In recent times, traditional types and varieties of fruit trees have become less represented, due to increased urbanization and planting of newer, more interesting varieties on the market. Traditional fruit varieties can mainly be found in backyards in rural areas where they are still grown and their yield potential and fruit quality are recognized. The objectives of this study were: to determine the presence of fruit species in the Gacka Valley, to identify the most common varieties and to determine pomological and physico-chemical properties of their fruits and based on the results to select potential varieties for cultivation and processing. The inventory of the investigated area determined the presence of several fruit species (apple, pear, plum, cherry, quince) that are traditionally present in backyards or extensive orchards. The most common type is apple, and for this research, fruit samples were collected from eight most common different apple varieties ('Barunka', 'Ilinjača krupna', 'Kamenika', 'Kanada', 'Ljepocvjetka', 'Podolka', 'Šumska', 'Vlastelica') and the pomological and physicochemical properties of their fruits were determined. It was found that traditional varieties differ significantly in the investigated properties. The 'Canada' variety has a satisfactory fruit size and hardness, starch degradation index, which makes it suitable for fresh consumption, and is also suitable for processing due to the favorable ratio of soluble dry matter and total acids and can be recommended for further propagation and cultivation. Varieties 'Barunka' and 'Podolka' also stand out in some positive traits and their potential for cultivation in the researched area can be used. It is crucial to preserve and revitalize traditional fruit varieties, both because of their tolerance and adaptability to abiotic and biotic factors and because of the preservation of valuable genetic material and the use of their fruits for various purposes.