The House of Istrian Olive Oil, covering 560 m2, consists of a museum that explains the culture and history of olive growing in Istria from the Roman period to the present day, a tasting area in which you will become a true olive oil “sommelier” and a shop where we offer the best Istrian brands of extra virgin olive oils and other local products.
In our store you are going to find the greatest selection of awarded extra virgin olive oils from all over Istria.
Only 50 meters from Arena Collosseum, we guarantee quality and wide selection of local products. Explore our shelves to find the perfect souvenirs and gifts for everyone. Beside the best Istrian olive oils, we offer the finest local products: truffle products, Istrian brandy, Istrian pasta, lavander products, items and jewelry made of olive wood and much more.
In the tasting area, through our educational and interesting guided tastings, you will learn how to taste correctly, what scents and flavours to look for in a top quality oil, what are the positive characteristics of the oil, and what are the defects. You will find out what are the differences between varietal oils and how they pair with food.
Istria experienced the first flowering of olive growing during the Roman period. The Romans considered Istrian olive oil one of the best in the Roman Empire and many Roman writers wrote about it. According to the findings of Istrian amphorae, we know that Istrian olive oil was exported throughout Europe. Olive growing in Istria has survived the turbulent medieval history of wars, epidemics and population decline. Despite everything, olive oil has always fed the Istrian people.
A large part of the museum is dedicated to olive growing today. Find out what are polyphenols, how olive oil affects health and why every olive oil needs to undergo a chemical and sensory analysis. Watch two short films about traditional and contemporary olive oil processing in Istria.
You can follow the intriguing history and culture of olive growing in Istria with an audio guide in one of the 12 languages or with private guidance, and for our little visitors we have prepared a kids corner.
The story begins in the olive grove my father planted behind the house… For years, picking olives meant a large family gathering that I was always looking forward to during my time studying history of art at the university. The family grew over the years, I started to bring my children to whom I wanted to convey my love for nature, the smell of olives and the family joy of working together and bonding.
But then dad passed away and left us an olive grove and olive trees… And when for the first time I took the picked olives for processing myself and felt the authentic scents of the freshly pressed oil, there was a desire to turn the story of olives and olive oil, the past and present, the smells and tastes into a new story, a special experience that I will pass on to others…
The founder of the House of Istrian Olive Oil
As one of Pula’s most interesting attractions, the House of Istrian Olive Oil was recommended by international guidebooks such as the american Rick Steves, french Le Routard and Le Petite Fute, dutch and british edition of Lonely Planet, german edition of DuMont and Baedecker and many others.
In the House of Istrian Olive Oil you can taste Istrian oils that have won some of the most prestigious international awards:
