Romans knew how to pamper their body and spirit ... The idyllic location in San Simon, which was once home to a sea-side Roman villa, was known for exclusive dinners, where guests were served a sweet selection of Roman dishes. Now, everyone can take a hedonistic journey to the start of the 2nd century – even you.
Culinary experience in Izola
Have you heard of Roman klinai? Do you know who is villicus? Would you like to know whom the first toast was dedicated to and discover the meaning of the word »salvete«? All this and more will be clear when you indulge in Roman tastes and become part of Roman aristocracy for one evening. The location, once home to a Roman villa and today the site of an archaeological park, offers a genuine Roman culinary delight.
Romans always knew how to make their lives as comfortable as possible.
Becoming Romans for the evening will surely be a pleasurable experience. Everything will be the same as it was 2000 years ago. First, you will dress in Roman tunics and make yourselves comfortable in the triclinium (Roman dining room), where you’ll be taken care of by vilicus - caretaker of the villa. Indulging in the hedonistic Roman lifestyle will continue with a tasting of Roman cuisine. You will have the chance to try the dishes in true Roman fashion – using your hands. Thus, you will experience the Roman flavours with all your senses – something we are not so used to anymore. The vilicus will keep you company throughout the evening: he will tell you amusing stories and take care of the cultural-artistic program with an artist from Aquileia. He will be helped by a puella (a female Roman slave) and a servant. Finally, you will be treated to a special “forbidden” surprise.
Roman cuisine – star of the evening
Amongst all the exciting tales and entertainment performances, there will be one star of the show – the Roman cuisine. You will be treated to a three-course Roman menu – during each course, you will be able to taste various culinary masterpieces of the time. Make sure to take your time while you eat; Roman feasts were social events, after all! That’s why there’s a lot of chatting, meeting new people; even business opportunities arise in such a relaxed atmosphere.
What will the experience be like?
The “Roman tastes under the stars” culinary experience takes place in the open – at an idyllic location of Izola’s Archaeological Park, in the San Simon bay. The maximum number of guests is 9. The gathered guests are greeted by the villicus (the villa’s caretaker), who literally takes them back in time. The main theme of the evening is tasting Roman dishes, and the dinner is accompanied by a cultural-artistic programme.
Who is it for?
The culinary event is intended for adults and all “gourmet souls” who always like to experience new tastes and different, exotic food. It is important that they eat meat and/or fish. Part of the target audience are also all those who love stories and cultural heritage, as well as all social butterflies, who will easily switch to being Roman aristocrats.
When can I attend?
To attend the “Roman tastes under the stars” experience, make sure to regularly check the dates at our online store. Advance booking or purchase is necessary. The entire experience takes approx. 2 hours – duration can be a bit extended if there is expressed interest to do so. In case of bad weather, the event is rescheduled to another date.
Book your Roman indulgence
In summer, “Roman tastes under the stars” usually takes place twice a week. Advance booking or purchase is necessary. Dinner and programme are intended for a larger group – up to 9 people. This is due to the event’s design. Surely some of your friends would like to attend as well, would they not?
It is possible to adapt the programme for closed parties as well as to conduct the event in English. For more information, contact us via the online form.
- 99 € / PERSON (for a full group)
“Top-notch experience. I’m coming for more!”
Selected guests from the Slovene culinary and glamour circles attended the premiere performance of the event. They were immediately in awe of the magnificent surroundings, and the atmosphere became even more exciting when they changed into Roman tunics, lay down onto the Roman couches and got to know the villicus – caretaker of the Roman villa, who delighted them with his incredible stories and took them on a trip into the colourful world of Roman cuisine. Going back 2,000 years was an unforgettable experience – full of various Roman tastes, and especially stories and small surprises that made the atmosphere magical. The guests did well in their role as Romans. Obviously, we like to indulge in a bit of hedonism even today. Watch the video below to see, how they enjoyed their evening!
Two hours passed in a flash. And a magnificent sunset painted the scenery just as they were pampering themselves with sweet and spicy Roman dates. With the awareness of their own mortality and consequent idea that life should be enjoyed to the fullest, guests ended the evening and slowly returned to the present.
»An excellent experience. I’ve always known I’ve had something Roman inside of me. Today’s events have only confirmed that ... My roots go back to Roman times.«
What do our guests say about the experience?
Even though many years have passed since Roman times, we can still draw numerous parallels with contemporary society. True, we have advanced technologically and have a feeling that everything moves faster now ... But in our essence, humans are still very much the same, and we share a lot of values with the Romans. We still like to get together, talk, eat good and healthy food; we even conduct business during meals – all in all, we like to enjoy life.
This is truly a unique event, that can’t be experienced anywhere else in such a way. Getting to know the foundations of Izola’s history, the history of Istria in such an interesting and unique way, is in itself a 5-star experience. Quite surely, Izola would not be what it is today, were it not for the Romans, who settled here more than 2,000 years ago. And consequently, we would not be who we are without our Roman roots.
“Top-notch experience. I’m coming for more!”
Contact us for more info
TIC Tourist Information Center
+386 5 640 10 50
tic.izola@izola.si
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