Your guide to Piran, Slovenia – a charming medieval town

Slovenia is almost entirely landlocked, apart from a 46.6 kilometer long sliver of coast on the Adriatic Sea. On this tiny bit of coastline are three coastal towns, the prettiest and most popular of which is Piran.

 

What to expect in Piran

Piran is a relatively small medieval town on the coast of Slovenia. It has a vibrant town centre, great sea food, a maze of beautiful narrow streets with colourful old houses and is packed with culture and history.

The old town is quite small and best explored on foot. You can experience most of what it has to offer in one day but will need a couple of days to see the surroundings.

Piran was part of the Republic of Venice for more than 500 years, which is clearly visible in the town’s architecture.

Piran is a popular tourist destination, but it doesn’t get too crowded.

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14 best things to do in Piran Slovenia

In Piran you’ll find medieval walls, seemingly never ending salt fields, charming monasteries and churches, lively bars and restaurants, gorgeous views, quirky souvenir shops and art galleries, and so much more.

Piran on the Slovenian riviera can easily be explored at your own initiative, just use this guide and have a look at our Piran map.

If you prefer an introduction to this beautiful town then book this walking tour. It is very affordable and the tour guide takes you to all the highlights and tells you about the town, the region’s history, and ends with a tasting of the Istrian food and wine.

 

1. Visit the Tartini Square Piran

Tartini Square (Tartinijev Trg) is the main square of Piran and the heart of the old town. If you’re taking the shuttle bus into town, this is where the bus drops you off.

There used to be water where the square is now, and it was part of the harbour. In 1894 they filled this part of the harbour up and created the square you can see today.

In the middle of this oval shaped square stands a statue of Giuseppe Tartini, the Slovene composer and violinist that was born here and that the square was named after. The square is surrounded by buildings on three sides and opens up towards the harbour on the southwest.

The buildings surrounding the square are painted in bright colours with beautiful white ornaments. Dominating the main square is the Town Hall. Note the clear Venetian influence on the architecture of the surrounding buildings, especially the aptly named Venetian House in the corner. Next to it it stands Tartini House, the birth house of the famous composer. Tartini House is open for visitors and you can admire the 18th century frescoes.

 

2. People watch from a cafe

The edges of Tartini square is full of shops and cafés with big terraces where you can sit down for a drink or a snack. Don’t miss out on the delicious homemade ice cream from Mestna Kavarna.

Tucked away in the shade under a big umbrella, these terraces are the perfect spot to relax and people watch. See if you can spot the gentleman on roller skates, we’ve seen him twirling around the square almost very time we visited Piran.

3. Stroll through the harbour

With a small and charming town like Piran, belongs a small and charming harbour. In the harbour you’ll find colourfull fishing boats, sailboats, small pleasure yachts and beautiful old wooden boats.

If you have the time we wholeheartedly recommend rent a boat or join a boat tour. Being out on the sea is such a wonderfull way to spend a summer afternoon! You can even take a tour on a vintage sailboat and explore the bays on the Slovenian coast.

In the Gabrielli Palace next to the harbour you’ll find the Piran Maritime Museum which hosts a modest collection of maritime history of the North Adriatic from the Middle Ages to the end of World War II.

Museum entrance fee: €3.5 per person
Opening times: 9 am to 12 pm and 5pm to 9pm in summer

 

4. Visit Punta Piran

Punta, or the point of Piran is the narrow tip of the peninsula stretching into the Adriatic sea. As you walk from the harbour towards Punta you’ll pass many restaurants and bars on the Piran riviera.

At the tip you’ll find the an ancient Punta lighthouse made of stone. Attached to it is the round, serrated tower of the Church of St Clement. You can climb up the lighthouse, however the building isn’t particularly tall and you’ll get much better views from other viewpoints.

5. Enjoy the view from Church of Saint George

As you’re standing on Tartini Square or from Punta Piran, you’ll see a big church and a bell tower at the top of the hill. This is the Church of Saint George.

The Renaissance church is nice to look at, but for most of you (and us included) the real appeal is the sweeping view over three countries from the yard that surrounds the church.

