Exploring Croatia: The Zadvarje Market
Zadvarje, Croatia
A few months ago, my hairdresser in Makarska mentioned the Zadvarje Market.
At that point, I had lived in Makarska for almost seven months, and this was my first time hearing of this market.
I thought to myself: How could that be? How could I not know about a market in the area? Why did it take seven months to hear of this market?
Yes, I get a tad dramatic at times.
I had to know more. So I looked it up.
Zadvarje, Croatia
Zadvarje is a small village in Dalmacija, at the edge of the deepest part of the Cetina River gorge. Population: 289.
It is a 25 min drive from Makarska and a 45 min drive from Split.
To visit this gem, you need to head inland. Yes, a bit of a drive from the Adriatic, but well worth it!
Tuesday Mornings in Zadvarje
On Tuesday mornings, the town of Zadvarje is the place to be.
On Tuesday mornings, the Zadvarje open-air market takes over the village; a market that dates back to 1708!
One of the locals told me that the market is the second-largest open-air market in Dalmacija.
But please take note! If you plan to explore this market, this is a MORNING activity.
By 12-1 PM, vendors at the market start to wrap up.
Live Music at a restaurant in Zadvarje, Croatia
What You’ll Find At The Market
Local, seasonal fruits and vegetables
Meat
Plants
Clothing, toys, handcrafted items
Books, records
Livestock
Live Music
Storytellers
The market is located on the main road. Vendors are lined up along either end of the road. I would say that the market extends for about 500 meters.
Roasted Lamb, Zadvarje Market
Pogača is a type of bread baked in the ashes of the fireplace, and later on in the oven, similar to focaccia.
Roasted Chicken, Zadvarje Croatia
Chopping boards and more! Zadvarje Market
Zadvarje Market
Uštipak, sir (cheese) and pršut at the Zadvarje Market
Since hearing about the market, I have been several times.
Each visit has been unique.
On my first visit, I treated it like a reconnaissance, chatted with a few vendors, saw what caught my eye, and bought a few items.
I bought a chopping board from a man who drove 60km weekly to Zadvarje to sell his wooden pieces (see photo).
I also enjoyed a local snack: uštipak (fried dough) with pršut and cheese (see photo).
The following visits were different; I spent more time sitting at a local tavern, drinking espresso, listening to live music, and chatting with the locals.
Conversation With A Stranger
During one visit to the Zadvarje Market, I sat at a table next to a man and his dog.
He asked me: Senorina, what brings you to the Zadvraje Market?
With a straight face, I replied: The coffee.
A must: Having coffee at the Zadvarje Market and people watching.
The man laughed. The table next to me overheard our exchange, and they laughed.
I thought it might be a funny answer.
This was a market, not a coffee shop. There was more to this place than good espresso.
That exchange broke the ice, and the man opened up and shared some of his story.
He told me he was a widow, loved his wife and family, had a great life, spent money on good wine, and played the saxophone (on the side) while working as an architect.
His job as an architect was the last thing he mentioned; it did not define him or our chat.
Throughout our exchange, he recited famous Croatian songs, weaving them throughout the conversation.
He told me that one year, for his son’s birthday, he sat down and wrote the lyrics to a famous Croatian song, Sine Moj, by Arsen Dedić.
The lyrics read like a love letter from a parent to a child, a love letter where the best a parent can do is show their child love.
He mailed the note to his son in the United States.
A few days later, his son called, telling his father that the letter was the best gift he had ever received.
I am grateful that I had the opportunity to meet this man on a Tuesday morning at the Zadvarje Market.
Our conversation served as a reminder to live in the present. And to love deeply.
Powerful stuff.
And so, if you are in the area on Tuesday mornings, I highly recommend visiting the Zadvarje Market.
The market is full of treasures—some in the form of objects, others in the form of storytellers.
If you would like to know more about the Market, or the area, leave a comment below and I will do my best to answer your question.
Handcrafted treasures. Zadvarje, Croatia
In four hours on the Island of Vis in Croatia, I managed to do…very little.
And it was glorious.