Introducing The Piran Town Walls
Piran’s Town Walls were built in various stages from the 7th to early 16th century and are one of the most famous attractions in the town. Originally the walls enclosed only the area west of the main Tartini square but between the years 1470 and 1534 expanded to include the entire ‘V’ shape peninsula and protect it from Ottoman invaders. Sections of the old town wall and seven gates still stand throughout Piran, though the rest of it has been demolished. Southeast of the town on Morgoron Hill is the largest and best preserved section of wall with six towers, which has been reopened to the public after recent renovations. The elevated platform offers splendid panoramic views of the town and Slovenia’s Adriatic coast.
Piran Town Walls Review
Set prominently above the town of Piran are the old town walls. The road up to the walls is behind the Tartini square and it takes approximately 10-15 minutes to get there from the town center. The short 400-metre trek is mostly uphill. You walk up on the Ulica IX Korpusa street past the Church of St. George and follow the road up the hill, then cut left through what looks like someone’s garden, just before you get to the walls, and a staircase takes you up on to the well-preserved stretch. There are a lot of stairs to get to the top, which are definitely not suitable for people with mobility issues. There are many irregular steps to negotiate so bare this in mind and be sure to keep your head down as you climb the towers. Good sturdy shoes are recommended as is a bottle of water.
The walls themselves are great. Very well preserved and quite impressive and you can climb to quite a height. The view however is the reason to visit! It is absolutely gorgeous, even on a cloudy day. You really will be mesmerized by the view. The old town of Piran set snugly on its ‘V’ shape peninsula and surrounded by crystal-clear blue water looks so incredibly stunning. Looking the other way is Strunjan and Italy. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Trieste and even the Italian Alps are plainly visible.
To avoid the heat of the day and the hill and stairs you need to climb, we recommend that you visit the walls either first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening. Morning is better to photograph the town and evening is better to see the sunset. It’s simply magical when the sun aligns with the town and the town starts to glow in oranges and reds with the Adriatic spreading out all around. Definitely bring your camera; it’s hard to take a bad picture.
The entrance fee, paid directly into the turnstile, is minimal, only €2 per person. Children under 12 have free entrance. Dogs are allowed on the grounds of the walls (through the admission gates), but not on the walls themselves. Downside is the access would not be possible for those in wheelchairs or would be very difficult for those that will struggle to climb steep staircases. The walls are open daily from 8:00 in the morning until dusk (21:00 in the summer).
Map of the remains of Piran’s Town Walls that are still visible. Sections of the wall and seven gates still stand throughout Piran, though the rest of it has been demolished. (Image by Mrwho00tm / CC BY-SA 3.0)
Piran Town Walls Pictures
View our image gallery with high-resolution photos that prove you absolutely have to visit Piran’s Town Walls!
Set prominently above the town of Piran are the old town walls. Construction began in the 7th century and although the majority of the walls are now gone, the main section that still exists is in very good shape and is definitely a must-visit place in Piran. (Image by Clemens Vasters / CC BY 2.0)
Completed in the 16th century the best preserved section is to the east of the town centre on Morgoron Hill. (Image by Zairon / CC BY-SA 4.0)
It is a fair climb up to the walls and a lot of steps when you are there, but the reward is excellent views over the town and sea. (Image by Stephen Colebourne / CC BY 2.0)
Piran’s long history dates back to the ancient Greeks, and remnants of the medieval town walls still protect it to the east. (Image by Erik / CC BY 2.0)
If you visit Piran, you must go to the town walls, even if it is just for the stunning views of the town. (Image by Mrwho00tm / CC BY-SA 3.0)
There are great views from the walls themselves and even more spectacular ones from the top of the towers. (Image by Zlerman / CC BY-SA 3.0)
Looking down on the township of Piran is magnificent as are the surrounding hills covered with vines and olives and out to sea. (Image by Zlerman / CC BY-SA 3.0)