Towards the south-west you look out over the red and orange roofs of Piran’s old town, with Croatia visible on the other side of the water. Towards the north-east you look out over the Slovenian coast, with Italy visible behind it. Towards the north-west you look out over the Gulf of Trieste, and on a clear and wind still day you can see as far as the Dolomites, over a 100 kilometers away!

6. Climb the bell tower

The bell tower next to the church really shows the Venetian influence in the architecture of Piran. This bll tower was designed after the campanille of the San Marco Cathedral in Venice.

You might have already wondered if you can go up the tower for even better, 360 degree view … Well, you can, and you should!

Though a bit smaller than the campanille of the San Marco Cathedral, the rickety, narrow and uneven 146 steps take you up to the top of the 47 meter tall tower. From here you’ll get sweeping views over over Piran, Slovenia’s coastline, Croatia on one side and the Gulf of Trieste on the other, and on a clear day you’ll even see the Alps at the back.

The bells in the top of the tower ring every 15 minutes, and we suggest to time your climb up to avoid the deafening sound of the bells while you stand next to them.

Entrance fee: €2 per person
Opening times: 10 am to 8 pm in summer

7. Meander the colorful streets of the old town

The old town center of Piran is full of charming little cobblestone streets. Take some time to stroll around and explore the narrow alleyways.

No destination is the best destination in Piran and the narrower the alley, the better. If done right you’ll find some pretty sketchy, narrow and steep stairways and beautiful colorful streets with overhead passages from one house to the other.

Go souvenir shopping in some of the boutique shops or simply get lost in the maze of streets and stairs going up and down, and before you know it you’re in a completely different part of town.

Getting lost and discovering the charming little squares, under- and over-passages, as well as beautiful medieval buildings is one of the best experiences you can have in Piran.

8. Have lunch on the 1st of May Square

Exactly as we described above, by getting lost in Piran’s little streets on a recent visit, we’ve found ourselves on the 1st of May Square. We realised we had taken a massive detour and that this square is only a few streets away from Tartini Square, but getting lost was part of the fun.

First of May square, previously known as Stari trg (old square) used to be the main square in Piran, before Tartine Square was created. We recommend finding a table on what looks like a heightened terrace in the middle of the square, and then order some food at Fritolin Pri Cantini.

Fritolin is quite literally a hole in the wall, but they serve absolutely delicious sea food. Don’t trust our judgement? Then check out their reviews where everyone is raving about them!

Oh, and that heightened terrace filled with tables and the statues of Justice and Law perched on top? That’s actually a rain water reservoir!

After a severe drought in the 18th century the gutters of nearby houses were connected to the reservoir. The water gets cleaned as it seeps through the stones and is then gathered in a large fountain. The manual water pump remains preserved to this day and you can fill up your bottles.

9. Go for a swim at Piran Beach

Don’t forget to bring a towel and your swimwear, because the Promenade leading to Punta Piran also doubles as Piran Beach.

Just around the corner of the Punta lighthouse the Piran riviera continues along Presernovo Nabrezje with a long boardwalk lined with bars and restaurants. Here you’ll find concrete jetties that are perfect for jumping into the water and soon the promenade turns into a pebble beach that stretches out below the church and continues under the cliff towards Fiesa.

In summer, the water temperature here rises up to a very comfortable 27 °C, and the water is super clear. The rocks can be a bit unpleasant when walking on them barefoot or when laying on them so you might want to bring a pair of water shoes.

Piran gets very hot in summer so going for a quick dip is the perfect way to cool off a bit.

10. Visit the Piran Minorite Monastery

Hidden in one of Piran’s little alleyways sits the 14th century Minorite Monastery. This small but picturesque monastery is publicly accessible, and it is the best place in town to find some peace and quiet.

When you enter the inner atrium with all its beautiful arches and look up you can see a church tower on one of the corners of the building, and calming music softly fills the air.

The monastery is also a popular spot for musical events, because of the great acoustics in the atrium.

There are still Franciscans living in the monastery to this day. They take care of the monastery church and the collection of music literature. Some of the books in the monastery library date back to the 15th century.

11. Climb up the town walls

Just outside of the old center of town, and only a short walk uphill from the monastery, stand a fortress and the old town walls of Piran.

The original walls were built in the 7th century around the old city core but as the city expanded two additional parts of the wall were built, including several defence towers in the late 15th century to defend Piran from possible Turkish invaders.

