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Bakalar na bijelo (Christmas Eve salt cod)
Bakalar na bijelo is the calendrical Split dish for December, salt cod soaked, cooked, and blended with olive oil, garlic, and parsley into a creamy spread. It suits the month because it is served specifically on Christmas Eve and appears on menus only around this time. Ask a konoba in advance if they will serve it, then eat it with bread as a starter before a seafood main. Keep the portion small, it is rich with oil. If you shop Pazar, you may also see related ingredients like olive oil and garlic in seasonal abundance. Pair with a dry white rather than red, the garlic and salt cod work better with crisp acidity.
Fritule (Advent street sweet)
In December, fritule are an Advent market staple in Split, small fried dough balls perfumed with citrus zest, raisins, and sometimes rakija, served warm with powdered sugar. The month suits them because outdoor stalls on Prokurative and around the centre run daily, and the weather makes hot snacks practical. Buy them in the evening when concerts draw crowds, then eat them immediately, they lose texture fast once they cool. Pair with mulled wine if you are staying outside, but keep an eye on wind, bora gusts can drop temperatures quickly on the Riva. If you want fewer crowds, shop earlier in the day at Pazar stalls, then return for markets at night.
Kroštule (Christmas and Carnival pastry)
Kroštule work well in December because they belong to the Christmas pastry calendar as much as Carnival season. They are fried ribbons of dough scented with citrus and anise, dusted with sugar, and meant to be eaten with coffee rather than as a heavy dessert. Buy them at Pazar bakery stalls for an easy edible souvenir, they travel better than fritule because they are dry and crisp. Eat them during an afternoon museum visit break when weather is wet. Pair with a small glass of prošek or a simple espresso, not with heavy meals. If you attend Advent markets, kroštule make a quieter alternative to the busiest hot-stall lines.
Prošek (holiday dessert wine)
Prošek suits December because it matches Split’s long holiday dinners and the Advent night-walk rhythm, sweet, amber, and served in small pours as a digestif. Drink it after a konoba meal when you are done eating rather than alongside the main course. Pair it with a slice of Splitska torta if you want a classic sweet-on-sweet match, or take it alone as a slow finish before walking back through the Palace lanes. In winter weather, choose an indoor wine bar close to Old Town to avoid getting cold on the Riva. If you plan New Year’s events outside, keep alcohol intake measured, crowds and wind can make pacing harder than expected.
Figs (smokve), dried in winter
Dried figs suit December in Split because the fresh harvest is gone and markets shift to preserved, travel-friendly fruit used for snacking and gifting. You’ll see dried figs at Pazar alongside honey and other winter staples. Buy a small bag for ferry days and walking tours, they keep well and do not need refrigeration. Pair them with pršut and Pag cheese in your accommodation for a simple, budget meal when restaurants are busy around Advent events. If you want the most flavour, choose figs that still feel slightly soft, not brittle-dry. Keep them sealed, open-air market bags can pick up moisture in rainy weather. Eat them with coffee rather than as a heavy dessert, and they make a practical carry-on gift.
