Discover Piran, Discover Slovenia
From the staff writers of LifeVisions.
Slovenia is a beautiful and little known country in Central Europe. It is a mountainous country, a little smaller than Vermont. The coastline is also quite small and the best city on the coast is Piran. When you visit Piran, you can get the flavor of all of Slovenia.
Slovenia has a history that stretches back almost 2,000 years. In that time it has been a part of the Roman Empire, the Venetian Republic (you can particularly see this in Piran itself), the Hapsburg Empire, and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia – to name a few. So the influences in food, agriculture and architecture are a wonderful mix of ancient Roman, Italian, Austrian, Russian and German.
Piran, being on the coast, definitely has the feel of Venice. From the Venetian-style campanile to the stucco houses with red tile roofs, you could imagine yourself in an Italian fishing village. I love the crooked streets and narrow alleys. The houses are either beautiful pastels or crumbling brick. Everyone is friendly and English is readily spoken in most hotels and restaurants.
These days Slovenian food is inspired by the Slow Food movement and the restaurants of Piran celebrate the bounty of the ocean admirably. Many of the restaurants jut out on to the tip of the land, so they have amazing views of the water. Slovenia’s wines are celebrated for good reason. The wine selection is excellent and the prices are amazing. It is usually cheaper to get wine rather than a soda or lemonade. There are many surrounding vineyards which offer tastings and tours. If you are staying for a few days in Piran, make sure to set aside a day for a winery tour.
Although Slovenia is small, you may want to linger on the coast. In less than an hour you can be in Trieste, Italy or you can take a hydrofoil to Venice for the day. Even getting to Ljubljana, the capital, is only a few hours’ drive or train trip. I found that the accommodations in Piran were cheaper than anywhere else in Slovenia (it was the off-season) and it was a fine place to make my base of operations.
Slovenia is charming. The people, the food and the countryside are authentic and unspoiled. I look forward to spending more time hiking in the mountains, swimming in the deep Alpine lakes and fishing in the rivers. Whether you are a nature lover, a foodie or a history buff, Slovenia has something to offer you.
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