Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Croatia's 3,600-mile-long coast gets all the press, but don't overlook Slovenia's own 29
miles of Adriatic coastline. The Slovenian coast has only a handful of towns: big, industrial
Koper;lived-inandcrumblingIzola;andtheswankybutsoullessresortofPortorož.Butthe
Back Door gem of the Slovenian Adriatic is Piran. Most Adriatic towns are all tourists and
concrete,butPiranhaskeptitselfcharmingandinremarkablygoodrepairwhileholdingthe
tourist sprawl at bay. Its glassy square feels tugged at the top by a stout Venetian-style bell
tower—as if without this anchor, the whole thing might just slide off into the tidy, pictur-
esque harbor. Even though the town can be crowded with a United Nations of vacationers
(especially Italians) in peak season, as you get to know it, Piran becomes one of the most
pleasant and user-friendly seaside towns this side of Dubrovnik.
You can see everything in Piran (including a pop into the Maritime Museum and a hike up
the bell tower) in just a couple of hours. Then feel free to just bask in the town's ambience.
Enjoy a gelato or a
kava
(coffee) on the sleek, marbled Tartini Square, surrounded by Neo-
