There’s a small stretch of Adriatic coastline in Slovenia and while other countries in the region may get all the accolades when it comes to gorgeous oceanside settings, Slovenia boasts an under-the-radar gem. Piran – with its charming squares, narrow alleyways, towers and an old city wall – has a decidedly Italian feel and all the benefits of a pretty coastal town. Venetian Gothic architecture can be found everywhere you turn, dating back to the time when this area was part of the Republic of Venice, between the 13th and 18th centuries. At the tip of the Piran peninsula on the Gulf of Piran, facing Italy across the Gulf of Trieste and the Adriatic Sea, this is one of Slovenia’s best-kept secrets.

Take the time to explore this delightful town on foot (the town is closed to vehicle traffic except for residents), indulge in fantastic seafood and people-watch at the myriad cafes. It’s an easy day trip from Ljubljana, so add it to your itinerary, along with Lake Bled, Postojna cave, Lake Bohinj, the Julian Alps and other gems near Slovenia’s Adriatic coast. Here are the best things to do in and near Piran, Slovenia.

Tartini Square/Piran’s Old Town

Explore the marble-floored public Tartini Square in Piran’s Old Town, named after the local violinist Giuseppe Tartini. There’s a gorgeous bell tower in the background, a 15th -century Gothic Venetian house and the porticoed, 19th-century Town Hall. The small Church of St. Peter, within the square, dates back to 1272, but took on its current form in 1818. Admire the relief that depicts Jesus Christ giving the keys to the Heavenly Kingdom to Peter.

While you’re in Old Town, follow the maze-like alleyways, lined with interesting architecture, to the First of May Square, originally Piran’s central square and home to the former town pharmacy (now a restaurant) and a large baroque cistern built in the late 18th century. From Tartini Square, you can follow Ulica IX Korpusa, a cobblestone street that leads to the entrance to the 7th-century Old Town walls. Climb the wall and its towers for a fantastic view of the area. Seven city gates have been preserved, the best example being the Gothic Dolphin Gate with its coat of arms depicting three dolphins.

Minorite Monastery
The doors to the monastery in Tartini Square are generally open, so come in and take a peek at the cloister ad the attached Church of St Francis Assisi. You’ll find ceiling frescoes ad the Tartini family’s burial plot. In the convent courtyard, notice the root of a 500-year-old indigenous olive tree called the Piran Buga.

 
Piran Waterfront Promenade
Wander the waterfront promenade from the Cathedral of St George to the tip of the peninsula and the Punta Lighthouse. The tower of the 13th-century Church of St Clement is attached to the lighthouse. You’ll pass quite a few restaurants and cafes along the way, so sit awhile and enjoy the sea view. At the marine, you’ll find a couple of museums, including the Sergej Masera Maritime Museum and the Museum of Underwater Activities, as well as an aquarium. The Maritime Museum is particularly nice, set in a 19th-century palace on the waterfront promenade. You’ll lean all about Slovenia’s sea-faring history and can check out the 2,000-year-old Roman amphorae underneath a glass floor. Look for old figureheads, weapons and blunderbusses.
 
Mediadom Pyrhani
Wander the waterfront promenade from the Cathedral of St George to the tip of the peninsula and the Punta Lighthouse. The tower of the 13th-century Church of St Clement is attached to the lighthouse. You’ll pass quite a few restaurants and cafes along the way, so sit awhile and enjoy the sea view. At the marine, you’ll find a couple of museums, including the Sergej Masera Maritime Museum and the Museum of Underwater Activities, as well as an aquarium. The Maritime Museum is particularly nice, set in a 19th-century palace on the waterfront promenade. You’ll lean all about Slovenia’s sea-faring history and can check out the 2,000-year-old Roman amphorae underneath a glass floor. Look for old figureheads, weapons and blunderbusses.
 
Mediadom Pyrhani
Check out this interactive museum that takes you through Piran’s history with a multimedia “time machine” and interesting exhibits. There are plenty of archaeological treasures to admire as well.

World-class fleur de sel (flower of salt) is still produced using age-old methods in at the Piran salt pans. Established in 804, the Piran Salt Pans encompassed the area that is now the marina, as wel as the Strunjan Salt Pans and the larger Secovlje Salt Pans. Visit Strunjan Landscape Park and you’ll see a huge cliff towering over the sea, or the Secovlje Salt Pans, where you can learn about traditional salt-making methods and the visit the Museum of Salt-Making. Reap the therapeutic benefits of the water and mud from the salt pans at one of the thalassotherapy sites or Lepa Vida Spa.

If you’re visiting Piran in August, you can help celebrate at the Saltern Festival – it’s an homage to the return of the saltern families from the saltpans, where they would spend their summers until the final salt harvest. The main events take place in Tartini Square.

Bike on the Parenzana
There are countless hiking, biking and horseback-riding trails around Piran, which join the Slovenian coastal town to Portoroz, parks and attractions in Slovenian Istria. Cycle along some of the 80-mile Parenzana, which runs from Trieste, Italy, past the Piran Salt Pans, to Porec, Croatia.

Hiking in Piran
As you climb down the hill on one of Piran’s many footpaths, you can hike along the coast to the town of Fiesa. Along the way, you’ll find a few rocky beaches, with crystal-clear, calm water, which make for refreshing swimming spots.

For a map of the footpaths in the Piran area, stop by the tourist office on Tartini Square. A few favorites are the Piran-Fiesa-Portoroz-Piran loop and the Strunjan Tunnel path, which takes you from Portoroz to the Strunjan salt pans along the former Trst-Porec railway line.