The 15th century walls are the largest preserved section of the city walls, also known as Mogoron and you can climb up and enjoy the view over town. We love the view from the town walls because you can see the whole old Piran including Tartini square and the bell tower.

Seven of the original city gates also remain preserved today and you will probably come across them as you meander the streets of Piran.

Entrance fee: €2 per person
Opening times: 8 am till dusk

12. Visit the Piran salt fields

Just south of Piran town, between Piran and the Croatian border a 750 big area called the Sečovlje Salina Nature Park, or more commonly known as the Piran salt fields stretches out.

These salt pans have been used for salt harvesting for over 700 years and they still do that in the traditional way. The salt that comes from these salt pans has a very specific taste and is known for its greater quality.

Nowadays only the northern part of the park is used for the harvesting of salt. Fontanigge, the abandoned part of the salt pans, is where you can admire extensive meadows of salt marshlands which are home to countless birds and over 100 abandoned salt pans. We find this to be the most picturesque part of Secovlje.

Entrance fee: 7 EUR in summer, 6 EUR in winter
Opening times: 8 AM to 9 PM in summer, till 5PM in winter

13. Get pampered at Lepa Vida Spa

In between the salt fields sits the Lepa Vida Thaloasso Spa. This open air spa is set in the middle of the old salt pans and surrounded by nature.

At Lepa Vida you can enjoy traditional thalassotherapy which leverages the salt pan mud and brine. The perfect way to unwind and relax your muscles after all that walking up and down the streets of Piran.

The Spa is only open from May to September.

14. Take the coastal walk to Strunjan Nature Park

By following the footpath under the church and along the coast you’ll first reach the Fiesa beach and two fresh water Fiesa lakes. Then you’ll be walking past several beaches under the cliff until you reach the Strunjan Nature Park and salt fields.

The Strunjan salt pans were once part of the Piran salt fields. Today they have been turned into a beautiful nature park just behind the Strunjan beach. Book this wonderful tour of Strunjan Nature park to learn more about the salt making process, the flora, fauna and the nature park itself.

Then walk up to the White Cross. From here the view over the Moon Bay will take your breath away, this might just be the most beautiful beach in Slovenia! When descending to the Moon Bay beach stick to the marked path as some pathways are extremely steep, slippery and dangerous.

Where to stay in Piran

While Piran town can be visited in just an afternoon, you will need a couple of days to really experience Piran and the surroundings, plus you just have to see a Piran sunset! You can also use Piran as a base to explore more of the coast of Slovenia.

There are plenty of bed and breakfast option and hotels in Piran Slovenia, and a lot of them are within walking distance of the most worthwhile sightseeing spots.

If you prefer, there is also a camping option in Piran, it is just a 15 minute walk from Kamp Fiesa to the old town. For the budget traveller we recommend Hostel Adriatic.

Memento Piran   BEST VALUE Situated in the heart of Piran, this might be the most stylish bed & breakfast you’ve ever seen. They’ve kept every little detail in mind while designing the place and it looks incredible, with the old stone wall incorporated throughout the building. The rooms are very comfortable and the included breakfast is delicious! Check prices

  Hotel Piran     UPSCALE Located on the seafront and a stone’s throw from Tartini Square, this iconic hotel offers traditional luxury. It offers comfortable rooms with big beds, has a great onsite restaurant and a beautiful rooftop cocktail bar with perfect sunset views out over sea. Check prices

  Art Hotel Tartini   GREAT LOCATION This beautiful hotel was recently renovated and decorated with paintings and art works of a famous Slovenian artist. But if you’re not into art; the hotel is located on Tartini Square, and the rooms and rooftop terrace look out over the square. The rooms are big and modern, and the included buffet breakfast is a real treat. Check prices

How to get to Piran

Piran is located on the westernmost point of the Slovenian coast, just 10 kilometres north of the Croatian border.

 

Getting to Piran from Ljubljana

Most people visit Piran as a trip from Slovenia’s Capital, Ljubljana. Piran is 120 kilometres from Ljubljana and is easily reachable by car or bus. Trains in Slovenia are fairly slow and few, and since there is no train station in Piran, going by train is not a viable option.

