Dolce vita in Slovenian Istria

After few days of hiking in Slovenian mountains and exploring Ljubljana, we decided to spend 3 days on the Adriatic coast. I can only say, I wish we could stay few days longer and definitely advise you to do so especially if you come during warm summer months.

To read about our experience in Ljubljana and Slovenian mountains, check out this post.

Slovenia owns only 46,6 kilometers of the Adriatic coast, nevertheless, its varied coastline, hilly green hinterlands and seaside towns interconnected with seacoast promenades offer unforgettable sights and opportunities to experience the Mediterranean.

Piran

We have chosen for our base city a stunning town Piran, however all coastal towns are relatively close to each other and you can reach them by car and to the closest you can simply walk on a coastal promenade or an easy hike through olive groves (very picturesque).

During our stay in Istria we were particularly taken by Piran, claimed by many the most beautiful and the most photogenic medieval town on the Slovenian coast. The town is famous from stunning Venetian architecture dating back to 13th century when the area belonged to Venetian Republic.

Piran

Tartini Square

The main sight of the town is the Tartini Square with its characteristic elliptical shape. The square is dedicated to Piran violin virtuoso Giuseppe Tartini who was born here. In the middle of the square you will find Tartini statue to celebrate famous musician.

One of the most beautiful buildings you will find on the square it Piran Town Hall. Its most distinctive feature is the immured stone statue of a lion holding an open book, a memento of the Venetian Republic.

Tartini Square and its Venetian architecture

One of my favourite buildings on Tartini Square is Venetian House, the most beautiful example of Venetian Gothic architecture in Piran. The building stuns with its elaborate architectural elements, rich stone ornaments and Gothic corner balcony.  Between the second-floor windows facing the square, there is an immured stone relief with a inscription “Lassa pur dir” which means “let them talk”. Legend has it that a Venetian merchant fell in love with a beautiful young Piranese girl. To show to his beloved the strength of his feelings he decided to build her a palace neer the harbor. The envious citizens were gossiping about this passionate couple so to show his true love for her he put the significant inscription on the façade.

Cool story isn’t it? 😉

Piran’s Venetian House with its characteristic corner balcony

St George’s Church

When you arrive to Piran, one of first sights you notice is St George’s Church overlooking Piran from the hill above the town centre and offering a view over three countries (Slovenia, Croatia and Italy), is the largest church building in the town.

Splendid views from the church’s terrace

It is named after St George, the town’s patron saint who is thought to have saved Piran when it was hot by violent storm. The baroque interior of the church has 7 altars, two statues of St George and of St Nicholas, richly ornamented wooden ceiling and wall paintings influenced by Venetian school.

Piran’s cathedral elaborate interior

During our stay we could admire this church only through the doors. I suggest to go around the building to admire stunning views of the coast and Piran old town.

The cathedral’s impressive building overlooks Piran from above the Tartini Square

St George’s Church Bell Tower

The bell tower was completed during a period of Venetian influence in Piran (17th century) and is a smaller size copy of the San Marco Campanile in Venice. The bell tower is 46 meters high, houses 4 bells and it is capped with a pyramidal spire, at the top of which sits a weathervane in the form of Archangel Michael. You can climb the tower for great views of the town and surroundings.

IX Corps Street

 The picturesque IX Corps Street connects Tartini Square with St George’s Church. You will find here plenty of art studios of local artisans, galleries and souvenir shops. If you search for traditional and authentic Slovenian souvenirs, check out this post.

Artisanal workshops at IX Corps Street

Get lost in the small alleys

I would say that the most charming way of discovering the rest of Piran is just wandering and getting lost when exploring its small squares and narrow alleys.

It’s worth getting lost in Piran’s narrow street to experience the spirit of this beautiful town ❤️

I’m sure during your walk you will find 1st of May Square which was originally called Stari trg (the old square) and many of Piran’s main streets lead towards it. In the middle of the square there is a stone reservoir for rain water which was built after a severe drought in the 18th century. The gutters of nearby houses were connected to the reservoir. The water seeped through the stone which cleaned it and was then gathered in a large fountain. It was pumped out with a manual water pump which remains preserved to this day. Two statues adorn the entrance to the square, Justice and Law. I really recommend you checking out this square, also because it hosts Fritolin pri Cantini restaurant which serves really good seafood dishes (we had squid and tuna–delicious!).

1st of May Square

When walking back from St George’s Church it’s worth to stop in Minorite Monastery of St Francis and the Cloister. The monastery was probably founded before 1301 and there are still Franciscans living there. They take care of the church and offer pastoral care. As far as acoustics is concerned, the cloister has little competition in Slovenia, thus is a popular venue for various musical events and regularly hosts Piran Music Evenings and the Tartini Festival. The monastery keeps great collection of music literature and some of the books date back to the 15th century.

