Portorož is situated in a huge cove on the Adriatic Sea. This former seaside resort is a great place to spend a few days if you know where to go!

This former Austro-Hungarian resort, which began to flourish at the beginning of the last century, is no match for the thousand-year-old beauty of Piran. In general, Portoroz is initially perceived by French tourists as rather ugly, but … Once you’ve got over the initial disappointment at the concrete nature of part of the seafront, all you have to do is : look upwards and see that the bay is beautiful, that Croatia is visible, that the heights are splendid Mediterranean hills dotted with villas, that there are beautiful traces of the Austro-Hungarian heritage and of the glorious seaside past of this holiday resort favoured by the aristocrats of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

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If you don’t get stuck on your first impression,Portorož is sure to be a great day out.

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French people who live in Slovenia love Portorož for all these reasons and also for the ten secret corners that you will discover in this article. In short, the first impression of French holidaymakers is almost always that Portoroz is ugly, but don’t get stuck on this impression and take a closer look at the landscape in front of you. If you do, you’ll have a great day on holiday in Portoroz.

Portoroz, perfect with children or teenagers

If you’ve got teenagers, they’ll love the lively atmosphere of this Slovenian seaside town, jumping and diving off the wooden pontoons, happily gobbling up the big Slovenian ice creams that cost €2, and so on.

Very young children will love the tiny stretch of artificial sandy beach at Portoroz. Those in their twenties or thirties will enjoy the cocktail bars in the evening and the festive-chic atmosphere, which is open to all. In Slovenia, you never get turned away at the door (that’s one of the things I love about this country).

There are many establishments in Portoroz, some bad, some average and some excellent. I go there often and here are 10 secret addresses to enjoy a Portoroz that you’d never suspect, the one that tourists never imagine. The one I couldn’t find on my first visits to Portoroz.

Portoroz: the practical guide

In Portoroz you ‘ll find everything you need in a lively seaside resort: bars, restaurants, ice-cream parlours, children’s games, evening strolls by the sea and large pontoons to jump off. Portoroz is a great place for a holiday.

When you get to Portoroz, take this advice straight away

Quickly get rid of that possibly bad first impression and go in search of the secret addresses in this article. At the end of the day, like me and other French people who live in Slovenia, you’ll probably end up loving and appreciating Portoroz (or perhaps, to my great regret, you’ll stick with your first impression of a coastal town that’s too concrete)

The terraces

If you want to continue your evening in a festive atmosphere, head for the bamboo cocktail bar Alaya or the lounge bars Paprika and Coco café. Both are on the seafront and have a festive atmosphere.

Club Alaya – Obala 22

Coco café – Obala 14

The salt warehouses

These old salt warehouses, built between 1823 and 1859 and now in the process of being converted, are built lengthways and offer a better understanding of the region’s history.

In Slovenian, the place to go is called Nekdanje skladisce soli Monfort.

A small, free exhibition hall details the history of salt production and trade in the bay. You’ll learn why, a few centuries ago, it was crucial to be able to store salt over a long period, the economic importance of the Piran salt marshes that you can see in the distance, living conditions at the time, and so on. Another interesting aspect of the visit is the walk along the water’s edge to the exhibition hall. These old warehouses can also host temporary exhibitions on architecture or art, such as Ex-tempore Piran, which has been running since 1964. If you continue on foot a little further on, you’ll come to Les Bernardins, a modern hotel complex that is 100% concrete but not all that shabby if you look closely, with its marina and ruined church at the top of the grand staircase. Finally, if you’re allergic to concrete, don’t go there.

The secret church of Portoroz

A church with original architecture built in 1984. I really enjoyed discovering this deserted building, which is typical and off the beaten track. The church will appeal to lovers of architecture and photographers alike because of the play of light created by the sun through the colourful stained glass windows. The church building is a five-minute walk from the seafront, but it is camouflaged by vegetation and cannot be found by tourists. The small alleyway leading to the church is lined with pretty shrubs and flowerbeds. To reach this totally secret spot, untraceable by tourists, here is its name in Slovenian: Župnijska cerkev Device Marije Rožnovenske

The Portoroz thalasso

In Slovenia, thalassos and spas are far from being as stuffy and expensive as in France. You don’t need to book a cure to enjoy them. All Slovenians go there regularly for a few hours. After paying the entrance fee, you can relax in the saunas, hammams and jacuzzis before going into the thermal pools. This thalasso is the place to go in winter or if it rains during the summer season. You can also go to the Thalasso des Bernardins just before sunset, with its incredible pool overlooking the sea, or the thalasso at the grand Hôtel Kempinski. One last thalasso is in the Piran salt marshes, but I haven’t tried it yet.

