Slovenia

The Slovenian coast between Piran and Izola

After a short stop in Ljubljana, we headed for the sea and the forty kilometres of Slovenian coastline.

25 July 2021

Getting to the Slovenian coast from Ljubljana

After a short stop in Ljubljana, we headed for the sea and the forty kilometres of Slovenian coastline. We booked our bus tickets on the website of the Ljubljana bus station: you then receive a confirmation by email and you have to go to the counter to collect the tickets before taking the bus, or print them at home before leaving. The Ljubljana-Piran ticket costs 12,60€ per person (2 hours of travel) and the Ljubljana-Izola one 10,30€ (1h40 of travel): the journey goes by fairly quickly since you cross part of the country, which lets you see different landscapes.

In 2019, for our first trip to Slovenia, our first idea had been to book a car share (on the Prevoz site) to get to Piran but unfortunately the times did not suit us. Do have a look at the journeys offered because it sometimes costs half as much as the bus.

What to see on the Slovenian coast

Piran

We fell under the spell of Piran. Its port, its little streets and its Tartini square make this small town a holiday spot much appreciated by locals. So this is not where you will meet a crowd of tourists. Piran is quite small and can be visited in a day, including the visit of the bell tower and the ramparts as well as a trip to Fiesa beach, about twenty minutes’ walk from the town.

From Izola, count 0,60€ for the bus journey that serves Piran very regularly (the end of the lines). It is not at all worth getting around the coast by car, because all the towns ban vehicles from the centre and the car parks are quite expensive.

Tartini square

The main square of Piran is right in the heart of the small town. Almost empty during the day because of the heat, it fills up in the evening, especially during the shows that take place all summer. In 2019, we were lucky enough to see a classical dance ballet on the evening we arrived, a wonderful moment!

White town hall and statue of the violinist, flags in the wind

Stone campanile towering over the pastel houses of the square

Vast oval square with pale paving, lined with colourful facades

The port

Harbour quay lined with sailing boats, bright red corner house

White sailing boats moored in front of the ochre facades of the harbour

Couple sitting on the low wall facing the boats in the harbour

Red lighthouse and silhouette of the old town in the evening

Mooring bollards and motorboats along the concrete pontoon

Cabin boats in the harbour under a pink-tinged sky

The little streets

Only one piece of advice, get lost without a map in the small streets of Piran where local craft shops and restaurants are tucked away. The façades of the colourful houses really recall the small towns of Italy!

Small square shaded by oleanders around a stone basin

Narrow lane running alongside a palace with Venetian windows

Stone staircase climbing between two houses, green and yellow

Pink house and deckchairs on a small square by the water

Vine trellis shading an alleyway and its scooters

Cobbled lane with blue and yellow facades, bistro chairs

The ramparts

In our view, the ramparts are a must for anyone who comes to Piran! The view is magnificent from up there, the fortifications overlooking the town and the sea. Entry costs only 1,50€ for students (and does not go above 3€ for adults) and it is definitely worth it. So we walked along the ramparts where you can climb to the top of each tower for an even more spectacular view.

Roofs of the old town and the sea glimpsed behind a large tree

Crenellated tower of the ramparts standing above the bay

Panorama over the roofs, the campanile and the Adriatic

Tiled roofs packed around the church and its bell tower

Wall walk leading to a tower facing the open sea

Narrow walkway running along the stone wall of the ramparts

The bell tower and the church

The bell tower stands proudly by the sea: entry costs only 2€ per person. From the large terrace of the church, you have a magnificent view over the Adriatic on one side and over Piran on the other: not to be missed! This is where you will find shady corners to take a break in case of strong heat.

Silhouette framed by a stone arch opening onto the sea

View down over the oval square from the bell tower

Young woman leaning on the parapet above the tiled roofs

White church and tall campanile on their terrace

Succession of tiled roofs sloping down towards the sea

Houses clinging to the cliff above a pebble beach

Turquoise water and swimmers seen from above

Roofs and wooded hill overlooking the bay

Fiesa beach

As we wanted to swim and enjoy the Adriatic, we decided to go to the small pebble beach of Fiesa, about twenty minutes’ walk from Piran’s bell tower. Once in front of the church and the bell tower, you have to take the path that goes down below and follow the cliff to reach Fiesa.

Pebbles and sailing boats at anchor in the evening light

Coastal path running towards a wooded cove

Two bathers sitting on the pebbles at sunset

In 2021, we swam at the pebble beach at the foot of the church and the bell tower (Plaža pod Obzidjem): you should know that the beach is open to naturism!

Izola

Izola is a small coastal town much less touristy and well known than Piran, where we put down our bags in 2021. Even though there are fewer monuments to see in Izola, the town still has a lot of charm with its narrow lanes, its port and its seafront where the locals come to swim.

