The little port, the locals bubbling away on the terraces, the beaches, the fish restaurants, the marina… My top tips for a great day out in Izola.
You’ll find in Izola :
- Small fishing boats and a beautiful marina
- Small shady streets
- Pleasant seaside restaurants
- Buildings from the Venetian era, including a bell tower you can climb
- A fish canning factory that has been in existence since 1879.
Izola is not as breathtaking as the jewel of the Slovenian coast, Piran but as the years go by, I like Izola as much as Piran. I love the gentle way of life, the pebble beach, the many pleasant terraces by the sea and the delicious fish restaurants. In summer and winter alike, I often spend a night or two in Izola for a change of scenery and to see the sea (I live in Ljubljana). So I’m getting to know this little coastal town really well.
Izola is less frequented by tourists than Piran or Portoroz and that’s a real plus in the summer!
Slovenians love this coastal village and come here at weekends. They flock here in summer and winter, as soon as the sun shines. If you have more than a day to visit the Slovenian coast, I recommend that you include Izola in the programme of your stay in Slovenia.
The programme for your visit : come for a swim, have a coffee in the harbour, explore the narrow streets… and take advantage of the good addresses I have listed in the article.
Tip: Slovenians come to Izola to spend a Saturday or Sunday at the beach. Come during the week rather than at the weekend.
In the last part of this article, you’ll discover a secret terrace where you can enjoy a coffee with a splendid view over Izola. It was from this terrace that I took the photo you can see at the top of the article.
Where is Izola?
- Izola is between Piran and Koper, 115 km from Ljubljana.
- It takes 1 hour 10 minutes to get there by car from the Slovenian capital (motorway).
- You’ll find parking tips at the end of this article.
- Izola is easily accessible by bus (1h35 from Ljubljana)
Two walks to do in Izola
To organise your visit, there are two walks you should take in Izola:
- a first walk through the old centre
- a second walk to the marina.
Start your visit with a walk through the centre, following the sea .
- Walk along the Soncno nabrezje quay with its harbour cafés (take a break there, as they are really very pleasant).
- Once you’ve arrived at the small rounded port with its magnificent wooden boats, continue your stroll along the palm trees in their huge terracotta pots.
- The quay will lead you naturally to the small rounded harbour with its beautiful wooden boats and then to the end of the peninsula, to the small white lighthouse (svetilnik).
Once you’ve reached the tip of Izola, you’ll have a magnificent view of the towns of Koper (Slovenia) and Trieste (Italy). On days when visibility is excellent, you can even see the Julian Alps (An incredible landscape when the peaks are covered in snow, but days when you can admire both the Adriatic and the Alps are actually quite rare).
On the way back from this first walk, take the most popular shopping street in Izola, Ljubljanska . Take a look at the small shops in Yugoslavian style, the Tito nostalgia shop, the shop for model boat enthusiasts, the small galleries, the leather workshop and the traces of Venetian influence. There’s nothing flashy or eye-catching here, but take a good look through the windows and you’ll see that Izola has a real village feel to it.
If you want to extend your stroll through the old town, take the gregorciceva ulica.
Don’t : Don’t venture into the northern part of Izola, near the freight port, as you won’t find anything of interest there.
The second walk to explore the Marina is at the end of the article.
As the old town of Izola is on a rounded peninsula, you will naturally find the narrow streets interesting and it will be impossible to get lost. In short, I could go on and on with my advice, but it would be pointless. You won’t need a lot of advice to visit the old town. Let your intuition guide you, but explore the alleys carefully and conscientiously.
In the rest of this article, however, you’ll find the most interesting things to do in and around Izola.
Climb the steps to the top of the bell tower
Like every other village on the Slovenian coast, Izola has its bell tower. It only opens its doors for a few hours a day (often in the morning, check times with the tourist office) and once at the top of its 38 m, you can enjoy a beautiful view of Izola and the Adriatic.
Don’t miss: visit the beautiful church at the foot of the campanile, which normally opens at the same times.
Izola used to be an island, but Napoleon passed through here.
