Gligora Cheese Factory, Pag Island - Everyone Say ‘Cheese!

We are parked up at Camping Selce, (N45.15362 E14.72262) and have a sea view through the trees and over the tops of the holiday lodges – whoop! whoop!

Before leaving Pag we had a look around a cheese factory in Kolan, famous for the making of Paški Sir - the official cheese of the Island of Pag since 1918.  Before going into the production area, we had to dress up in a paper coat, paper hat and shoe covers, for hygiene regions. 

Say 'Cheese'!

We were the only two on the guided tour and our guide explained the history around the factory and the process of making the various cheeses.

The cheese is only made for 5 months of the year from the sheep’s milk on the island and the special flavour comes from the sheep eating the salt herbs created by the Bura winds.  In the curing room, there were rows upon rows of cheese from young to old.  The youngest is 5 months old and the oldest is 3 years before it gets sent out to the shops. Everything is done by hand from milking the sheep to layering the flavours around the cheese (such as rosemary, cherries, olive and wine) and packaging.

Flavouring the cheeses

The cheese isn’t cheap but when you see and hear about the processes involved you understand why.  After the tour it was off to the tasting room to sample all of the cheeses we had just seen.  You can just do the tour on its own but we opted for the tasting platter and wine, which including the tour for 2 people was 167 kuna (£19 approx), which we thought was good value.

Mel ready for the tasting session

Watching the sheep enjoying their salty herbs to make that tasty Paški Sir (Pag Cheese)

Leaving Pag Island this morning, we headed north to catch the ferry to the mainland.  It was quicker than going south via Pag bridge (the way we came onto the island) and then having to head north again. The closer we got to the ferry port the more rocky the landscape seemed to become, until there was no more greenery to be seen.  This part obviously gets battered by the northly Bura winds coming over the Velebit Mountains.

Waiting patiently in the queue for the ferry to the mainland

The ferry journey takes about 15 minutes, so we managed a quick walk around on the upper deck and a look back at the rocky Island of Pag.

Leaving Pag, Mel is looking a bit windswept - must be that Bura wind!

Approaching mainland and the Velebit Mountains that we last saw when we were in Nin.

Disembarking, we took a slow drive up the coastal road to Selce.  Enjoying the views of Pag Island on the other side.

Lovely views looking towards the Islands of Pag, Rab and Krk

Arriving at the campsite late afternoon, we managed to enjoy the last of the sun and a barbeque.  Only one more day until October, and we have started to notice how quickly the night time temperatures are dropping and so by 7pm it's time to come inside!   Tomorrow we are off to explore Selce before heading off to the Island of Krk, the largest island in Croatia.

Sally x