey smoothie and a tasting of the products.

The evening part of the programme brings an open-air cooking show and as many as 150 portions of dishes inspired by island cooking. Visitors will be able to taste bakalar na brujet (salt cod stew) with honey, and a meat poke bowl with honey and olive oil. The food will be handed out at around 20:00.

The festival continues on 20 June with MED&TERRA ŠOLTA, the Festival of Wine. It is dedicated to the wine identity of the island and to the Dobričić variety, one of the most important native varieties of the Dalmatian region. The programme includes wine masterclasses with sommeliers, guided tastings and a cooking show. Jasna Zlokić performs in the evening music part.

MED&TERRA ŠOLTA shows again that Šolta is more than a tourist destination. It is an island of rich food and cultural heritage, a place where the Mediterranean is not watched but experienced with all the senses.