PIRAN - Croatia and Slovenia - page 1059

towns,youcantransfertoreachRovinj.ThereareadditionalbusconnectionsbetweenPiran
and Umag (at the northern end of Istria; 3/day Mon-Fri, 2/day Sat-Sun). From Umag, buses
run to other destinations in Istria (including Rovinj and Pula). Additional connections into
Istria depart from Portorož, the large resort town next to Piran.
By Boat: Trieste Lines runs boats from Trieste (Italy) to Piran, Pore č , and Rov-
inj—potentially handy for connecting Piran to those Istrian destinations (about 5/week; as
schedule is in flux, check details at www.triestelines.it ) .
By Boat to Venice
A boat called the Prince of Venice —designed for day-trippers, but also convenient for one-
way transport—sails from the nearby town of Izola to Venice two or three times each week
in peak season (roughly May-Sept, with a few departures in April and Oct, 3-hour trip each
way; €60-70 round-trip depending on season, 30 percent less for one-way; departs from
Izola at 8:00 and arrives in Venice at 11:00, shuttle bus picks up at Piran's Tartini Square
onehourbeforedeparture;boatreturnsfromVeniceonthesamedayat17:00,arrivingIzola
at 20:00; book through Kompas Travel Agency, www.kompas-online.net ).
Commodore Cruises alsorunsashipcalled Dora fromPirantoVenice,buttheschedule
is more sporadic (check your latest option at www.commodore-cruises.hr ).
Route Tips for Drivers
Piran is a natural stopover between Ljubljana and Croatia's Istria. You can do the Karst
sights on the way down (lined up conveniently along the A-1 expressway), sleep in Piran,
then continue to Istria; or simply make a beeline to Piran and see the town before moving
on to sleep in Istria.
From Ljubljana to Piran: Piran is about 1.5 hours from Ljubljana. From Ljubljana,
take the A-1 expressway south to Koper; when the expressway ends at the outskirts of Kop-
er, follow Portorož/Portorose signs—enjoying grand views over the bay to Trieste on your
right, and passing the charming old town of Izola—then Piran/Pirano signs. For arrival and
parking instructions, see “Arrival in Piran,” earlier.
From Piran to Croatia's Istria: Leaving Piran, go through Portorož, then Lucija, then
follow signs to Pula . Just after you enter Se č a, signs on the right point to the salt pans
of Se č ovlje Salina Nature Park (described next). The border is just a few minutes straight
ahead. (If you want to see the salt museum, remember that it's between the Slovenian and
Croatian border posts—just after leaving Slovenia, keep an eye on the right for the very
easy-to-miss gravel road.) Once in Croatia, follow Pula signs to get on the ipsilon highway
that zips you down through the middle of Istria.