Beautiful Piran captured our hearts from the beginning. From the laid-back, peaceful things to do in Piran to the sheer joy of simply relaxing there, this Slovenian seaside town is well worth a visit.
The tiny beach town of Piran, Slovenia is set on the tip of the peninsula that makes up Slovenia’s modest but lovely coastline, where it juts prettily into the Adriatic Sea. It also happens to be an unparalleled place to relax.
We spent a couple of days here asking ourselves the really hard questions in life, like “Should we eat gelato and then go swimming, or go swimming and then eat gelato?”
Here’s what to know before visiting Piran, Slovenia!
Our Travel Impressions of Piran
When arriving in Piran via bus from Trieste, we were immediately struck by how quiet it was.
The place wasn’t a ghost town, but there weren’t any crowds, either. We didn’t have to fight for a view or a place to walk, whether on the rocky coastline, the town walls, or along the beautiful marina.
Piran is smaller and considered to be less touristy than Portoroz, which is a more popular place to stay and has a resort-like feel to it.
Prices were little steeper than in Slovenia’s inland, but still less expensive than neighboring (northern) Italy.
During our trip, we spent 60 Euros/night for our private room/shared bathroom setup in a hostel (the price did include breakfast), and the going price for a scoop of gelato was a mere 1.20 Euros.
There are not a ton of world-class things to do in Piran, which was just fine with us. This isn’t the type of place that you’ll want to run around, guidebook in hand, trying to catch all the sights.
Travel to Piran to slow down and soak up the sunshine, with a couple of historic sites thrown in.
If you’re short on time and just looking for a quick in-and-out to catch a few views, there are day trips to Piran from Ljubljana available, and renting a car to drive here yourself is very doable in a day.
We wanted to relax when visiting Piran, though, and we were very happy to spend two full days doing so.
The Best Things to Do in Piran, Slovenia
Walk along the town walls.
A short climb away from the peninsula and up Piran’s hills will take you to the medieval town walls.
You’re able to climb on multiple sections, which aside from being lots of fun, also provides you with incredible views of Piran and the Adriatic Sea.
In our opinion, this is the best Piran attraction, and the #1 thing we’d recommend prioritizing outside of beach time!
There are signs for the walls beginning in Tartini Square, so they’re not difficult to find, and are absolutely worth the walk. The view from here is the best one that we saw of Piran, which is truly saying something!
The photo from the top of this Piran blog post is from this postcard-worthy viewpoint, as is this slightly-blurry-but-cherished selfie:
Swim in the Adriatic Sea.
On our first day in Piran, Jeremy and I went swimming at the tip of the peninsula along with most of the other tourists.
It’s pretty, and the spot has a great view of the town, but the real showstopper came on our second day.
When we walked up to the town walls, we noticed a path that leads to a tiny, rocky ledge that serves as a beach.
The water was gorgeous and perfectly clear, which is not surprising given the beauty of Adriatic beaches in general.
Even better, this area, named Fiesa, was not very occupied.
There were about 10-15 people milling around (fair warning: some of them were not wearing a thing), and a group of anchored boats created a pretty, impromptu swimming area.
Spending time out there was one of our favorite things to do in Piran, and we loved it.
If we head back to Piran, we’ll go straight there and skip swimming on the other side altogether.
Pay a visit to St. George’s Cathedral.
This cathedral overlooks the town, and is one of the easiest landmarks in Pira to spot from a distance! You’ll be able to see it as you approach Piran, along with the nearby Baptistry and clock tower.
You can glance into the Cathedral–it’s very pretty–but the most memorable part of visiting for us is the view from the hill it sits on.
The view of Piran is beautiful, though not as fantastic as the one from the town walls.
If you turn the other way, however, you will have a magnificent view of the sea and coastline, which is definitely worth the walk up the hill.
Take a walk along Tartini Square and Piran’s marina.
Piran has a large and beautiful main square, given its size.
If you arrive by bus, Tartini Square will likely be one of the first things you see as you walk into town. Trevisani Palace and Court Palace, along with the town hall, are here.
Directly facing the square is the marina, which is home to some beautiful boats.
If you continue walking along the beautiful streets of Piran toward the tip of the peninsula after leaving the square and passing the marina, you’ll be able to look back and see those boats framed by the charming buildings of Piran.