Minorite Monastery of St Francis Cloister

City Walls

For even better views at Piran and the surrounding area I suggest visiting Piran City Walls. The fortifications were mentioned as early as the 7th century and were built to protect the town from enemy attacks. The walls have several defense towers which you can now climb. Its largest preserved section known as Mogoron holds and incredible historical value.

Panoramic view at Piran from City Walls

We heard that the walls are perfect spot to watch the sunset, however they get closed around 8pm. We have visited them during the day and enjoyed breathtaking views, it’s a good idea to continue your walk to the walls after visiting St George’s Cathedral, a short gentle hike uphill will get you to these former fortifications.

City Walls of Piran

Apart from walking through a fascinating maze of streets Piran has, I recommend to have a slow walk along the town’s coast. Around the harbor and in direction of Cape Madona and Piran’s Lighthouse you will find plenty of restaurants serving seafood.

For sure you won’t stay hungry long when having your walk along Piran’s promenade 😉

There are also many ladders which allow you to get to the sea for a swim. Piran doesn’t have sandy beaches and you need to dip to the water using ladders installed along the seacoast. The water is crystal clear but make sure how deep it is before you decide to swim, some places may be reserved only for good swimmers since you may not be able to stand. Check well before you decide to dip, especially if you are with children.

You need to use special ladders and stairs to descent to water

Trips around Piran

 Portoroz

An easy trip outside of Piran is a walk along the coastal promenade to Portoroz which is a small town which is a well-known health resort for centuries. When visiting the town, you will notice a string of luxurious hotels along the coast, most famous one is the Palace Hotel boasting over a century old history. The building has a magnificent architecture and is one of the most prestigious hotels on the then Austrio-Hungarian Riviera, in which brine and mud therapies were performed at the beginning of the 20th century. A curious sight is Church of St Bernardine. The remains of the former monastery comprise a well-preserved and eminent bell tower, the church presbytery and a retaining wall complete with arches. The monastery and the church date back to the 15th century.

A bit surprising St Bernardine church 😉

From the rock on which the church is located, you can enjoy splendid views of the area.

The walk along promenade to Portoroz is very relaxing

When walking along the coast you will also get to Magazen Grando and Monfort Salt Warehouses. The warehouses date back to the first half of the 19th century. After the salt season ended, workers moved their yearly harvest from their houses to into these warehouses. Today the buildings host Maritime Museum and also have a gallery displaying many exhibitions of modern art.

In Portoroz you will find the largest sandy beach in Slovenia so the town is a good choice for families with children. There is also many bars and restaurants around where you can enjoy local food or your favourite cocktail.

You can have nice stop (or two ;)) when on your way to Portoroz

We have decided to go to restaurant on the promenade on the way back to Piran.

The promenade is less crowded and you have plenty of restaurants serving freshly caught fish. You can find places with the tables very close to the sea to enjoy surrounding nature.

Lake Fiesa

An easy and short walk is a coastal path from Piran to lake Fiesa. You will find the beginning of this very pleasant pedestrian route when walking from St George’s Cathedral to Piran’s City Walls. At some point you will a path going to the left which continues along the sea. This is your way to Lake Fiesa. The walk takes around 30 minutes and offers very good views at the Italian coast. Fiesa Bay is famous for its two lakes which formed after the clay had been harvested for the brickworks in Fornace.

On the day of our visit you could hardly distinguish colours of Fiesa lake and the sea

At this point you can have a glass of wine or coffee in nearby small restaurant and head back to Piran or continue your walk to Strunjan Nature Park which was our choice.

Strunjan Nature Park

We came to Strunjan Nature Park as a continuation of our walk from Piran to lake Fiesa.

The route from Fiesa to Strunjan is a bit more challenging than a previous path. The continuation reminds more of a hike. However, this was my favorite part of our half-day trip since the path leads through small hills and through the local villages where you can observe local houses adorned by cypresses.

I really like how diverse this hike is!

Part of the route leads through small forest and olive groves. You will get also beautiful views at the bay and St George’s church in Piran.

Part of the walk leads through the olive groves

It takes around one hour (from Fiesa, not Piran) to get to Strunjan Nature Park. The park is a wide expanse of nature which has been protected and ranges over two reserves–Strunjan Nature Reserve and Stjuza Nature Reserve.

We have walked along the Strunjan Salt Pans which used to be the second most important salt pans in Piran. The shallowness of Strunjan Bay has been used to shape it into salt pans by building bunds, canals and shallow ponds which create an important ecosystem of salty wetlands.

After some short stroll around parts of Strunjan Nature Park we had two options, continue our walk to the nearby village Izola or get back to Portoroz which is much closer. To keep our day relaxed we opted to go back to Portoroz. On the way back we had a really nice surprise.

