Olive, Wines and Cheese

The tourist card of Bale would not be complete without the agricultural dimension. The area of Bale is a real treasure throve of indigenous sorts of olives as well as other symbols of healthy food and traditional ecological agriculture and quality wines and cheeses. Bale's olive oils, for the most part produced from the indigenous Buza but also from other sorts of olives form an inevitable part of all the prestigious publications dealing with olive oils. Bale's olive oils have also received many awards and prizes. This should come as no surprise in the light of the fact that olives have been grown in this area since Roman times. Thirty centuries of the olive growing tradition has given birth to a legend claiming that travellers could negotiate the way from the town to the shore, a distance of seven kilometres, hopping from one olive to the next without touching the ground at all. Bale's citizens want to share the beauty of their olive groves and in future it will be possible to stroll down an olive path and all those who want to enjoy the charms of olive picking will be able to indulge in that joy in the olive groves there. In the desire to give an additional boost to olive growing in the district the planting and growing of olives is actively encouraged. Even though Bale's citizens traditionally do not grow olives for commercial purposes many typical Istrian vines can be found in the area – Malvasia and Istrian Teran. These wines will always go down well with Bale's cheeses and homemade Istrian cuisine – something that lacks not at all in Bale.

There is no rush in Bale, so we suggest all those who lead a stressful life to stop and enjoy the scents of aromatic herbs. The scent of sage, immortelle, rosemary, lavender and many other plants is spreading through Bale and its surroundings and the only thing you have to do is take a deep breath – it will relax your body and soul.

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