Izola means island in Italian because the village was built on an island. From 1805 to 1813, when Izola was under French rule along with the Illyrian provinces, the French dismantled the town walls to fill in the canal that separated the island from the mainland.
Izola beach – Svetilnik
At the end of the peninsula and the old town, next to the small white lighthouse, you’ll find a beach of pebbles and grass. It’s a great place to swim and cool off. Slovenians love to sunbathe here. And so do I. Here are my tips for making the most of it.
My tips for sunbathing at Izola:
- Don’t spend all day on the beach in summer, especially as it can get quite crowded (especially at weekends, as the locals come for the day).
- You can sit in the shade under the pine trees, but if you have a parasol, it will probably come in handy, as even though there are plenty of places in the shade of the tall pines, they are often taken (especially at weekends by Slovenians). If you’re looking for shade, be sure to explore the whole lawn under the trees.
- Like Piran and Koper, Izola is a place where you can combine sightseeing, swimming and lounging on the terrace. Don’t plan to do just one or the other. Always carry a swimming costume in your bag when you visit these seaside towns.
- On windy days, many windsurfers set off from the pointe d’Izola (the little white lighthouse)
Discover Izola’s good restaurants and produce
In Izola, taste the local produce. Wine and olive oil are made all around the village. You can also buy fish from Izola’s fishermen at the Levante fishmonger’s, located by the small rounded harbour, or at the more authentic and secretive Wiliam vili (address: Koprska ulica 27). For a simpler option, try the fish in one of Izola’s good restaurants.
Buy Delmaris preserves made in Izola.
Try Bakalar, which is spread on bread. More good addresses to follow in the article.
Manzioli wine bar
Come here in the evening to taste the local wines on large barrels or at the tables on the terrace. This bar is located in a small village square. Local vineyards to try: Korenika & Moskom, Vina Koper, Santomas but you can also try other Slovenian wines. You can also try Malvazija, the fruity white wine of the Slovenian coast, which is usually very cheap to buy in restaurants.
Look up at the beautiful façade of the bar. It’s the Manzioli Palace, built in Venetian Gothic style in 1470.
Manzioli wine bar – Manziolijev trg 5
The Gostilna Bujol restaurant
A restaurant located right next to the Manzioli wine bar that serves good fish dishes and offers a number of Istrian wines on its menu. The only problem is that it’s always full in the evening. Uneven though, and a little expensive. In my opinion, this is a restaurant on the decline and one that I hesitated to recommend in this article, but it’s not too bad.
Restaurant Bujol – Verdijeva ulica 10
Another article will follow with good restaurants in Izola.
Walk to the end of the marina
Isola marina is just outside the old town. It is home to 700 pleasure boats and yachts up to 40m long.
After your first stroll through the old town, take a walk to the marina, a pleasant route on foot that begins by crossing the harbour’s activity zone (where the boats are repaired and put in the slipway for the occasion). Once at the marina, you can enjoy a coffee on one of the marina’s pleasant terraces (be careful, these terraces are well hidden in the buildings on your left).
Tip: You can get a great view of Izola and Strunjan Bay by climbing up the harbour toilet building on the dantejeva ulica quay (here).
Warning: going to the end of the Dantejeva quay (see map) doesn’t give you anything more. Don’t waste your time, as there’s plenty to do in Izola.
You can continue your walk to the Simonov Zaliv grass/pebble/concrete beach and then to a wooden pontoon, where you will again have a beautiful view of Izola and its marina. You can swim from this pontoon (see below). Return the same way.
NB: This walk should not be done in the heat of the day, but ideally in the early morning or early evening. At the end of the day, much of this walk is in the shade.
Simon Bay, Izola’s great beach
If, as I said, you continue your walk past the Izola marina, a tourist hotel complex with chargeable waterslides and a large grassy and pebble beach await you. The large grassy beach at Simonov Zaliv is great for sunbathing. It’s probably a good place to go for an hour or two if you have young children.
