With its soaring stone walls, winding alleyways, and beautiful seafront, Piran feels like a small, uncrowded Venice. Yet the town mixes Venetian, Croatian, and Balkan influences into a distinctly Slovenian feel.
Located on Slovenia's portion of the Istrian Peninsula, surrounded by the churning waters of the Adriatic, Piran is completely different from the country’s bustling capital, Ljubljana, only an hour and 20 minute drive away. The laid-back, seaside town is one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval villages.
A settlement on the tip of Cape Madona was first recorded in the seventh or eighth century. Over the next few hundred years, Piran would change hands numerous times, passing from Byzantine to Frankish to Italian to German to ecclesiastic to, finally, Venetian rule in 1283. The Venetians controlled the vibrant, growing hamlet until 1797, when the Hapsburgs moved in. Following World War I, Piran became part of Yugoslavia and then, eventually, Slovenia in 1991.
Today, you’ll find menus in both Slovenian and Italian, offering everything from mouthwatering Balkan fare, such as meat sausages and savory pies at Sarajevo ’84, to incredible Slovenian food, like chicken paprikash and polenta, to fresh Italian pastas and seafood. Do not miss the opportunity to try spaghetti alle vongole at Restavracija Tri Vdove Piran. And for a taste of some old-world flavor, drive 20 minutes southeast to Sečovlje Saltpans Natural Park, where workers have collected salt in a process virtually unchanged since the Middle Ages.
The undeniable nexus of Piran is Tartini Square, named after the village’s most famous and beloved resident: the composer and violinist Giuseppe Tartini, whose house you can still visit today. From this lively center, meander your way through labyrinth-like alleyways; stunning churches, like the beautiful Church of St. Francis of Assisi attached to the Piran Minorite Monastery; and forgotten piazzas, such as Trg 1 Maja, Piran’s oldest square. Take in the views from Piran’s commanding walls or St. George's Cathedral. Really, wherever you find yourself, take a moment to stop and absorb the town—perhaps by listening to the waves gently lapping as you sip on a cappuccino or Slovenian wine.
— Sarah Durn
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Get ready for an adventure! Delta Airlines and Atlas Obscura will soon unveil the top 24 destinations for 2024. Stay tuned!
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