Beaches, good restaurants, what to see in Piran… it’s all here!
Nestled on the Slovenian coast, Piran stands as a gem among the most beautiful villages in the Adriatic region. As a journalist who has called Slovenia home for over a decade, Piran remains one of my favorite destinations. Here, I’ll share my top tips for making the most of your visit and reveal some of my favorite spots in this picturesque village.
A Day in Piran: Why You Should Stay Longer
Many travelers make the mistake of spending only a few hours in Piran. However, I highly recommend dedicating an entire day to fully experience its charm. From its narrow, winding streets to its stunning coastal views, Piran captivates at every turn. Read on to discover why this village deserves a leisurely visit and get ready to explore its hidden treasures.
Stroll through the narrow streets of Piran
In the summer, the narrow streets of this charming Mediterranean village are blissfully car-free. Upon arriving in Piran, your first adventure should be to wander these quaint alleyways on foot. Forget maps or Google; simply let yourself get lost in the maze of narrow streets. There’s no need for a checklist of sights to see—Piran’s treasures reveal themselves as you explore. Embrace curiosity and a bit of effort (yes, even the uphill streets are worth it).
These narrow passages provide cool, shaded relief during the warm summer days. For an unforgettable view of the village’s rooftops, be sure to climb the campanile, Piran’s iconic tower. For just €3, you can ascend the 140 wooden steps to the top, where a stunning 360° panorama awaits.
In Piran, enjoy the sea, the terraces, the seaside restaurants…
To visit Piran, you need to slow down! After discovering the old town, relax and take advantage of the affordable prices in the bars and restaurants.
- You can sit on one of the terraces facing the sea for a beer or a cappuccino at the old Café Teater or at the tip of the town at Café Punta (or one of the other two next door)
- Enjoy a large ice cream for €3 at Mersii gelato or Karamela. These are the two best ice-cream parlours in the village (open every day, but only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays out of season).
- From May to October, pack a swimming costume as you can swim in the Adriatic and sunbathe on the concrete beaches (Note: there are no real sandy beaches in Slovenia).
Piran is the perfect place for a relaxing day’s holiday
Experience Tranquility in Piran
Remember, Piran is not just a tourist hotspot; it’s a serene village where you can truly unwind. Even during peak tourist seasons, Piran retains its peaceful charm, making it an ideal place to enjoy mild, pleasant days and magical evenings by the sea.
The place to take the most beautiful photo of Piran
The place to take the photo that all the tourist brochures use, that you’ll see on all the postcards and on Instagram, few tourists ever get there. It’s a shame, because it’s right next to the second Arze car park, the one on the heights of Piran.
There’s a secret spot on the hills of Piran where you can take a picture of the ochre roofs, postcard-style. Go there!
From the Arze car park, walk about 150 metres towards the old town, past the small square where dozens of cars are parked. Just after, on your right, enter the small tower. Pay €3 at the entrance. Climb the steps to the top of the ramparts. Explore the entire length of the ramparts. Once at the top, you’ll enjoy a splendid view of Piran.
Tip: If you don’t want to pay, there’s a similar but much less unobstructed view from the small car park that you can see from the top of the walls. You’ll find it here. (see also photo above)
Discover Piran in this superb video!
To get an idea of the beauty of Piran, take a look at this video with splendid views of the tiled roofs of this beautiful Slovenian Mediterranean village. You can climb up to the campanile during your day’s visit.
The best restaurants in Piran
In Piran, the seafront restaurants have grown complacent, no longer needing to strive for excellence to attract crowds. Consequently, the quality of these establishments has declined. As is often the case in popular tourist areas, the best dining experiences in Piran are not found in the historic center or along the bustling seafront. Instead, venture a bit farther out or explore the quieter alleyways to discover the true culinary gems of this charming village.
Tip: If you choose to eat in a seaside restaurant in Piran, order calamari – it’s a sure bet in Adriatic restaurants, and it’s cheap (or one of the risottos on the menu, particularly the squid ink ones).
Try the fish dishes caught in the Adriatic, the fried or grilled squid and the squid ink risottos.
Over the years, I’ve tried almost every restaurant in Piran. I’ve tried the ones I recommend several times. The Piran restaurants that stand out from the crowd without being perfect are :
Restaurant Pirat
I chose it for its prices, which are still very affordable, especially for drinks (glass of wine at €2). Many dishes are priced around €12. I like the old-fashioned maritime atmosphere, the service is generally very efficient on beautiful tablecloths, the restaurant has changed very little since Yugoslavia and I love that. Pirat has a small terrace overlooking the sea and the bay windows of the main dining room open in summer. It’s a great place to spend an evening chatting with friends.
One downside : there can be a lot of people at mealtimes in summer, making the place a little less pleasant than when I frequent it out of season. In particular, the owner then adds tables and you’re squeezed in tighter.
To get there, click here.
The Neptun restaurant
It’s in a small street and doesn’t look much from the outside. Only a dozen tables. Tablecloth service. Old-fashioned maritime decor, warm atmosphere. I found the food very good; the restaurant is in the Gault et Millau. Spaghetti and risottos at 12-16€, main courses at 14-22€. Soups and desserts at €5. House wine at €2 a glass. Unfortunately there’s no terrace, but it’s a good address.
To get there, click here.
The Pri Mari restaurant
It’s close to the seaside car park. It’s not bad at all (unfortunately no terrace). Fifteen years ago, it was one of the favourite restaurants of my friends who worked at Citroën on the coast. It’s gone downhill a bit since then, in my opinion. The lack of a terrace is cruelly lacking.
To go there, click here.
