The Tourist Board of Lika-Senj County, in cooperation with the Croatian National Tourist Board, presented itself in central Milan on Piazza Pio XI. Representatives of the Italian media and travel agencies were delighted by the destinations of Lika-Senj County. They savoured a progressive menu by the newly minted local, chef Dino Galvagno, who a few years ago traded the Zagreb pavement for Dnopolje, a picturesque village near Donji Lapac.
The ingredients were carefully chosen from the Velebit coast to the heart of Lika, and each course told a story of the tradition and way of life of a Croatian county that stretches across both sides of the Velebit massif. First came a finger food of podvelebitski scampi (langoustines from beneath Velebit) with polenta and wild fennel powder, plus brook trout with horseradish, celeriac, cornelian cherry and millet porridge. These were followed by bika (a traditional fresh cheese) and warm kruv (bread), then potkriza, a barley flatbread on yoghurt soaked in rooster stock with a wild-herb veloute, and saddle of wild boar with a blueberry jus and ramson capers. The sweet finale was salenjak (lard pastry) filled with Bistrica plum jam and a crisp wafer made from plum-seed oil. Each course was poured alongside wines from the celebrated Novalja winery Boskinac, and the dessert was matched with Lika distillates. 
Lika-Senj County is a region of authentic experiences, untouched nature and superb traditional cuisine, and this showcase is a chance to let our partners and the Italian media taste its magic. We are convinced that Lika-Senj will win the hearts of Italians just as it wins over every visitor: sincerely, warmly and authentically, said Viviana Vukelic, director of the Croatian National Tourist Board’s Office in Italy. Ivan Radosevic, director of the Lika-Senj County Tourist Board, said the county is a sought-after destination for guests from across Europe who revel in its natural beauty, rich cultural heritage and excellent gastronomy, and that its tourism results improve year after year. 
Lika-Senj County has so far presented itself in Warsaw and Ljubljana, with Budapest to follow.
Photographs: Gabriele Basilico
01.11.2025.
