Sunset is one of the best moments of a day in Piran, so here’s where to stand!
In summer, the sun sets on the axis of the almost-island of Piran. This perfect alignment makes for some very beautiful moments at the end of sunny days. I often visit Piran and here are the six places you can visit at sunset. On some summer days, the lighting can be fabulous and time stands still throughout Piran. It’s like being part of an extraordinary collective moment. As everywhere else in the world, sunsets vary in beauty from one evening to the next.
With a bit of luck, it will be magical on the day you come.
On the map below, here are the different places to go. The numbers on the map correspond to the paragraphs.
1. Sit on the rocks at Piran Point
30 minutes before sunset, make your way to Piran Point and sit on these large rocks facing the Adriatic. Wait for the sun to set. If you’re staying in Piran, pick up some glasses from your flat and a chilled bottle of Slovenian white wine. Enjoy it on the large rocks of the headland, glass in hand facing the Adriatic. It’s a great way to recharge your batteries on holiday that you won’t soon forget.
2. Go to the little tower on Piran Point
In summer, you can climb the small lighthouse on the tip of Piranat the end of the day for just two euros. Its name is Svetilnik, a 10 m high lighthouse built in 1617. The ascent is via a small spiral staircase and then a metal ladder, which will not please those who are afraid of heights. Once inside the tower, you have a fine view of Piran from behind the fine fences. Above all, the light is exceptional. If there aren’t many people at the top, as is often the case, you won’t want to come down from this tower, which for half an hour becomes a prison bathed in golden sunlight. The light can really be fabulous.
Important information: To get to the top of the Svetilnik Tower, you’ll have to climb up and down this scary ladder.
3. The Piran Walls, the great classic
At the end of the day, a few dozen tourists gather at the top of the walls overlooking the town. This is the best viewpoint over Piran and therefore the perfect place to admire the sunset. The sun will be setting right in front of you. You’re likely to come across a few Asian sunset tourists on the walls. The walls are large and you’ll find your own little corner of paradise, almost alone in the world. In general, you won’t be crammed in on top of each other.
4. Dive into the Adriatic from the bathing esplanade
Close to the point, you’ll find a large swimming area with a concrete slab and ladders leading down into the Adriatic. This is where I learned to dive and passed my PADI. It’s also the perfect place for a magical swim at the end of the day. If you fancy one last swim, this is the place to go. You can also organise a picnic here or share a good bottle of wine with friends, with your feet in the water.
5. Sip an aperol Spritz as the sun sets.
Next to this concrete esplanade, you’ll find three bars, including Punta café, serving cocktails and aperol spritz at bargain prices. Comfortably seated in the bars’ armchairs, you’ll be well and truly content to sip your well-earned drink after the day’s Slovenian adventures. This is the place I like to go at the end of the day in summer and where I also like to have my coffee in the morning (or else on the central Tartini square).
6. Climb to the top of Piran’s bell tower
The view from the top of Piran’s campanile
Piran is dominated by a campanile that looks exactly like the one in Venice. It’s easy to get to the top with a 360° view over the rooftops of Piran. It’s obviously a fabulous place to watch the sunset, but you’ll have to be wary of the two big bells that ring every quarter of an hour. When you’re not expecting it, their powerful sound will startle you and make your ears ring.
So there you have it, the best places I know to enjoy the sunset in Piran. I’ll repeat a piece of advice often posted on the site: don’t come to Piran for just a few hours, but at least for the day and, if possible, several nights.
