Old town
First-timersAround Tartini Square.
Piran town guide
Things To Do In Piran
A Venetian town on a narrow peninsula in the Adriatic, with a marble square, a bell tower copied from St Mark's and swimming off the rocks. Slovenia's tiny coast at its prettiest.
1
Hostels in the city
7.8
Average, from 848 reviews
47 km
Slovenia's whole coast
1692
Tartini born here
500 years
Under Venice
Venice on Slovenia's coast
Slovenia has only 47 kilometres of coast, and Piran is the jewel of it. For five hundred years the town belonged to the Republic of Venice, and it looks it: tight lanes of pastel houses, a church and bell tower modelled on St Mark's, and a marble square named after the violinist Giuseppe Tartini, who was born here.
The old town is car-free and sits on the tip of a peninsula, with the sea on three sides and town walls on the hill behind.
Piran is small; one or two days is right, with the salt pans and the rest of the coast close by.
Where to stay
The old town is car-free. Stay inside it or in Portorož, a short walk away.
Portorož
BeachesThe resort next door.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 1 top-rated hostels. Map © MapTiler © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Piran
Start on Tartini Square, the marble oval at the heart of town, and climb the bell tower of St George's Church for the view over the roofs and the sea.
Walk up to the old town walls for the view down over the peninsula; on a clear day you can see the Alps.
Swim off the rocks along the promenade, as locals do. The Piran Aquarium is small and good.
The Sečovlje salt pans, south of Portorož, are a nature park where salt is still made by hand in the traditional way.
Free things
Free things to do in Piran
The old town, Tartini Square and swimming off the rocks are free.
The walk along the coast to Portorož and to Strunjan's cliffs is free.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Piran
Piran is about seafood: grilled fish, calamari and seafood pasta, eaten on the waterfront. Piran salt is sold everywhere.
A meal is €15 to €25.
Nightlife
Going out in Piran
Piran is relaxed at night, with bars on Tartini Square and along the waterfront. Portorož, next door, is livelier.
A beer is €3.50 to €5.
Getting around
Getting around Piran
The old town is car-free. Drivers park in the garage at the edge of town and take the shuttle bus.
Buses reach Ljubljana in about two and a half hours. Koper, the nearest train station, is a short bus ride away.
If you drive, motorways need an e-vignette, bought online and linked to your number plate.
Costs
What Piran costs
Piran is pricier than inland Slovenia, especially in summer. A careful day is €50 to €65.
The euro is the currency. Cards work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for mountain huts and small cafés.
Safety
Staying safe in Piran
Piran is very safe.
The rocks along the promenade are slippery; wear swim shoes.
Emergency number is 112.
Day trips from Piran
The salt pans and the rest of the coast.
Strunjan
Cliffs and a nature reserve.
Koper
The coast's biggest town, with a Venetian square.
Škocjan Caves
The UNESCO underground canyon.
What's on
What is on while you are there
The Tartini Festival brings concerts to the town in late summer.
August and September
Tartini Festival
Piran
Classical music in Tartini's hometown.
June to September
Summer season
Piran and Portorož
Swimming and evenings on the waterfront.
Hostels
Where to stay in Piran
The top-rated places to stay in Piran right now, live from Hostelworld.
When to go
June and September are best. July and August are busy.
Jan
Quiet
Feb
Quiet
Mar
Spring
Apr
Spring
May
Good
Jun
Swimming
Jul
Busy
Aug
Tartini Festival
Sep
Excellent
Oct
Quiet
Nov
Quiet
Dec
Quiet
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs. The sea is swimmable from June to September.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.
Summer prices run higher.
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- Beds—
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- Doing things—
Piran travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
Is Piran worth visiting?
Yes, it is the prettiest town on Slovenia's coast.
Can you swim in Piran?
Yes, off the rocks along the promenade.
Can I drive into Piran?
No. Park at the edge of town and take the shuttle.
How do I get to Piran?
By bus from Ljubljana, about two and a half hours.
What are the Sečovlje salt pans?
A nature park where salt is still made by hand.
How many days do you need?
One or two.
When is the best time to visit?
June and September.
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