By car: The best way to get to Piran is by car. It takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to drive from Ljubljana to Piran. Take highway E61 and A1 down to the coast until you reach Izola, and then from Izola take Route 111 to shortly after arrive in Piran.

When driving in Slovenia make sure to buy the vignette, a tolling sticker that will let you use Slovenian motorways and expressways.

By bus: The second best option is taking the bus from Ljubljana to Piran. There are regular bus services between Piran and Ljubljana as well as Piran and Lake Bled and the trip can take between 2 and 3 hours depending on which bus you take. The will drop you off in the center of Piran. Have a look at the bus timetable and tickets here.

Parking in Piran

Parking options in Piran are quite limited. The closest option to the centre of town is Arze parking garage, which is about a 10 minute walk. Alternatively you can park at Fornace parking garage, which is further from town but it located next to the free shuttle bus to the center of town.

 

Getting to Piran from Croatia and Italy

Since the Slovenian coastline is so short and tucked in between Italy and Croatia, Piran can quickly be reached from cities like Trieste or Venice in Northern Italy as well as Pula or Zagreb in Croatia.

Trieste to Piran: It is 39 km from Trieste to Piran and the drive takes 40 minutes.

Venice to Piran: It is 202 km from Venice to Piran and the drive takes 2 hours and 20 minutes. You can also take a ferry from Venice to Piran.

Pula to Piran: It is 96 km from Pula to Piran and the drive takes 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Zagreb to Piran: It is 257 km from Zagreb to Piran and the drive takes 2 hours and 55 minutes.

Where to eat in Piran

The restaurants in Piran are well known for delicious sea food, but don’t worry if you’re not a fan of fish you’ll still find plenty of good food on the menu. These are our top picks:

Restavracija Neptun – a tiny family run fish restaurant. Order the platter to sample all the goodies.

Fritolin pri Cantini – hole in the wall fish fast food. We loved the calamari and the tuna here.

La Bottega Dei Sapori – smack on Tartini square this is a fish restaurant with a long standing tradition and a great wine selection.

Stara gostilna – having a meal at Stara Gostilna is quite an experience and a true spectacle. Expect to eat from flower pots, funky plates and be served masterpieces that are just too wonderfull to eat.

Istria, including Sloveian Istria is well known for it’s great food and fabulous wine. If you’re foodie, or just love food and wine, then going on a wine tasting tour is a must!

When to visit Piran

The best time to visit Piran are spring and autumn as this is when the weather in Piran is the most pleasant. In spring and autumn the temperature is just over 20°C, the air humidity is relatively low.

Piran gets over 2400 hours of sun per year, that is way more than the worldwide average, and even more than the south of France! Generally anytime between the start of April and the end of September gives you a high chance of sun and average temperatures between 20°C and 30°C.

Peak season is in summer but if you choose to visit in July and August, keep in mind that temperatures in these months can peak to well over 30°C.

The first time we visited Piran together was in July, and Tom got so overheated that he abruptly stopped walking when he found a bit of shade in the middle of a car park and refused to move until he had cooled down a bit.

In winter the temperature drops to around 6°C, but the weather is often sunny and the town is still pleasant in winter time.

 

How long should you spend in Piran

Although small, there is plenty to do and see in Piran. It can be visited as a day trip, but then you would have to be selective with what you want to do and see.

We recommend spending two to three days in Piran. Spend one in the town itself and set at least one aside to explore the salt pans and the surrounding coastline. Piran can be used as a base on the coast to explore the Adriatic coast from and visit the other Slovene coastal towns; Izola, Koper, Ankaran and Portorož.

Best day trips from Piran

Piran is a fantastic base to explore more of the coastal Slovenia, the hinterlands, Istria and inland Slovenia. Within a two hour drive you’ll be able to explore:

• Koper
• Karst Edge and the hinterlands
• Postonjska jama and Predjamski Grad Castle
• Ljubljana
• Bled
• Triglav National Park
• Porec, Rovinj and Pula

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Piran is a must on your visit to Slovenia

If you’re planning a trip to Slovenia, or if Slovenia is on your bucket list, then make sure to include Piran! We’re sure this little coastal town will amaze you. Use our guide to get the most out of your visit to this true Slovenian gem!

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