White church and cafe terraces on a square in Izola

Old wooden sailing boats moored along the promenade

Long beach lined with pines seen from the sea

Flower garden opening onto a beach and its umbrella pines

Baroque gateway with a balustrade framed by sky blue railings

To swim, we walked towards Bele Skale beach (20 minutes from the centre). Before carrying on along the coast, stop at the archaeological area of Simonov zaliv: a student gave us a short guided tour of the remains of the Roman houses found in Izola. Then do walk down at the foot of the cliff to find a quiet corner to lay down your towel and swim: warm water guaranteed!

Sunset filtered through a tree and flowering oleanders

Bather at the foot of an ochre cliff and its rocks

Cliff striped with flysch dropping straight into the water

The Strunjan nature reserve

We went to this magnificent nature reserve both years! In 2019, we had visited the Strunjan nature reserve to discover the salt marshes but also the rocky coastline between Piran and Izola. So we had taken a bus from Piran (1,80€ the journey) which dropped us at Strunjan where a free (and electric!) shuttle comes to pick up the few walkers to take them to the park entrance. You can also start the walk from the Strunjan bus stop (count 20 minutes).

The path is 5,3 kilometres long and takes about 2h-2h30 with a few climbs. The route is dotted with fifteen information boards that tell you about the wildlife, the plants and the history of the region. The map below is available on the reserve’s website.

Map of the Strunjan nature park and its trails

We started the walk with the lake and the salt marshes, with the small town of Piran and its bell tower as a backdrop.

Sailing boat at anchor in front of the peninsula and its bell tower

Salt pan basins laid out in a grid at the foot of the wooded hills

Boat moored at the pontoon at the entrance to the channel

Leaning on the wooden walkway above the salt marshes

Blue salt worker's house reflected in a still basin

We carried on with the hillsides where the olive trees and vines grow: the view from up there is splendid!

Silvery olive trees overlooking the plain of the salt pans

Bay closed off by a spit of land, seen from the olive trees

Sailing boats anchored in the bay at the foot of the inhabited hills

Couple reading a trail sign facing the bay

The last part of the hike brings you to the edge of the sea and the white cliffs that overlook a turquoise sea. We really recommend this walk if you are discovering Strunjan for the first time!

Greenery-covered cliff plunging into turquoise water

Tiny sailing boats off a wooded headland

Pebble beach at the foot of the cliff, crystal clear water

In 2021, for our second visit, we did not do the whole hike again but took the path that climbs straight up to the cliffs to reach Plaža mesečev zaliv (Moon Bay beach). The beach is below the cliff: the way down to it is not obvious, but we saw many families with children do it.

Couple posing on the pebbles below the ochre cliff

White cliff surrounded by pines seen from the trail

Large white cross standing on a base facing the sea

Rocks emerging in front of the pale cliff face

The Sečovlje salina nature park: Thalasso Spa Lepa Vida

While preparing the trip in 2019, I had come across by chance a spa right in the middle of the salt marshes of the Sečovlje nature park, a few kilometres from Piran. So it was the perfect idea for Romain’s birthday present! And honestly, I did not regret my surprise at all, booked a few days in advance. Remember to call or send an email because we wanted to go back in 2021 and the spa was full (because of the COVID restrictions).

After our lunch in the Strunjan nature reserve, we had taken a bus heading for the salt pans except that… the nature park (Seča stop) is not served on Sundays! So the bus dropped us at Lucija station, two kilometres from the park entrance (1,30€ the Strunjan-Lucija journey). So we had walked to a petrol station and asked a local to take us by car to the nature park, because the road is far too dangerous to be done on foot. Thanks to the generosity of a driver, we were able to reach the salt pans: so do think about which day you go to the park if you take the bus!

Arriving at the park (where entry is paying for walkers), you have to check in at the counter because the Lepa Vida organises transport in an electric buggy from the park entrance to the spa. The ride takes between five and ten minutes, which lets you admire the salt marsh landscape.

We had spent four hours (4pm-8pm, until closing so we could enjoy the sunset) in the spa to make the most of it and rest: entry costs 35€ per person for 4h (and 20€ for 2h), which is entirely affordable for the luxury of such a place. I had booked the classic 50-minute massage for Romain (53€), who really enjoyed being massaged to the sound of the wind. And, just before his massage, he also had a 20-minute salt scrub (28€).

