There are several bustling beach towns along Slovenia's short Adriatic coast. Italianised Koper, only 21km (13mi) south of Trieste, Italy, was the capital of Istria under the Venetian Republic in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Old Town's medieval flavour lingers despite the surrounding industry, container ports and superhighways.
Pretty Piran is a gem of Venetian Gothic architecture with narrow streets, which tend to be a mob scene at the height of summer. Its name derives from pyr - the Greek word for fire - referring to fires lit at Punta, the very tip of the peninsula, to guide ships to the port at Koper. Piran's long history dates back to the ancient Greeks, and well-preserved remnants of the medieval town walls still protect it to the east. The Maritime Museum, in a 17th century harbourside palace, has compelling exhibits on seafaring and salt-making, which have been important to Piran's development over the centuries.
The nicest beach along the coast is nearby at Fiesa. From its clean sands and boat-restricted waters you can see Trieste's Miramare Castle.
Piran is 17km (10.5mi) southwest of Koper, which in turn is 163km (101mi) southwest of Ljubljana. Bus service to both towns is frequent from Ljubljana and Trieste; buses also conveniently link all the coastal towns. A train also links Koper to Ljubljana.
Attractions - Adriatic Coast