Warning: this is not a dream beach at all. No sand and an Eastern European atmosphere. A place to cool off with a dip in the Adriatic and for an hour, but not a little piece of paradise to spend a whole day at the beach. You shouldn’t plan to spend a whole day at the beach in Slovenia. Multiply your activities.
Go to this pleasant off-centre pontoon
If you keep walking for a few hundred metres beyond this beach, you’ll come to this fairly little-known wooden pontoon where I like to go to jump off and have a swim. There are ladders leading down into the water. There’s also a shower at the end of the pontoon for rinsing off.
GPS position of the pontoon: 45°31’58.2 “N 13°38’27.5 “E
Few people know it , but the place turns into a little pontoon paradise at sunset at the start of the summer season (the sun then shifts and it stops working at the end of August). You can have a good time for an hour, swimming, sunbathing and taking magical photos against the light by standing, as I did when I took the photos above, on the quay a little upstream from the pontoon.
A little further on, the secret beach of Bele Skale
If, after the pontoon mentioned above, you continue a little further along the cliffs and scramble over the rocks, you’ll soon come to the beautiful, unspoilt bay of Bele Skale. A beach of pebbles and large stones awaits you. Little frequented, this is one of the wildest spots on the Slovenian coast. It’s not quite the little corner of paradise that the drone photos might lead you to believe, but it’s an interesting spot for a swim off the beaten track and away from the tourists. The water is fairly clear, but it’s not the Maldives either.
Address: Bele Skale beach
Summer concerts
It’s called “Pri špini” in Izola. A small square in a narrow street in the old town is transformed into an intimate open-air concert venue. On Thursday evenings in summer, legendary and eclectic concerts are held here. The few Slovenians who know about them travel from all over the country to see them. The intimate atmosphere is magical. The sound is good. The first time I stumbled across one of these concerts I was blown away by the atmosphere. Check with the tourist office to see if there’s a concert on the Thursday you’ll be on the Slovenian coast, and if there is, make sure you turn up!
The place to go: Ljubljanska ulica 32
My good addresses in Izola
Before I tell you about them, I’d like to point out that the shops in Izola are not glitzy, but many of them are interesting because they are aimed at the local population and not at tourists. They are authentic. In the little streets, take the time to look through the windows of these shops that don’t pay for mines and you’ll make some interesting discoveries and encounters. There are galleries, craftsmen, fishermen… but to see them, you’ll have to keep your eyes open and look around a bit. This is a far cry from those little villages in Provence where everything is done and optimised for tourists. Here, you have to poke around a bit, and that’s just as well. No lavender shops, no fake artists, no magnets made in China… In Izola, you can still see a real Slovenian village.
A small antique shop
This small antique shop next to the port sells old Italian racing bikes, beautiful objects, knick-knacks, paintings… In short, it’s just like everywhere else, except that here it’s old objects from Yugoslavia and nearby Italy. Take a look around the shop.
Address : Antiques & more – manzolijev ulica
The little market in Izola
Worth knowing: You’ll find a small market with a few vendors every day at the Izola entrance. It’s very small, but you’ll find all the fruit and vegetables of the Slovenian coast here, as the Mediterranean climate is ideal for growing a wide variety.
Market address : trg Ebina Kristina – Izola
The Diskont Delmaris shop
You’ll find them next to the small market in a shop that doesn’t look like much but sells good products. I love the sardines in oil from Delmaris. They are fine and tasty, but you can try the many other varieties on offer. It’s one of the souvenirs to bring back from Slovenia.
The Hangar bar
A secret bar frequented by locals. There’s nothing special or particularly charming about the layout of the bar or its terrace, but this is where free or ticketed concerts are regularly held. To find out if the locals are going to be there the night you come, check out the events on the bar’s faceboook page . If there are no plans, don’t go, as there are other, more charming bars in Izola.
Secret address : Hangar bar – Tomažičeva ulica 10a, 6310 Izola
The svetilnik bar
A lovely terrace where I like to sit down for a beer, cappuccino or spritz. I often come back here. It’s also a very pleasant place to be at sunset or even after dark. It makes you feel good and you’re lulled by the lapping of the waves. The bar also serves food, but I wouldn’t particularly recommend it. If it’s already closed in the evening, go to the little bar next door, which stays open and is very quiet in the evening.
