Scampi Festival in Crikvenica and Vinodol

Three tourist boards – Crikvenica, Novi Vinodolski and the Vinodol Municipality – have joined forces around a common goal – the promotion of the Crikvenica-Vinodol Riviera through its wine and gastronomy offer and the top-quality food that makes this area special – scampi.

The project was recognised by the Croatian Tourist Board, which, through the Fund for Associated Tourist Boards, allocated funds for the realisation of a new wine and gastronomy story that focuses on the promotion of scampi as a food, the Riviera as a destination and the entire Kvarner as an area of great importance in the wine and gastronomy context of the whole of Croatia.

This is a festival that showcases the richness of the gastronomy of the Crikvenica-Vinodol Riviera, thus connecting the blue sea and the green hinterland. The Scampi Festival runs from 6 to 15 June, and it will motivate you to take a wonderful walk through the untouched nature of the Vinodol Municipality, enjoying the beauties of Crikvenica and Novi Vinodolski, which you can explore by bike, boat or leisurely walk until you choose your own gastronomic oasis in which to enjoy scampi.

The Scampi Festival, in addition to showcasing the rich gastronomy of the Crikvenica-Vinodol Riviera, connects the three tourist communities of this region and offers enjoyment in wonderful outdoor activities. The main star, scampi, has been prepared here in the classic way for centuries - on a buzara, on the grill or in orzo, which is a real gastronomic experience due to the special taste of this food.

However, the festival pushes the boundaries and also offers imaginatively created plates. Thus, scampi tails can be tasted in sweet tempura, with flavoured polenta and aioli sauce (Lemoon restaurant), as part of a roll with cottage cheese and strawberries (Burin restaurant), in orzo with cottage cheese espuma (Dida restaurant), on a salad with fresh ingredients from this region or as the main ingredient with baked cottage cheese (Oris catering / Nava pizzeria), frigani in coffee, almond and pistachio tempura (Lucija tavern) or in combination with prosciutto in delicious snacks (Pod orajem tavern).

For those who like to combine the sea and the interior of this incredible destination, the Vagabundina koliba has also joined the festival with delicious nettle polpetas, braised barley, and wonderful snacks dominated by wild onion spread on homemade bread. At this location, you will begin your day with natural sage or elderberry juices. If you're looking for gastro addresses dominated by scampi, be prepared for refreshment with a selection of wines from the Pavlomir Wine House.

San Marino sparkling wine, žlahtina (champion of Vinistra) and rose (winner of the Kvarner International Wine Trophy) go well with scampi. We enjoyed the aforementioned dishes and the inevitable drop of wine during the promotional tour held on June 6th. You can check out all the treats for your palate until June 15th at certain restaurants on the Crikvenica-Vinodol Riviera at the MENU - SCAMPI FESTIVAL.

"With this pilot tour, we are announcing the Scampi Festival event, which will be held in the spring of 2026 as a new gastro-tourism product, precisely in the year when Kvarner holds the title of European Capital of Gastronomy. Given the interest of numerous visitors, our partners and the media, I can only conclude that the new product of our Riviera is something that attracts numerous enthusiasts. Why scampi? Because it is a top seafood specialty and a symbol of our destination, especially the Vinodol Channel, where scampi live, which are larger and tastier than those in the open sea due to the type of soil, sea temperature and the large number of springs, i.e. the combination of brackish and sea water," said Marijana Biondić, director of the Crikvenica Tourist Board.

foto: Nikola Zoko