School of Salting Pilchard

Fažana is a small fishing town on the southwest coast of Istria in Croatia, and for generations its living came from the sea, above all from small oily fish such as sardines, which in English are often called pilchards. Catching them was only half the work. To last through the year and to be sold inland, the fish had to be salted and packed, and the town once had a sizeable salting factory that employed many local families. The School of Salting Pilchard keeps that skill alive by turning it into a short lesson that anyone can join.

The idea is simple and hands-on. A local instructor explains how the fish are cleaned, layered with salt and pressed into tins or barrels, and the participants then do the work themselves. The materials are supplied, so visitors need no equipment or experience, and the session is meant for children and adults alike. The method follows practices handed down in fishing families, where the way the layers are arranged and the amount of salt used were learned by watching and copying. Each participant ends up with their own container of salted fish, which then has to be left to mature.

The most distinctive part of the programme is what happens afterwards. The matured fish are brought back to a summer festival, where they are opened, tasted and judged, with a mood that mixes friendly competition and village celebration. Music, local cheese and wine are part of the occasion, and the evening often draws a crowd of residents and holidaymakers alike. Other activities connected with the school include talks on traditional preserving methods and demonstrations of the tools that fishermen and salters once used. Dates and details change from year to year, so it is wise to ask at the local tourist office before planning around it.

The activity fits naturally with the rest of Fažana. The Fažana Waterfront is the starting point for boats to the Brijuni islands, and the Old Town (Stari Grad Fažana) is a short walk away, with the Parish Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian, the Church of St. Cosmas and Damian (Crkva sv. Kuzme i Damjana) and the narrow streets of the old fishing quarter. Valbandon Beach lies a little outside the town for a swim. Fish remains central to the local menu, and grilled sardines are a good order in any harbourside restaurant.

The school suits families, curious cooks and anyone who likes to learn a traditional skill while travelling. A session takes around an hour and a half, and it is a pleasant, unhurried way to connect with the seafaring story of the town.