Hiking
Punat
The Trail of Olive Growers
Olives turned into drops of gold by hardworking locals
Karakteristike
The Trail of Olive Growers circles the tourist town of Punat, nested in the spacious and shallow Punat Cove. Its name comes from the Latin word pons (‘bridge’), referring to the wooden bridge that once connected the shore to the Prniba peninsula over a narrow channel. Besides being a true mecca for boaters, Punat also plays an important role in olive oil production.
The Trail of Olive Growers honours precisely this golden liquid; it starts in front of the tourist office on the town’s square. Take the seaside promenade in the direction of south, past the campsite and a well-kept beach with numerous attractive amenities, then turn left and go uphill through the resort area towards the interior. In the past, locals mostly pursued farming, sheep breeding, fishing and shipbuilding, and practically every family owned a vineyard and an olive grove. Did you know that back in the day you could pay for your purchases in olive oil too? Olive grinding was the main local festivity that featured singing and dancing get-togethers. It was abandoned in 1962, when the old millstones (toš) were replaced by a modern oil mill.
The road and the Trail of Olive Growers running above the town offer information about olive varieties, types of presses and grinders, and modern oil processing methods. The path then leads to the Kanajt area, named after canes that used to grow by the marshy shoreline. Here you will find the remains of the Church of St Peter, first recorded in 1419, and abandoned already in the late 15th century. Right by the remains lies a fragrant garden reminiscing a mrgar – a corral of drystone walls used for fencing in sheep. Followed by the scents of the Mediterranean herbs, with a view of the boats moored in the port, the trail will take you down to the coastal road that passes by the marina and the shipyard. Punat’s first shipyard was opened in 1922, when a large barrack with a boat lift was built in Vele vode. A whole century later, it is still open, but now for yacht refitting and repairs.
To return to the centre of Punat, walk down the beautiful seaside promenade with a landscaped garden, overlooking the green peninsula of Prniba and the islet of Košljun. But before completing the circle, make a stop in the old town and walk through its narrow, winding alleys. The Klančić Street will lead you to the Toš Gallery in the former oil mill, with parts of an old millstone on display. Getting a souvenir bottle of olive oil will surely be a nice surprise for your loved ones.
