Hidden Gem Piran, Slovenia

Hidden Tourist spot Piran Slovenia, sunset
Hidden Tourist spot Piran, sunset. Photo by Chili.

Hidden Tourist spot Piran, Slovenia | While some tourist hot spots are simply loved to death, others still give you room to breathe. Let’s stay in Slovenia one more day. Yesterday we introduced you to Lake Bled. Today we are exploring Piran, a location a bit off the beaten path. Piran is not as big and as beautiful as nearby big brother Rovinj in Croatia. However it’s very much worth a visit.

View of Piran from the southside port Photo Chili
View of Piran from the southside, port. Photo by Chili.

Hidden Tourist spot Piran Slovenia

From Venice in Italy it’s a 2 hours car ride to Piran in Slovenia. For more than 500 years this coastal town was part of the Republic of Venice, until it got annexed by the Austrian Empire in 1797. Traces of a rich Italian history can be found throughout Piran. As some point it even became a pretty well-known port city. Today this hidden tourist spot inhabits 4,000 residents but welcomes nearly as many tourists each day, year round. Piran charms them with narrow streets in a very photogenic old town.

At the main square, one will be greeted by the statue of the most famous son of Piran: Giuseppe Tartini, composer and virtuoso violinist. Tartini Town Square has been built in 1894, when the inner harbor was filled in and transformed into a new town center. Why that? By then the harbor did smell so awful, that the people of Piran had no choice but to seal this part of the port.

Piran is bi-lingual (Slovenian and Italian), situated at the tip of the Piran peninsula on the Gulf of Piran. It borders Croatia to the south. If you are about to explore Rovinj, Trieste, Lipica and the Northeast of the Adriatic Coast, consider Piran as your perfect base camp.

Hidden tourist spots Piran
Piran Tartini Square in Summer
Piran Slovenia Town Square before 1894.
Town Square before it was sealed in 1894.

Where to park in Piran Slovenia

Piran’s city center cannot be explored by car. What to do if you just arrived at the gates of the city, eager to get into your vacation property? In some cases you’ll have to walk. In some you don’t. Let’s work it our for the Hotel Piran. This hotel is located inside the old town. Approach the road barrier with confidence, smile at the dude in the box, grab your ticket and drive straight to the hotel. The concierge at Hotel Piran will give you a little snippet that you need to give to that same dude on your way out – together with your ticket. It simply confirms that you entered the old town just for check-in and luggage drop off.

Your next goal will be, finding a garage called “Fornače”. Park your car right there and walk back to the hotel or use the hotel shuttle bus from Fornače. And guess what: the parking ticket that you just received at Garage Fornače you’ll never have to use. You can chuck it away. Here is why: Guests at Hotel Piran enjoy 7,5€ instead of 17€ per day at Garage “Fornače”. In order to enjoy this special parking rate, the hotel driver needs to escort you back to the garage each time you want to exit. He will use the Hotel parking ticket you get your car out of there.

Piran 1st Maj Square
Piran, 1st Maj Square. Photo by Chili.
Church of St. Franciscus, Piran. Inner courtyard. Photo by Chili.
Church of St. Franziscus, Piran. Inner courtyard. Photo by Chili.

Accommodation Piran Slovenia

A better known 4-star-property is the Hotel Piran. Other than that we thought the Apartment ‘Romantic Maisonette’ might be a serious contender. Both hotel and apartment are located within the walls of old Piran. What made us choosing Hotel Piran, was the price. The Deluxe Suite with balcony and sea view did cost us $425 per night (33 sqm). We would have had more space at the ‘Romantic Maisonette’ (80 sqm) for $540 per night. Only as a couple we didn’t need that much space.
Hotel Piran seaview
Hotel Piran. Our sea side view from the balcony. Photo by Chili.

Find hotels and guesthouses in the Piran region and in Slovenia

Hotels in Slovenia
Find hotels in some of Slovenia’s most popular cities. Click on the images.

Hidden tourist spot Piran Slovenia. By Chili and Churp | © International Destinations | Header image by Chili. More Underrated Tourist Spots here. More about Slovenia -> Stud Farm Lipica (Lipizzaners), Lake Bled, Ljubljana.