Companion
Companion / Foodie program of the HrOUG conference
While you attend lectures, meet new colleagues, and gain knowledge and skills, your accompanying persons can take a few days off and enjoy excursions to Rovinj (Rovigno) and Istria as well as a boat trip through the Rovinj archipelago.
The program includes:
Wednesday 15.10.2025.
20:30 – 22:00 Dinner at Island hotel Istra restaurant
22:00 – 01:00 Welcome drink & Social gathering at the Island hotel Istra
Thursday 16.10.2025.
7:00 – 8:45 Breakfast at Island hotel Istra restaurant
8:55 – Meeting point: in front of the boat on the Island
Excursion: Secrets of Rovinj and the Park - Zlatni Rt Forest
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The rich history of Rovinj is still evident today in the charmingly compact narrow houses, equally narrow streets and small squares - all of which create a unique labyrinth in which it seems as if time has stood still and in which you will want to get lost. It is no wonder that the old town was declared a cultural monument in 1963, quite rightly. Rovinj once had seven city gates, and three have been preserved - St. Benedict's, St. Cross and Portico. There is also the monumental Balbi Arch, in whose place the main gate of the fortified city stood until 1679. At the top of the arch is a winged lion, a symbol of the Venetian Republic, which arrived in Rovinj without war and ruled it from the 13th to the 18th centuries. |
| While walking through the town, you will also notice Grisia Street, a beautiful staircase leading to the plateau of the parish church of St. Euphemia. This picturesquely paved and winding street is a kind of trademark of old Rovinj. And the largest monument in the city is certainly the already mentioned Church of St. Euphemia, a Baroque building in the Venetian style, whose bell tower is actually a replica of the bell tower of the Church of St. Mark in Venice. At its top stands proudly a copper statue of the Saint, erected in 1758, after lightning destroyed the previous wooden statue. From the bell tower, a magnificent view of the entire city and its picturesque surroundings “shoots” out. On the main square in Rovinj there is another tourist attraction – the city clock. Originally, in the 12th century when it was built, it was actually a tower on the southern corner of the former walls, and it was converted into a clock in the 19th century. And another interesting fact – in front of the tower there was once a prison for minor crimes. |
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We continue from the old town to the park with a leisurely walk, starting along a beautiful promenade along the sea that passes by the famous Rovinj hotels. The Zlatni rt Forest Park, or Punta Corrente, is one of the most beautiful parks in this part of Istria. After passing the entrance, one, narrower path descends towards the sea, and the other, the main and wider, leads straight. Both are picturesque, pleasant for walking. Through many years of care, this area has been transformed into a unique and luxurious natural park-arboretum, which in 1948 was declared a "protected natural rarity", while in 1961 it was declared a forest park, and it still has this status today. |
12:30 Return from Rovinj by boat to the red island
13:00 – 15:00 Lunch at Island hotel Istra restaurant
15:00 – 19:00 Free time
19:00 – 21:00 Dinner at Island hotel Istra restaurant
21:00 – 01:00 Evening entertainments at the Island hotel Istra
Friday 17.10.2025.
If the weather and the waves allow it, we would go on a boat trip around the Rovinj archipelago to the Lim Channel, tasting the shellfish that are grown there (Option A).
If the seas are too rough and the sailors estimate that the passengers might get sick from the boat ride, we would visit the Istrian town of Bale, visiting a top-notch oil mill and tasting olive oil (Option B).
7:00 – 8:45 Breakfast at Island hotel Istra restaurant
8:55 – Meeting point: in front of the boat on the Island
Excursion: Option A - Boat trip to the Lim Channel with a tour of the Rovinj archipelago
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Experience the beauty of the Istrian coast on a boat trip to the unique Lim Channel, where you will be greeted by inimitable nature. The Lim Channel is one of the most beautiful natural attractions in Istria. It is an 11 km long bay, surrounded by rich forests that preserve numerous historical monuments such as the St. Romuald's Cave and are home to many wild animals. The Lim Channel is also known as the Lim Fjord, which owes its name to the 1958 film Viking, starring Kirk Douglas. The channel successfully played the role of a real fjord, after which it got its name. Just how unique Lim (as the locals affectionately call it) is is also evidenced by the fact that it is protected as a landscape and a special marine reserve. |
| The sea in the channel has a reduced salinity, and you will experience it firsthand. Thanks to the combination of fresh and salt water, the sea in the Lim Channel is abundant in fish and is extremely suitable for growing shellfish, primarily mussels and oysters. They are the absolute gastronomic stars of the canal. They are farmed there, and you will taste them fresh from the sea at lunch at the legendary nearby restaurant named, of course, Viking. |
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Excursion: Option B - Bale & olive oil tasting at a famous oil mill
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The town of Bale-Valle was built around the medieval castle of the noble families Sardo and Bembo from the 15th century, and in the first written documents it appears as the Roman settlement Castrum Vallis. Bale-Valle is another typical Istrian town built on a hill with narrow streets and stone houses, which stands out for its special atmosphere. Bale is dominated by the bell tower of the parish church of St. Julian, built at the end of the 19th century. The Bembo Palace was recently completely renovated, and there is also a very beautiful town loggia, while the center of the town is protected by law. In the nearby Colone Bay, a very rich fossil site of several species of dinosaurs was discovered. |
| We continue towards the Grubić oil mill. We will get acquainted with the year-round work in the olive grove - from cultivation, assortments, processing, methods and deadlines for harvesting, as well as the very process of processing olives and proper storage of oil. We start with the "queen", a 400-year-old female buža that grows in front of the oil mill building. The tasting will take place in the old oil mill, where, in addition to the scents and flavors of indigenous extra virgin olive oils, we will also enjoy the historical ambiance of the renovated old olive processing plant from 1927. We will also learn how to best use each oil and pair it with food for a better experience and greater enjoyment. |
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13:30 Return from Rovinj by boat to the island
13:45 – 15:00 Lunch at Island hotel Istra restaurant (Option B), or in the restaurant Viking, Lim Fyord (Option A)
15:00 – 19:00 Free Time
19:00 – 21:00 Dinner at Island hotel Istra restaurant
21:00 – 01:00 Evening entertainments at the Island hotel Istra
Saturday 15.10.2025.
7:00 – 9:00 Brekfast at Island hotel Istra restaurant
13:00 – 14:30 Lunch at Island hotel Istra restaurant
Disclaimer: The organizer reserves the right to change the schedule or content depending on meteorological conditions and the number of registered participants.
All registered participants will be informed of changes.
The minimum number of participants for all excursions is 10.
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The conference is organized by the Croatian Association of Oracle users. More about the association can be found at Hroug.hr.