Address: Bar Svetilnik – Kopališka ulica 14, 6310 Izola – Isola
Wiliam Vili’s fishmonger
Wiliam Vili’s fishmonger in rue Koprska ulica 27 sells fish from the Adriatic every morning. It’s an excellent secret address in a small, little-frequented street, and useful for those who want to stock up on good fresh local fish like the locals. You’ll also find bakalar, a speciality made from cod and olive oil spread on toast, perfect for a maritime-flavoured aperitif. Try it with a bottle of Malvazija white wine!
William Vili – Koprska ulica 27 – Izola
The best view of Izola
For a great view of Izola , take Route 111 to Piran by car and stop at the Belvedere(drobrava 1a), where a breathtaking view of Izola awaits you!
Even better: enjoy a cappuccino on the large panoramic terrace of the brilliant Cliff Hotel.
By bike: If you take the cycle path linking the villages along the Slovenian coast (highly recommended), you’ll also get a great view of Izola as you enter the first tunnel. Just remember to turn around before entering, otherwise you’ll miss it.
The locals’ secret bar
The Mai Piu bar has a beautiful old-fashioned decor. As it is outside the centre and hidden next to a sports complex, only the locals know how to find it. In short, this is the place to go for a local night out. But be warned: during the day, it’s hot as hell on the terrace. Don’t go there.
Mai Piu bar – Stadion, Cankarjev drevored 28
Ambasada Gavioli, a huge party venue in Izola
At the entrance to the town of Izola you’ll find Ambasada Gavioli, a huge nightclub that hosts the best DJs for legendary but rare parties. Fat Boy Slim, Carl Cox, Paul Kalkbrenner, Roger Sanchez and others have all performed here. These huge parties attract Slovenians from Ljubljana as well as Italians from Trieste and Croats from Istria. Don’t just go along any night, check the programme beforehand to see if there’s anything going on. It’s also essential to buy your tickets beforehand if a star DJ is coming to spin. Find out more here.
UPDATE: The place didn’t stand up to the covid and has closed for the time being. Stay tuned.
Where to park in Izola?
To find out where to park in Izola, I recommend visiting the town hall website. You’ll find a full map with the town’s car parks and prices per hour. Izola is very busy in summer, so knowing where to park will save you time and money. I usually park at car park P7.
Tip : Parking at the end of the marina is also an excellent choice. You can then start your visit with the marina walk I’ve described. No tourist thinks of parking there, even though it’s an excellent option.
For car parks, click here.
Historic monuments in Izola
Originally a Roman town, Izola was known as Haliaetum, then for a long time it was under Venetian rule, like Koper and Piran. It’s the atmosphere of this lively little coastal town that you’ll enjoy more than Izola’s historic monuments.
Those interested in history will want to see :
- Palazzo Manzioli (1470) – Venetian Gothic style
- Palazzo Bensenghi degli ughi (1775) – Baroque style
- Santa Maria di Haliaetum (11th century) – the oldest church in Izola
- Church of Saint Maurice (1553)
- The Lovisato house
The baroque palace of Besenghi degli Ughi is one of the most beautiful buildings in Izola, and is now a music school.
Like every other village on the Slovenian coast, Izola has its own bell tower.
The best way to visit the Slovenian coast
To discover the Slovenian coast, I highly recommend following the Parenzana cycle path, which follows the entire Slovenian coast and passes through Izola. All the details you need for a great day out are in this article about this incredible cycle path. It’s my favourite thing to do on the Slovenian coast. Go and give it a whirl.
Frank Creighton
Great information!
Do you know if the Music Accademy in Izola hosts any part time courses around Spring time?
Thank you
Frank from Scotland
adminflorent
Hello.
I don’t know but you can ask them here cultura.manzioli@comunitaitaliana.si
Flo
Frank Creighton
Thank you Flo. Best wishes.