Piran & the coast: the back story

About Piran & the coast: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Ljubljana Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Slovenia’s coast is short, around 47 km, but it packs in Venetian towns, salt pans, cliffs and seaside resorts. Piran, at the tip of its peninsula, is the jewel.

Venetian Piran

For five centuries Piran belonged to the Venetian Republic, and it shows: narrow lanes, Gothic windows, a bell tower modelled on St Mark’s and the red Venetian House on the square.

Tartini

The oval main square is named after Giuseppe Tartini, the violinist and composer, born in Piran in 1692, whose statue stands at its centre.

Piran looks like a piece of Venice that floated across the Adriatic.

Salt

South of Piran, the Sečovlje salt pans have been worked for centuries, and salt is still harvested by hand in summer. The salt flower is a favourite souvenir.

The coast towns

Portorož is the resort, with hotels, spas and a long promenade; Izola is a fishing town with good fish restaurants; Koper, the largest, has a fine Venetian square; and the Strunjan cliffs are the highest on the Adriatic coast.

Our advice: arrive in Piran early or stay the night, climb the town walls for the view, eat fresh fish by the harbour and walk to the church of St George at sunset. Leave the car in the garage at the edge of town.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Piran & the coast: the back story before you go.