Those were the exact words of a middle aged gentleman from Germany (who, at the time of my brief conversation with him was on vacation with his family at Villa Colonia in Pirovac), after I asked him what should we emphasize to the future visitors and tourists to Croatia as specific advantage of staying on holiday in this country.
Meeting with this gentleman seemed to me as a nice opportunity to hear his Croatia experiences given that he and his family members come here on holiday for the last thirty years. Hmh . ., I was expecting comments about crystal clear sea, beautiful beaches, friendly people, something like that. I did not expect comment about fresh fruits and vegetables. So I asked him a rhetorical question; ''You don't have fresh fruits and vegetables in Germany?'' - ''Of course we have, but not on every corner, fresh and not home-grown!'', he said.
Yes, indeed, we can say that almost every city and place in Croatia has its own outdoor market. There is a long tradition of the arrival of farmers to a specific place in a town or village in order to sell their products. Depending on the region you are in, this place is called ''trznica'' (trzh-ni-tsa) or ''pazar'' (pa-zar) or ''pijaca'' (pi-ja-tsa). Regardless of the name, regardless of whether is it a weekly or daily market, outdoor or covered one, you'll be attracted by the life that is there with its colours, sounds, people and products. The market is the true spirit of a city and its region; if it is normal to bargain for a apple price, you'll probably be able to bargain for the apartment price as well.
Besides the large variety of season fresh fruit and veggies, at the ''trznica'' various local products can be found; olives products (on the coast and islands), various flavours of grappa, bee products, herbs and grasses, flowers, souvenirs, beach towels or even shoes or bags for vacuum cleaner. Best of all, almost everything is home grown (o.k., shoes and vacuum cleaner bags are not). In most cases, the sellers are women who sell fruit and veggies from their garden and they will often gladly throw you a tomato or a carrot extra. Of course, men also sell products but such products are usually called here as ''a man products'' (smoked ham and other types of smoked meat, homemade grappas, etc.). Here I will end up with division of market vendors by gender.
Product prices are tipically written on a piece of paper (next to the product) and you can forget the credit card: only cash. Also, do not expect an account. It is therefore desirable for you to recall the basic mathematical operations, just in case. Do not buy early in the mornings when the prices are too high. Better to wait and buy afternoon because prices tend to be lower. As the product prices concerned, it is difficult to make a one sided conclusion. Some products cost less than in supermarket, some of them cost more. O.K., with this I have not said anything. There is a big difference whether is it a market in the famous and among tourists popular destination or is it a market in a lesser-known destination. Unfortunately, many in Croatia (including market vendors) using high tourist season as an excuse to raise prices.
However, I can say that prices are lower than in most EU countries. Do not forget; even if you are paying something more expensive then in the supermarket it worth money because almost all of groceries are completely natural (ecological) products produced at the local farms.
Write about the markets in Croatia and not to mention road fruit-veggies vendors along the tourist routes, it would be a great injustice. As if someone scattered market stalls along the road which leads to the next city, beach, part of the town, wherever people go. For example, if you are on the road from Zadar to Sibenik, you will pass by at least fifty of them. Zadar area is especially known for such road vendors (Ravni Kotari - area with large agricultural areas) as well as the Neretva River valley. Definitely worth a stop for a moment to buy a watermelon or grapes, peaches. Especially since most of these stalls stands in front of the farmer house: fresh in this case literally means fresh! Be careful while driving you see a beautiful strawberry stall which you just passed; slow down, turn on the blinker and if necessary stop for ten or more meters away. Do not brake suddenly as this is a matter of life or death! You would not believe what's happening in these situations and how often.
However, no offense to anyone, I would not recommend buying milk products (cheese, pastries) at such places (regardless of the small fridges). Especially if a vendor in Dubrovnik offers you a homemade sheep cheese from Vrbnik on island of Krk (which is about 350 miles from Dubrovnik). Fresh, of course (?). Maybe I'm wrong, but you should buy a Vrbnik cheese on outdoor market or from road food vendor when you are actually on the island of Krk.
So, whether for a few apples, dried figs or for a beach towel, be sure to visit one of these outdoor markets when you are in Croatia.
By the way, did I tell you that in Croatia, at almost every corner, there is a bakery?
