Learn about Olive Oil Museum in Pula

For over two millennia, olives have been used by residents of Istria in both medicine and cooking. The precious ingredient’s oil has been regarded with a special praise, and even today is winning a number of important awards and recognitions on global level. Having such importance to local people led to opening of the first olive oil museum in Pula, the city widely known for its ancient Roman amphitheater. And mind you, Romans were among the first to recognize the quality of Istrian olive oils.

You can find this original site in the city’s historical core- the precise address being Sv. Teodora Street 1a.  Its official name is Museum Olei Histriae, and has an impressive size of 500 square meters. The museum will introduce its visitors with the long tradition of olive harvesting in Istria, and which technologies were used throughout history for its extraction. Needless to say, all guests will have a chance to try several breeds of this tasty ingredient, and even purchase numerous products.

The olive oil museum in Pula is owned by Lorena Boljuncic, who got an idea after visiting an old olive grove belonging to her family. “I wanted to tell the story of tradition, richness and possibilities, of all the things which we have. Istria deserves this, because it is among the best regions for this craft in the world, proven by many awards and acknowledgements,” Boljuncic explained to Croatia Times source. “This global success and over 2000 years of Istrian olive oil making inspired me for this project. In addition to history, visitors of Olive oil museum will also learn the health benefits of consuming the ingredient, and educate themselves about its chemical background.”

The degustation of olive oils is arranged by certified expert Lena Puhar O’Grady, who also has a degree in art history and archeology. With her help and expertise, you are bound to have a fantastic experience. If you are a dedicated foodie, olive oil museum in Istria should be on your list of places to visit. Visit the offical website of museum here.

Learn more about features of Pula in our Destinations Section.

Photo: Slaven Radolovic