This culinary adventure immerses you in the authentic life of one special local who will welcome you into his rustic home in the small mountain village of Truše. Arriving from Split with your chauffeur, head over the mountains above the stunningly beautiful town of Omiš to find this small, nearly abandoned village.

At the end of the village you’ll reach a small, 200-years-old Dalmatian stone house, a beautiful example of the traditional type of houses that were built so well that they stood for centuries. In the charming setting of this house, lovingly maintained by the local chef Rino, hop on a journey through the rich and engrossing history of this Dalmatian village. The objects which Rino has collected over the years testify to the arduous work which happened on the barren land here, the importance of open fire for sustaining a life and the rustic creativity with which the people of the area approach everyday life. Knowing that the land here doesn’t give a lot, you might find yourself amazed by what will follow.

First, try your hand at making soparnik, an old specialty of Poljica enlisted as Croatia’s Immaterial Cultural Heritage. This thin-crusted pie with savory mangold filling is baked directly under burning charcoal! Next, move onto mastering peka, an ancient skill of preparing meat and potatoes under a bell-shaped lid. Known by the tribal ancestors of our country, this is still a very popular way of cooking around Croatia as it allows you to socialize around the fireplace and taste tidbits like prosciutto and cheese. And local wines, of course. Sugar comes in the end, and learning to prepare the traditional Dalmatian desert, fritule, is a skill you will definitely be able to use at home. These deep-fried dough balls, sprinkled with powdered sugar, will often gather all generations around the bowl.

If you like working for your lunch or stretching after it, hike to the natural spring source that flows straight from the rock wall and to the top of the mountain ridge, an easy walk rewarded with unforgettable views of the Adriatic coast and islands on the one side and rolling barren hills of the hinterland with pockets of ancient villages on the other.