The place is quite simply magical. If you want a truly enchanted interlude during your holiday in Slovenia, this is where you should come! The pictures speak for themselves…

Row of wooden cabins and outdoor showers at the spa

Pool lined with deckchairs in front of a rough wooden cabin

Long mirror pool running in front of the wooden cabins

Pool steps and pergola on the wooden deck

Deckchairs lined up between the cabins and the turquoise pool

The spa is made up of an immense salt water pool, several relaxation areas and salt baths.

Legs stretched out on a deckchair facing the salt marshes

Lone deckchair on the deck open onto the salt pans

Bathing mattress at the edge of a turquoise pool

Slatted pergola shading the deck above the salt pans

Wooden walkway running between the spa cabins

Small brine pool edged with pebbles and reeds

Bather in the turquoise water of the large pool

Pool and pavilion sheltering yellow armchairs

Nap on a deckchair in the low evening sun

Bather sitting on the edge of the pool in front of the pavilion

A suspended moment at sunset, when only we were left in the spa…

Silhouette standing at the edge of the pool facing the setting sun

Deckchairs facing the salt pans in the golden light

Couple at the edge of the infinity pool at dusk

And we left the spa, at sunset, with stars in our eyes thanks to this incredible place.

Dirt path winding between two channels of the salt pans

Chequerboard of salt basins below the inhabited hills

Long wooden walkway crossing the basins in the early morning

Where we stayed on the Slovenian coast

Both years (2019 and 2021), it was no easy matter to find accommodation on the coast at a reasonable price. Prices are indeed higher than in the other regions of Slovenia: so you need to book quite far in advance to have a choice.

In 2019, we had found a small studio on Airbnb in Piran, just behind the main square of Piran: we were in a quiet spot but a few steps from everything, for 125€ for two nights.
In 2021, we wanted to change town and so stayed in Izola in a private room (with a shared kitchen) found on Airbnb for 167€ for 3 nights. We recommend this place if you have a small budget and want to be close to everything.

Save on your next Airbnb booking thanks to our referral link !

Our favourite places to eat on the Slovenian coast

Piran Pirano PasticcerIa: delicious ice creams (1,50€ a flavour, special mention for the lavender one) and waffles (4,80€ for a banana Nutella waffle with a scoop of dark chocolate ice cream on top) that you can enjoy on the terrace facing the sea.
La bottega dei sapori in Piran: a fine Gault&Millau-listed restaurant on the famous Tartini square (menu with revisited local flavours at 40€).
Pinija Restaurant & Beach bar: a superb spot in the Strunjan nature reserve. The setting is splendid, with modern and trendy decor, facing the sea, and the prices more than reasonable (27,50€ for two for a starter, two pizzas and a tiramisu). We went twice, in 2019 and in 2021.
Hôtel Marina Izola: an excellent Gault&Millau and Michelin restaurant on the port of Izola with a shaded terrace (66€ for two).

Tables laid under the trees on a restaurant terrace

Chocolate millefeuille, raspberries and blue meringues

Cubes of seared tuna and glazed vegetables on the plate

Fish carpaccio scattered with edible flowers

Bread basket and the chef's amuse-bouche set on the tablecloth

Illustrated menu on a table laid facing the square

Deep dish of mussels served facing the quay

Thin slices of cured ham on a wooden board

Pink raspberry cream with crunchy shards

Fresh pasta under a shower of truffle shavings

What we thought of the Slovenian coast

These two stays spent by the sea were lovely successes. We had a real crush on the town of Piran where we would have liked to spend a few more days enjoying the Slovenian dolce vita! We truly felt on holiday eating an ice cream in front of the boats, discovering the turquoise water of the coast or lounging in the salt marshes.
Do not miss this part of the country during your trip to Slovenia because it is definitely worth the detour and lets you take a seaside break during a road trip!

Preparing a trip to Slovenia? Read our article on Ljubljana!

Walker seen from behind on a pebble beach in front of the pale cliff

2 comments

Thank you for your comment! Marie & Romain

nicole Noel24 August 2021

Bonjour , comme d’habitude , à lire le carnet de voyage , on n’a qu’une envie se sauver pour un séjour à Piran !!!!!

Toujours très complet et bien renseigné , intéressant à savoir l’interdiction de stationner dans le centre ville , paysages splendides qui rappellent en effet la douceur méditerranéenne , les ruelles étroites et les murs colorés .

Non mais ça va la vie ??????? Je ne sais pas ce qui me fait le plus envie ? Le Spa ou les plats dégustés .

Merci pour ces tuyaux à exploiter et ces bonnes adresses

Marie5 September 2021

Le spa Lepa Vida est définitivement à faire quand vous viendrez dans la région de Piran : un incontournable (et à prix très raisonnables pour le luxe du lieu). Les restaurants ne sont pas en reste en effet… en définitive, il faut y rester plusieurs jours pour bien profiter !