Lucan Tunel

The walk from Strunjan Nature Park to Portoroz is very relaxed due to the option to cross the separating hill through Lucan Tunel which is a part of Parenzana– the path of friendship and good health which follows the old, 123km long, narrow gauge train track which connects Trst and Porec and the inland cities of Istrian peninsula. The railway line was built in the period 1900-1902 when this region was a part of the Austo-Hungarian Empire. The path takes you through cities and villages, sometimes following the coastline right by the sea, other times leading you through vineyards and olive trees plantations, short and well-maintained tunnels and into valleys and hills.  During our hike we crossed Lucan Tunel which is 544m long and it is the longest tunnel on the Parenzana railway line. It runs in a slight curve.

Impressive Lucan Tunel

Places which we didn’t see but wish to visit next trip:

  • The town was once an island and is famous for its fishing, fish processing, winemaking and oil making traditions. Izola is a medieval town with typical narrow streets and church on a hill. On Izola’s 5 kilometres of coastline, you will find 8 different beaches. The beach by the Lighthouse and Simon’s Bay Beach are well-suited for families.
  • Koper. The medieval core of the city is boasts features from the Serenissima period which is the 500-year rule of the Venetian Republic.  Praetorian Palace, the Loggia, the church tower, and the cathedral with the altar piece by Vittore Carpaccio draw visitors to the central square surrounded by streets lined with Venetian-style houses.
  • There is more than 100 villages and hamlets in Slovenian Istria. Many impress with their image of close-knit community settled by an old church. One of such places is Padna which is a heritage protected village surrounded by olive trees. Another village nearby I wouldn’t mind to visit is Smarje
  • Not exactly sightseeing type of activity but during next stay I’d definitely dedicate few days to just swim and stay most of the day on the beach. We visited Istria beginning of May and water was too cold for such activities, but I expect very good conditions between from July to September.

 Istrian Cuisine

Sun, warm climate and proximity of sun makes Slovenian coastal cuisine exquisite. In the coastal towns you will find plenty of restaurants serving freshly caught fish, we found local sea bass and sea bream really delicious. We were surprised that in the Adriatic sea you can find naturally even tuna and the tuna steak we tried in Piran was just amazing.

I also recommend to try local mussels and squids.

Istria will be greatly appreciated by seafood type of Foodies 😉

If you’re interested in Slovenian cuisine, check this post for our Subjective Foodie Guide.

Local products

    • The flavors of Mediterranean and Istrian cuisine are brought to the fore by hand harvested Piran salt which also possesses a protected designation of origin. You can bring your own package of salt as an authentic Slovenian souvenir.
You will easily find specialized shops selling salt from Piran in touristic cities
  • Truffles, the aromatic underground tubers of Istria, you can buy many products containing truffels, I particularly liked a delicious paste called tartufata based on white or black truffles.
  • Local olive oil. The extra virgin olive oil has a protected designation of origin. Olives varieties and specific climate conditions affect the characteristic taste of oil.
  • Wine of Istrian vineyards. The Istrian wine-growing region is home to a variety of wines, the most famous being Refosco and Malvasia. The wines of the Primorska wine-growing region are popular throughout Slovenia and in many parts of the world.
I really like white and pink Vinakoper wine

Even if tempted to buy Istrian food products in the local store somewhere on the coast, I suggest to buy them in small specialized food stores in Ljubljana. The variety is bigger and the prices are lower. All products are properly certified and labelled so there is no risk to buy not an authentic product.

If you are searching authentic and traditional souvenirs (including food), check out this post.

Hoping for another visit!
  1. Patrycja

    Istria wygląda jak z bajki;) Te smakowite dania pełne owoców morza też mnie kuszą. Często latałam do Chorwacji na wakacje, ale chyba następnym razem odwiedzę Słowenię. Piran i ta wenecka architektura są mega romantyczne! Jak najlepiej się tam dostać, w sensie gdzie jest najbliższe lotnisko? Wy dojechaliście tam pociągiem, tak?

    • Gabriela Mozharovskyi

      Cześć Patrycjo, też uważam, że Istria jest bajkowa 😉
      Tak, my przyjechaliśmy pociągiem z Ljubljany, ale można też dolecieć tam samolotem a potem wynająć samochód.
      Możesz także rozważyć lotniska w Wenecji, Trieste oraz Pula. Nieco dalej, ale w połączeniu z Chorwacją wchodzi też w grę Zagrzeb.

  2. Marcelina

    Slovenia is such a fairytale, and Piran is so Venetian elegant…I love the slow travel around Europe and Istria is definitely what I search for. Thanks for this inspiration 👌
    Seafood dishes look mouth-melting!