Fritolin self-service
Dining in Piran: A Delightful Experience
At this charming spot, you order at the counter and pick up your dish when it’s ready. Fish dishes are served in a picturesque square both at lunchtime and in the evening, offering great value for money. You’ll dine outdoors at tables set in one of Piran’s most beautiful historic squares, the heart of the village centuries ago. The atmosphere feels reminiscent of a small Italian town square. During the height of summer, it gets busy, and you might have to queue, but that’s the only downside to this delightful dining experience.
To get there, click here.
Sarajevo 84
For a taste of Balkan cuisine and the famous cevapcici, head for the Sarajevo 84 restaurant. An inexpensive and invigorating option. Small terrace in front of the restaurant.
To get there, click here.
These restaurants are the best in Piran, they are good but not excellent, so don’t expect too much because your best experience in a restaurant in Slovenia will probably not be in one of Piran’s restaurants.
Addresses of good restaurants in Piran
Sarajevo 84 (Balkans) – Tomšičeva ulica 43
Restaurant Neptun(good food) – Župančičeva ulica 7
Pirat (very good prices) – Župančičeva ulica 26
Fritolin “Pri cantini”(fish– nice place) – Prvomajski trg 10
Pri Mari (only 3 tables on the terrace) – Dantejeva ulica 17,
Ivo (fresh fish – seaside) – Gregorčičeva 31,
Tip: Cycle from Piran
If you’ re staying in Piran, I’d recommend hiring bikes and exploring the rest of the Slovenian coast along the Parenzana cycle path. There are two great rides waiting for you. For the first, head towards Croatia and you’ll reach Portoroz, a sculpture park, the salt marshes that have made Piran so rich and finally the Croatian border.
There are no major difficulties on this magnificent cycle route, which is often flat.
The idea is not to spend the whole day on your bike, but to use it to go from one place to another, taking breaks to swim, enjoy an ice cream in Portoroz or admire the salt marshes.
Tip: The fairly affordable thalassotherapy at the Piran salt marshes could be your final destination.
On another day, head for Koper via Portoroz and Izola. An exceptional day awaits you. Full details of these two rides can be found in this other article on the Parenzana cycle path. In my opinion, this cycle path is a must on any trip to Slovenia. It’s one of my favourites in Slovenia.
Piran salt, a lovely souvenir from Slovenia!
When you’re in Piran’s central square – Tartini Square – take a look at the beautiful, authentic Piran salt marsh shop. They have developed the Solnce Piranska sol “Piran Salt” brand, modelled on Guérande salt. You’ll find around fifty authentic and beautiful products. Along with Slovenian honey, Piran salt is certainly one of the best souvenirs to bring back home.
Tip: do your shopping on the way out of Piran, so you don’t get your arms full during your visit. If you chose the Arze car park next to the city walls, you’ll still have a long way to go up the hill.
Where can I park in Piran?
The first thing to do if you’re travelling by car is to park in Piran (the town is entirely pedestrianised). There are two large car parks in Piran, one at the top of the town and another 700 metres to the south.
My advice: park in the Arze car park at the top of Piran so that you have the best view of the town to start with. Don’t try to save on parking by parking elsewhere, as the fine set by the mayor of Piran is €200 if you park in the wrong place.
Please note: In high season, the Arze car park fills up quite quickly and may be full by the time you arrive. Arrive early if possible.
Prices for parking in Piran can be found here.
Tip from a reader of the site : “Paying for Arze car park: Don’t be fooled like me and bring some cash! I stayed for two nights and got €26, but they don’t take credit cards. So you have to go back down to the centre to find the cash machine on the main square and then you have to go all the way back up to the car park. What a nightmare!
Vister Piran in one day
You can’t spend a day in Piran (or at the seaside in Slovenia) in the same way as you spend a day at the beach in France. You have to change your habits and don’t get stuck on the fact that there are no sandy beaches in Slovenia. Sunbathing for four hours on a towel in the sun makes no sense in Piran.
In Piran, you can go for a swim, then stroll through the narrow streets in flip-flops and a swimming costume, or sit down for an hour or two with your family on the terrace of a bar facing the sea to enjoy a €3 coffee or ice cream (you can stay for two hours in the café without the waiter pressuring you to leave, as would happen in France).
- Take a bike ride to Portoroz.
- Climb the Piran bell tower.
- Enjoy a cocktail or aperol Spritz at 7pm overlooking Italy (Café Punta)
- Admire the sunset on your way to the best spots.
- Take part in one activity after another, as explained in this other article on Piran.
Summary: come to Piran for the day or for a few nights.
Without getting bored for a moment, you can spend 5 hours wandering through the narrow streets of Piran in flip-flops and a swimming costume, drinking cheap drinks on the terraces of small bars, swimming in the Adriatic, eating squid and ice cream, reading a good book on the terrace…
Tip to support: Visit the Slovenian coast by bike
This coastal village fits in perfectly with the advice I often repeat on the blog, which is to take the time to live during your holidays in Slovenia, to enjoy the sun and the sea and, once again, too bad if you don’t see the whole of Slovenia or the whole Slovenian coast, you’ll enjoy your Slovenian holidays much more that way. Spend a few nights there if you can, it’s really pleasant.
Tip from a reader, if you’re staying in Piran: “Sunrise: in summer at around 5.40am, stand at the end of the concrete pedestrian zone at the foot of the campanile, just before the asphalt gives way to pebbles! It’s a great view!
Things to do on the Slovenian coast
- Discover the port of Koper
- Visit the small town of Izola
- Enter a thalasso for €25
- Visit the seaside town of Portoroz