Wandering these streets, winding to and from the sea as the town gets increasingly narrow toward the tip of the peninsula, is among our most cherished memories from visiting Piran.
When we return to Piran, we’ll probably opt to add more context to our visit by signing up for a walking-and-food tour like this one, but for our first trip, we were content to meander aimlessly.
Check out Piran’s lighthouse.
Even better, as you keep walking (past the hotels and swimmers: this piece of coast is one of the busier ones), you’ll find yourself at the very tip of the peninsula.
A pretty lighthouse sits here, which is one of Piran’s most photographed spots (it shows up on most Slovenian ads for the town) and is worth seeing.
The lighthouse is directly next to the Church of Our Lady of Health. The church, while not a Piran attraction I would recommend going out of your way for, but it is worth a peek inside since you’ll be right there!
It is much less preserved than many churches you see in Europe, which gives it an interesting, decaying feel.
In the hot weather we experienced when visiting Piran in June, all of these things to do in Piran were infinitely more appealing with gelato in hand!
Where To Stay in Piran, Slovenia
Budget
Hostel Pirano — Located in the heart of historic Piran, Hostel Pirano is a reliably comfortable place to stay on a budget in Piran.
With excellent reviews and both dorm and private accommodation available, you can’t ask for a better combination of convenience and price when visiting Piran.
Check rates & book your stay at Hostel Pirano!
Mid-Range
Hotel Zala Piran — With comfortable rooms, a great included breakfast, and–as of our visit, at least–an adorable dog named Stella who lives downstairs, Hotel Zala Piran is an excellent option for mid-range travelers.
Though it has undergone a name change since we were there, this is where we stayed in Piran, and we’d be happy to return.
Check rates & book your stay at Hotel Zala Piran!
Luxury
Hotel Piran — Set right up against the sea and in the historic center of the city, Hotel Piran is one of the most popular places to stay in the city, for very good reason!
With thousands of excellent reviews, swimming access right outside the door, and an included breakfast that guests rave about, you can’t go wrong with a stay at Hotel Piran.
Check rates & book your stay at Hotel Piran!
How to Get to Piran, Slovenia
Piran is located in southeastern Slovenia, about an hour and half by car from Ljubljana or 2.5 hours by car from Venice.
For those who aren’t driving themselves, the most popular way to get to Piran is via bus.
Personally, we arrived via bus from Trieste, Italy, and then picked up a rental car to kick off our Slovenia road trip as we were leaving Piran.
Piran doesn’t have a train station, however, you can take a train from Ljubljana as far as Koper, and then take a bus or taxi the additional 30 minutes to Piran.
You can shop for bus tickets from Ljubljana here, and train tickets here.
Alternatively, you can book an organized day trip that includes a stop in Piran, but we’d recommend spending longer than an afternoon in Piran if you can!
How to Get Around Piran
Walking is the absolute best–and frankly, really only–way to get around Piran itself.
There are buses that come and leave from the edge of town, beyond the marina.
Our lodging, which was fairly “far” from the bus station in Piran terms, was still less than a 15-minute walk away.
Unless you want to visit Portoroz or another nearby town, you shouldn’t need any transportation other than your feet for the extent of your stay in Piran.
Read More About Visiting Slovenia & Beyond
Have an upcoming trip to Piran scheduled, and maybe hoping to see more of Slovenia and/or the beautiful coastline of the Adriatic and beyond?
If you liked this blog post about Piran, we’d love to continue to be part of your travel planning here on Our Escape Clause!
You can browse our other Slovenia blog posts here, or check out these guides:
- 25 Beautiful Places to Visit in Slovenia
- Greece or Croatia: Which Coastal Getaway is Right for You?
- 15 Cool Things to Do in Zadar, Croatia
- The Perfect 7 Day Slovenia Road Trip Itinerary (Alps, City & Sea!)
- 13 Splendid Things to Do in Saranda, Albania (+ Nearby!)
Thanks for the trip down memory lane!! I visited Slovenia and Piran in 2004 and they both completely stole my heart – such pretty places 🙂
Thanks, Carly! Slovenia stole my heart as well–it’s just below Croatia on my “I need to get back there as soon as humanly possible” list!