  3. Monika

    Ile tutaj dobrych rad! O Słowenii trochę słyszałam, ale Twoje wpisy o tej górzystej części kraju i wybrzeżu dają pełny obraz. Ciekawa jestem jak tam u nich z angielskim? Da się porozumieć wszędzie?

  4. Agata

    Istria to kompletnie moje klimaty. Wygląda na super miejsce na wakacje.
    Czy wiesz może czy Słowenia jest przyjazna dla rowerzystów?

    • Gabriela Mozharovskyi

      Cześć Agata,

      Widzieliśmy sporo rowerzystów w całej Słowenii.
      Jednakże Słowenia to kraj górzysty, nawet nad morzem jest sporo wzgórz, więc niektóre miejsca są dość wymagające na pokonanie ich rowerem.
      Mogę powiedzieć, że jeżeli jeździsz na trudniejszych trasach, to znajdziesz tutaj wiele fajnych ścieżek, gdzie trzeba też podjeżdżać mocno pod gorkę.
      Jeśli jeździsz rekreacyjnie, to polecam najpierw dobrze sprawdzić trasę, jest sporo płaskich ścieżek dookoła jezior, czy wzdłuż nadmorskich promenad na południu 😉

  5. Ever_traveller

    Istria looks so precious place…I’d love to hike along olive groves and then dip in this transparent water 😀
    Thanks for this inspiration, I’ll take a look in my calendar can I make this trip this year 💪 Greetings from Belgium!

  6. viki

    What a wonderful place, do you think 10 days is enough of time to really enjoy it? Great that you travelled there by train 👍

  7. Elle

    With so many blogs with typical influencer destinations, your place is a nice discovery. I read often travel blogs and didn’t get much about Piran (not mention Koper) so I’m only looking forward for more content here 🙂

  8. Muszka

    Ale tutaj ładnie 🙂 Raz byłam w Ljubljanie na wyjeździe służbowym i nie zajrzałam do tych cudów natury, a południe wygląda zachwycająco ;D

  9. Greta

    I’ve been to Croatia twice but Slovenia looks so interesting too, and the Italian vibe is very clear. Love to have a stroll along olive groves, just splendid!

  10. Nosek

    Wymarzone wakacje! Z inflacją i cenami, ktore są szalone, może w Słowenii da się normalnie wypocząć, do tego i w gorach i nad morzem, czas odpalić Booking ;)))

  11. Franca

    What a vibe! So many times in Italy, but looks like Slovenia is a bit less touristy little brother? At least the coast! Nice, but I guess you need to swim all the time in the water since there is only ladder entry to the water so must be quite deep from the beginning?

  12. Kasia

    Na bloga trafiłam przez przypadek, a naprawdę takich miejsc jest już tak mało w internecie, tylko fotki, tiktok i reklamy, a tutaj tyle zdjęć i praktycznych informacji. W to lato za dużo nie pojeżdżę, ale chociaż pooglądam sobie zdjęcia, poczytam i wpiszę część kierunków na moją listę 👍

  13. Podróżnik

    Zajrzałem do Tajlandii jako że robiłem research na listopadowy wypad, wystraszyłem się cen lotów i skończyłem na Istrii 😅 A na serio, fajny blog, dobre kierunki i ciekawe opisy. Ta Słowenia chyba jakoś na jesień u mnie si odbędzie, Azja musi zaczekać na lepsze lotnicze czasy 🙃

  14. Osa

    Słowenia chodzi za mną od dawna, a wybrzeże w szczególności, jako fanka trufli chciałabym odwiedzić w sezonie truflowym i najeść się tych wszystkich pyszności 😋

  15. Sławka

    Słodkie życie, ale mi to do tego tęskno. Wszystko składa się na przepis na idealne wakacje 😉 Chociaż chyba teraz musi być bardzo gorąco? Wstępnie planuję na wrzesień, może sytuacja na lotniskach też będzie już stabilniejsza

  16. Slavka

    Awesome blog! Do you have any helpful hints for aspiring writers?
    I’m hoping to start my own blog soon but I’m a little lost on everything.

    Would you suggest starting with a free platform like
    Wordpress or go for a paid option? There are so many options
    out there that I’m completely confused .. Any suggestions?
    Kudos!

  17. Lyx

    Hey There. I found your weblog using msn. This is an extremely neatly written article.
    I’ll be sure to bookmark it and come back to learn more of your useful information. Thanks for the post.

    I will certainly comeback.

  18. Alma

    Słowenia wydaje mi się, że od niedawna jest odkrywana. My planujemy wybrać się tam na sezon truflowy, ale na pewno zajrzymy do miasteczek, o których piszesz, nasza rodzina kocha takie klimaty, a zwłaszcza moja mama ❤️

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