Piran is one of the most beautiful cities in Slovenia, so therefore it is one of the most touristic ones. It is a vibrant city, that offers not only a relaxing stay by the sea with its delicious Mediterranean cuisine, but also many sightseeing options.
The Best Sights in Piran
It is located in the southwest of Slovenia, on the Gulf of Piran on the Adriatic Sea. Its medieval history give the city the iconic picture with narrow streets and compact houses. Piran was under Italy until the year of 1975, so the Italian impact is much present to the day. What is special about Piran is that it is a traffic free city. Parking is organized in the entrance and there are free buses to the city center.
1. Tartini Square
Tartini Square is the town’s main square, dedicated to the Giuseppe Tartini, a Slovenian composer and violonist, who was born in Piran. Up until the year of 1894, it was a small dock for fishing boats, that was located outside the city walls, but due to the sewage water what gathered here, they decided to bury the original dock and rebuild it in a square. Because of the strategic position, important buildings appeared aroud it, icluding the town hall. One of the most famous one is Benečanka (Venetian House), that still has an original exterior from the 15th century.
2. Benečanka House
The Benečanka House is a beautiful example of Venetian Gothic architecture that was ordered by the Del Bello family. Most prominent is the gothic balcony and the stone lion between the windows with the saying Lasa pur dir (Let them talk). The story behind this saying is that a young girl from Piran fell in love with a rich Venetian trader. People talked behind her back and therefore, he hang this saying on the façade of the building where they were meeting.
3. Piran Town Walls
The appearance of Piran as a medieval city remained mostly due to the city walls that surround narrow streets of the city center. Some parts of the wall date back to the 10th century, including a fort on the top of the slope, which served as a safe house. The youngest part is the southeastern part that was built between 1470 and 1533 that protected Piran from Turks. When Piran was under the Venetian rule, it expanded so consequently a new wall was build. Now, it is well preserved, with including seven defense towers. You can climb the walls and visit the towers, the best part about this visit are the stunning views over the Adriatic Sea and the coastline of Trieste.
4. Church of St. George and Bell Tower
St. George’s Parish Church in Piran is one of the most iconic monuments of Piran. It is a Roman Catholic Church that was built in the Venetian Renaissance architectural style. The baptistery that belongs to the church was built during the renovation in 1659, it substituted the previous, medieval one. In front of the church is the iconic 46, 45-meter high bell tower, dating from the year of 1608. It is a smaller copy of the San Marco Campanile in Venice. You can climb the 146 steps of the narrow hallway and enjoy the gorgeous views, if the weather conditions allow it, you can see all the way to Italy in the north and Croatia to the south.
5. Piran Harbour
The Harbour of Piran is quite small, but it is extremely nice and fairytale like. It offers a nice walk along the shore with a nice view and the vibrant feel of the city. There is lots of restaurants and bars, that offer delicious Mediterranean cuisine and some shops.
6. Fonda Fish Farm
The family company Fonda are one of the biggest fish producers in Slovenia that breed finest Piran sea bass. The farm is located in the magnificent nature of the Slovenian Istria, in the middle of the Piran bay, in the heart of the fishing preserve and the Sečovlje Salina natural park. They offer organized sightseeing, where you can observe feeding and health and growth of several generations of the fish.
7. First of May Square
Sometimes referred to as ‘the old Square’, is one of the squares in the city center. Up until the 13th century, this used to be the main square with the town hall. In the middle, there is a big medieval well that was built in 1776, after a bad drought in 1775.