The Parenzana tunnel

A railway line used to cross the entire Slovenian coast. It has now disappeared and has recently been transformed into a magnificent cycle path which you should definitely include in your Slovenian itinerary if you’re going to the Slovenian coast slovenian coast. If you don’t go cycling, you can still climb the hill climb the hill to reach one of the tunnels and cross it on foot on foot. In summer, you can enjoy the pleasant coolness of this tunnel, which is 550 m long. Your young children might enjoy this activity (let me know in the comments if they liked it) comment if they enjoyed it). The entrance to the tunnel is on Rue Sencna Pot (GPS coordinates: 45.516406, 13.599768)

The bar and restaurant of the Kempinski grand hotel

Slovenia is not as segregated as France. Anyone can get in anywhere, especially luxury establishments. Once you’re in front of this magnificent hotel, look to the right and you’ll see the entrance, which is actually located in the modern part (the glass building). To the left of this entrance, you’ll see a patisserie with a terrace where you can sit down. Enter the hotel and climb the stairs, you’ll find a chic bar on your left and a chic restaurant on your right with a French name, fleur de sel. At €9 for a cocktail and €17 for a pasta dish, squid ink risotto or salad, it’s certainly 30 to 40% more expensive than on the seafront, but with the location, the view and the service, you really get what you pay for. What’s more, the prices are still below the average for Paris restaurants. The patisserie, bar and restaurant each have a terrace. This is the ideal place for a chic romantic break or to spend some quality holiday time with friends. If it rains, the cocktail bar can be a pleasant fallback plan.

A superb place to spend the night. You can book it here.

The excellent Aviator restaurant at Portoroz airport (Closed 2022)

I discovered this well-hidden restaurant by chance while travelling through the Parenzana with my mum, who had come to visit me in Slovenia for my birthday. We were both blown away by the value for money of the restaurant. It was delicious! The dishes are superbly presented, either in the containers (a small pan or pot, for example) or in the way the chef has arranged the food on the plate.

The place may seem a bit posh, but it’s open to everyone.

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The service was good and the prices really weren’t very high for what we were served. This is definitely one of my good secret addresses on the Slovenian coast.

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To find this secret restaurant, enter the airport and turn left immediately. Go there by car or bike along the Parenzana. If you prefer, you can walk along the sea, then through the salt marshes. It’s a pleasant walk, but it’s a long one (take a taxi back, for example, and ask the restaurant to order it for you – it won’t be very expensive)!

Restaurant Aviator – Sečovlje 19 -Portoroz

The map of good addresses

The Bernardins terrace

This hotel is among the accommodation in Slovenia with the most impressive panoramic views from the rooms(see this article).

It’s a secret terrace that almost nobody knows about apart from the holidaymakers who have had the good idea of sleeping in the hotel. The view over the sea and a pretty Roman house is incredibly beautiful. Enjoy a cappuccino for €2.50 during the day, a cocktail for €10, a 33cl beer for €4 or a bottle of local wine for €23 while taking in the view from this magical spot.

From the centre of Portoroz, it’s a 25-minute walk along the concrete seafront to reach this establishment, which is in fact located between Piran and Portoroz – at the end of the Piran parking area. From the seafront, to reach the bar’s panoramic terrace, take the hotel lift. You will need a badge to enter the hotel. Wait in front of the Tropic Bar for guests to enter and then slip into the hotel with them (GPS coordinates of the entrance: 45.516899, 13.569111). This is a large hotel, so here are a few tips on how to find the bar. Go to the lift and press the restaurant button, then take the stairs. If you’re wondering if this is all legal, you’re not free-riding, you’ve come to spend your money at the hotel bar. What’s more, it’s not easy to get to the most secret addresses, and that’s what makes them so interesting: they allow you to get off the beaten track and away from the stream of tourists.

Cacao, an institution, the not-at-all-secret must-see spot in this article

Cacao is the best-known glacier on the coast. Here you can sink into large white sofas to enjoy a large ice cream for €2.50 or share a bowl of ice cream with your partner. Everyone in Slovenia knows Cacao, and there are now three establishments in Ljubljana alone. But be warned: it’ll be busy on sunny weekends throughout the season and every day in summer. Here’s how it works: take a look at the flavours and order your ice cream once you’re seated on the terrace. You won’t be charged extra for it, and it’s served in a ramekin with a glass of water.

Cocoa – Obala 14 – Portoroz

the mercator supermarket on the beach

Now, you’re going to tell me that we’ve already seen better than a supermarket with a secret address, especially as it’s a Mercator and there are hundreds of others in Slovenia. Except that this one is next to the beach and is open until 9pm. An hour and a quarter before sunset, head over to the cold drinks and fruit section of the shop to buy something for a picnic. At the deli, you can ask for rolls to be cut into two slices so that you can make your own sandwich. Buy some Prsut (Slovenian smoked ham), mortadella, etc. Proceed to the checkout and then to one of the many pontoons. Sit on the wooden planks and enjoy a memorable picnic by the sea.

Mercator – Obala 53, 6320 Portorož – Portorose

Portoroz, at the turn of the last century