Beauty of Portorož and Piran

Since the 13th century, Portorož has been known as a health resort. Here the monks of St. Laurence treated the patients with seawater and salt water and their curative effects were widely known. Today, Portorož has many modern, comfortable hotels offering high-quality services, seawater and thermal water swimming pools, restaurants, big congress halls, casinos, a marina and an airport. You can enjoy walkways and biking trails as well as numerous sports and recreation facilities, relax and explore the coast by means of boat trips.

The old sea town of Piran has preserved the clustered medieval structure with narrow winding streets and houses, huddled close together, rising in cascades towards the ridge of the hill, which gives it a typical Mediterranean character. The city architecture was strongly influenced by the Venetian Republic, the strongest naval and commercial force in the Adriatic from the 10th century onwards. Saltpans gave the town strength and freedom, the sea provided fish in abundance for the fishermen and the access to the outside world for the merchants. Still today, Piran remains closely connected to the sea by means of fishing and salt taking. At the end of the 13th century, Tartini Square became the central square of Piran. It was named after the famous violinist and composer Giuseppe Tartini (1692 – 1770) who made the name of his hometown known all over Europe. Take a stroll across the 1st May Square, enter the Church of St. George and visit the Franciscan Monastery.  Don’t forget to have a look at the protective wall surrounding the town. From there, on a clear day you will have a wonderful view of the Bay of Piran and a part of the Italian coast. Children and their parents will enjoy looking at different sea creatures in the Aquarium or visiting the Maritime Museum. Art lovers can satisfy their curiosity in Coastal Galleries exhibiting works by many renowned Slovenian and foreign artists.

Today, the town of Piran together with Portorož, it is an important tourist resort with numerous museums and galleries, hotels and restaurants, offering the visitors cultural events for any taste and attracting tourists with its picturesque geographical position and rich cultural heritage. 

For the first time visitors will have the opportunity to taste different types and of ice cream at the Ice cream Festival that will take place on the 22nd of June 2014 in Portorož. 

In Piran there are a lot of different kind of events going on in summer like the Wine and Chard Festival that is held from the 12th until the 13th of July 2014 in the typical Istrian village of Nova vas where locals open their homes, offering a variety of homemade products, delicacies made of chard and typical local wines. In the evening visitors are invited to join the village fete with Istrian folk music. 

From the 2nd till the 7th of July the International Mediterranean Folklore Festival – MIFF will take place in Piran on the Tartini Square and the Square of 1st May. The aim of the festival is to present to the public Mediterranean dances, music, singing and culture. You can enjoy the performances of folklore groups from Spain, Italy, Croatia, and Greece. 

The event Piran Musical Evenings traditionally takes place every summer, this year from the 11th of July until the 8th August 2014, at the cross-shaped arcade of St. Francis Church in the very heart of the old town of Piran.  It is a pleasure for the lovers of chamber music and those who like to attend classical concerts by various performers. The festival is organized by the Portorož Auditorium.

Movie fans can enjoy Cinema under the stars that will take place every Wednesday at 9.30 PM in the month of July and August in the Pastoral Cultural Centre Georgios in Piran. 

On weekends Kanela Bar situated in the centre of Portorož offers a variety of concerts suitable for every age and music taste. Along the Portorož promenade visitors will find discos, cocktail bars and pubs with a wide offer of events, parties and concerts.

If you are thrilled about sea adventures, then this is your world, as the sea offers various experiences. While you enjoy sailing, you will lose track of time. The wind is also suitable for surfing. You can row to a fish farm and a seas shell farm near Sečovlje Salina or you can go there on a SUP (i.e. stand up paddle).While diving, you will get to know the underwater life and hidden shipwrecks. More info about water sports: http://ow.ly/ydlBH. 

The Piran countryside offers genuine experiences and it gives you a special feeling as if time has stopped. Old stone cottages sit high above the sea on the hilltops of Slovenian Istria. From here, you have a view of the sea and the Alps, olive groves, vineyards on steep hills and valleys strewn with orchards and vegetable gardens.

The hinterlands of Portorož and Piran are also great starting points for cycling, hiking and horseback riding trips in the diverse Slovenian Istria. To make it easier to explore Slovenian Istria, we have prepared a free guide, "Enjoy the Hinterland" in print and an e-version. It is intended for those who would like to enjoy the attractions of Slovenian Istria by bicycle, on foot or on horseback. We offer 17 options for bicycle tours, 19 ideas for hikes and three for trips on horseback. Altogether, there are 39 different trails presented in this guide. The free brochure "Enjoy the Hinterland" is available at our tourist information offices in Portorož and Piran or on our website http://ow.ly/ydlzg . 

Hostel Portorož is situated on the highest point in Portorož, 150 meters above sea level, on 25 Šentjane Street, 300 meters air distance from the sea, one kilometer from the nearest beach and 2 kilometers from the main beach of Portorož. The main house and its outhouses are situated in the middle of a large, 5000 m2 estate that offers everything a vacationer could desire: numerous possibilities for strolling, sporting and relaxation. Pergolas that offer shade, open and covered terraces for socializing, grill areas for outdoor cooking and lush meadows invite utter indulgence in sunny days and sultry nights. All of the above we offer our guests without limitations or additional cost. 

Hostel Portorož has about 70 beds in fully furnished apartments with kitchen, bathrooms, terraces or balconies. Apartments include two to four bedrooms, one or two bathrooms, kitchen, a terrace or a balcony with beautiful sea views – and of landscape! The rooms are set up so that all beds can be used as singles or as doubles, with a lockable closet for every bed. 

Furthermore, we offer 22 beds in two multi-bed rooms on our ground floor with a sea view in front of a big stone atrium with outside shower, places to lay or sit down, tables and a barbecue. Also, the multi-bed rooms have their own fully equipped kitchen and big bathrooms with enough showers, toilets and lavabos, as well as air conditioning. The house has 13 fully equipped kitchens and 21 shower enclosures. Contact us, come over and enjoy.