Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The“naturepark”hastwoparts:Lera,tothenorth,harvestssaltusing700-year-oldtech-
niques, and has a fine visitors center and a saltwater spa; Fontanigge, to the south (closer
to Croatia), has a good museum to explain traditional salt-harvesting methods to tourists. I
never thought salt could be so interesting. The only catch is that, in order to preserve the
unique landscape around the salt pans, visitors aren't allowed to drive all the way to the at-
tractions; you'll have to walk (15 minutes to Lera, 30 minutes or more to Fontanigge) or
hitch a ride on a golf cart (Lera only).
Cost and Hours:
€5 covers entry to both Fontanigge and Lera salt fields, the visitors
center, and the museum; salt fields and visitors center open daily 8:00-21:00 in summer,
until 20:00 in shoulder season, until 17:00 off-season; museum open daily April-Oct
9:00-18:00, closed Nov-March; tel. 05/672-2341,
www.kpss.si
.
Getting There:
The nature park is between Piran and the Croatian border. For
drivers
heading south toward Croatia (see “Route Tips for Drivers,” earlier), you'll pass the en-
trance to the Lera salt field on your right, just after entering the town of Se
č
a (watch for
brown
Se
č
oveljske soline
signs).TovisitLera,godownasteepcobbledstretch, thencrossa
bridgeoverachanneltoreachtheticketbooth(fromhere,it'sa15-minutewalk—described
later). ForFontanigge—farther alongthemainroad—it'smorecomplicated: You'llactually
have to cross the Slovenian border, then a few feet later, just before you reach the Croatian
border post, you'll see a gravel road on the right, leading to the salt field. It's a five-minute
drive to the gate, where you'll park and walk about 30 minutes to the museum.
Fitcyclistscan
bike
fromPirantothesaltfieldsinaboutanhour(forbike-rentalinform-
ation, see “Helpful Hints,” earlier).
Ifyoudon'thaveyourownwheels,theonlypossibilityistotaketheverysporadic
Solin-
arka
boat
from Piran (goes right to the museum, typically runs in summer only, frequency
depends on demand—ask for schedule at the Piran TI).
Visiting the Park:
Remember, there are two parts to the nature park, which are a
drive, bike ride, or long hike away from each other. If you're choosing just one, make
it Lera, which is easier to reach (since it's a shorter walk and has a golf-cart option).
Fortanigge—which requires a long hike—is for die-hards.
Lera:
The Lera section has a multimedia visitors center, small café, and salt-products
shop, and gives you a good look at the salt pans themselves.
Buy your ticket at the small wooden kiosk near the parking lot. From here, it's about a
half-mile (15-minute) walk to the attractions, passing a shop selling products made with the
salt harvested here. If you'd rather skip the walk, you can pay €1 per person to ride a golf
cart (scheduled to depart at the top of each hour, but they can typically request one for you
at other times—ask).
It'sactuallyenjoyabletowalkatleastonewaythroughtheneatpatchworkofvast,wood-
framedsaltpans,connectedbyaseriesofcanalswithlittledoors.Keepaneyeoutforwork-
