PIRAN IN ONE DAY – BEST THINGS TO DO AND SEE
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Piran is, among all the beautiful towns along the Adriatic Coast, the most – or at least one of the most beautiful towns. It should be on any Slovenia itinerary and here is why.
It was love at first sight for me. And though Piran is tiny, it is absolutely stunning and offers a great experience. Today, I am sharing with you the best things to do in Piran in one day, as well as some travel tips.
It is going to be quite a short post, but it will include the most important Piran travel tips for your visit.
WALLS AND GATES OF PIRAN
The city walls of Piran were mentioned as early as the 7th century, and now they offer the chance to have the best views of the town.
To “enter“ Piran, you pass the walls and I highly suggest actually walking the walls for a small entry fee (about 2€). And when I say “walls,“ I mean just a very short part that is still preserved and walkable. However, the views… just wow.
STROLL THE STREETS
It should not be your goal to head from one attraction to another. Rather, take your time and enjoy those little, narrow streets that you have in Piran.
So, take every detour, explore every street – as there are not many – before you take in some more views of the city.
ST. PAUL CHURCH
Then head to St. Paul Church – a Roman Catholic church located on the hill (yes, it comes with good views). It was built, like many buildings in Piran, in the Venetian Renaissance architectural style and has been dedicated to Saint George (do not ask me who he is).
BELL TOWER
After visiting the church, it is time for more great views – this time from the Bell Tower.
Even if you don´t want to climb all those steps, you will have great views already even before entering the Bell Tower because St. Paul Church is located on a small hill. But the best views are from the top of the Bell Tower – and from there, I felt like I was in Lisbon, Portugal. Entry is just 2€ (cash only). There are tight steps, but not too many, so it is totally worth it.
Attention: Do not get too close to the bells on the top. They can get really loud (and they ring quite often).
TARTINI CENTRAL SQUARE
Also, make sure to visit the Market Square. It was named after violinist and composer Giuseppe Tartini, and his statue – made in 1896 – is in the middle of the square.
It is one of the prettiest I have seen lately because of the cute, pastel-colored buildings all around and the many cafes.
OLD HARBOR
Not the highlight of a day in Piran, but still worth a visit is the old harbor, which lies next to the market square.
Walk along the promenade with its pretty buildings while looking at the ocean and seeing all the little boats that dock at the port.
PIRAN MINORITE MONASTERY
The Minorite Monastery of St. Francis was founded before the 14th century and keeps a great collection of music literature – some of the books in its library date back to the 15th century.
There are still Franciscans living in the monastery to this day and you can visit.
BEACH
Though Slovenia itself is a more than beautiful country, it lacks one thing… beach access. Piran is one of the very few places that are actually located at the beach, so this is why the “beach“ is quite busy.
Many people – Slovenians – even put their towels on the concrete of the streets and then jump into the water.
However, there is a small “beach“ – a rather small, pebble-stoned section where people rest and enjoy their beach day (nudity is quite normal here, though it is not compulsory).
So, bring a towel and your swimsuit (or not) to rest after a beautiful day in Piran.
The above-mentioned activities do not take long – fast travelers can tick off these things to do in Piran in maybe one or two hours. However, half a day is a must, so you can really pay attention to the details. If you have the chance to stay longer, I would do it.
MOON BAY
Though I did not hike to Moon Bay, it is an activity I have added to my bucket list for my next Piran trip.
Moon Bay looks absolutely amazing and the hike from Piran takes about 60-120 minutes (6km), and there you have a beautiful bay section with better options to swim.
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HOW TO GET TO PIRAN
The town center of Piran is car-free, so you have to park your car outside the town center. BUT, parking can be tricky: The parking garage close to the city walls was full, so I had to turn back.
I parked for free on a side street (in front of The VIP Hotel – please check signs to see if parking there is still allowed) and then had a 10-minute walk to the walls.
There are free buses to parking garages from the town center.
HOW TO GET AROUND PIRAN
You can easily walk to all the attractions mentioned on this itinerary (except for maybe Moon Bay). Just wear comfortable shoes as it is hilly and there are many cobble-stoned streets.
Piran is a beautiful coastal town that might not have many attractions but has a lot of charm. If you visit Slovenia but skip Piran you might end up regretting it, so make sure it is on your Slovenia itinerary.
