My last stop in Slovenia was Piran. Piran is on the Gulf of Piran on the Adriatic Sea - you can even see Italy from it! You can see the Mediterranean influence and the city makes you feel like you are actually in Italy.
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| That's Italy! |
It is one of the three major towns of Slovenian Istria. Istria is a peninsula in the Adriatic Sea between the Gulf of Trieste and the Kvarner Gulf. It is shared by three countries: Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy. We had driven the coast to get to Piran so you could get a sense of how close these countries are around the peninsula.
My visit started with Tartini Square named after violinist and composer Giuseppe Tartini.
Then it was through the winding streets to visit an old bell tower. I climbed the rickety steps to see the views from the top - worth the death defying climb! You get great shots of the city itself, the Italian coastline and the fortress that used to protect the city.
We then meandered along the water back towards the city centre.
Last stop was Portorož, another town on the coast. I wasn't there very long and there was no tour but from what I could see, it was mostly a beach town with lots of casinos!
Staying on the topic of caves, around the corner from Predjama are the Postojna Caves. The caves were created by the Pivka River. Before you enter the caves there is an old mill with a mini museum included.
In 1819, Archduke Ferdinand visited the caves and this is when it became a tourist destination. Today it is set up with a train and walkway system to make the caves easier to visit.
When you take the tour they explain the different parts of the caves and why certain colours are more prominent than others and so on. I have to admit, once again, this information escapes me so many months later but it is definitely worth checking out!