You can have a lot of fun clambering up and down the wall’s stone steps, leading up to magnificent viewpoints of Piran and the azure sea below. (Image by Bruno Girin / CC BY-SA 2.0)
Southeast of the town is the largest section of wall with six towers. (Image by Miha Kukovec / CC BY-SA 3.0)
Wear sturdy shoes as as the stairs and steps are very narrow in places. (Image by János Korom Dr. / CC BY-SA 2.0)
Watch the uneven steps and keep your head down as you climb the towers and you will feel good when you reward yourself with a drink afterwards. (Image by János Korom Dr. / CC BY-SA 2.0)
Along the wall’s length you can climb a couple of towers for even greater views. (Image by János Korom Dr. / CC BY-SA 2.0)
Piran’s Town Walls are not as lengthy and elaborate as Dubrovnik’s town walls, but you can still get one spectacular view of Piran and the sea from the top. (Image by János Korom Dr. / CC BY-SA 2.0)
You don’t climb Piran’s town walls for the sake of the walls, you climb them for the spectacular views down on Piran. (Image by Bruno Girin / CC BY-SA 2.0)
There are a lot of stairs to get to the top and there are different ways to get to the top as well. (Image by Bruno Girin / CC BY-SA 2.0)
The first wall was built in the 7th century, separating the town into four streets. The remains of certain parts of this wall can be seen in the old part of the town. (Image by Mrwho00tm / CC BY 3.0)
The Muggia Gate constructed in the 13th century. (Image by Kim S / CC BY-SA 2.0)
The Gothic-style Dolfin Gate is the most impressive and best preserved of the gates. It is called Dolfin Gate becauseit was constructed in 1483 by the mayor Dolfin. (Image by Erik / CC BY 2.0)
The Gothic-style First Raspor Gate. (Image by Isiwal / CC BY-SA 4.0)
The Second Raspor Gate constructed in 1470. (Image by Isiwal / CC BY-SA 4.0)
The cyllindrical tower of Piran’s Town Walls was built in the 16th or the 17th century. (Image by EliziR / CC BY-SA 3.0)
The best views in Piran are definitely from the town walls that overlook the peninsula. (Image by Nicolas Vollmer / CC BY 2.0)
Piran Town Walls location on the map
Address: Ulica IX. korpusa 29, 6330 Piran, Slovenia
Latitude and Longitude Coordinates: 45.527548, 13.571713
GPS coordinates: 45° 31′ 39.1728” N 13° 34′ 18.1668” E
Region: Littoral
The charming coastal town of Piran is a medieval jewel on the Adriatic coast, situated at the cape of the Piran peninsula on the northern side of Istria, with Italy on the horizon. Since being part of the Republic of Venice, Piran has a rich cultural heritage and the close Venetian influence is immediately apparent in its architecture with the narrow winding streets, houses huddled close together, rising in cascades, beautiful squares and churches and breathtaking sea views. |
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Overall Rating: The Tartini Square is a lovely square in the heart of the medieval walled Venetian town of Piran, the most famous town on Slovenia's 43-kilometre coast, which sits between Italy and Croatia. For a small town this is a wide open and quite large square. It's very Venetian in its white marble paving and surrounded by charming, Venetian buildings with wonderful architecture displayed. |
Overall Rating: The Church of St. George is the jewel on the crown of Piran. Originally built in the 12th century, its current structure dates from its expansion in the early 14th century, and its subsequent Baroque revamp in 1637. The church is beautifully decorated with frescos, marble altars and a large statue of St George slaying the dragon. |
Overall Rating: In front of the Church of St. George, built separate from it in 1608, is the iconic 46,45 metre-high bell tower. There are 146 steps that lead to the top of the bell tower that houses four bells and is capped with a pyramidal spire. At the top of the tower sits a weather vane in the form of the 3,6-metre-tall Archangel Michael. |
Overall Rating: Piran's Town Walls were built in various stages from the 7th to early 16th century and are one of the most famous attractions in the town. Originally the walls enclosed only the area west of the main Tartini square but between the years 1470 and 1534 expanded to include the entire peninsula. Sections of the wall and seven gates still stand throughout Piran, though the rest of it has been demolished. The walls themselves are great and quite impressive and you can climb to quite a height. The view however is the main reason to visit! |
Overall Rating: The Piran Shell And Snail Museum with its permanent exhibition the Magical World of Shells is one of the best and most interesting museums in Slovenia. It features more than 4,000 specimens of rare and unique mollusks from all around the world. You'll see some of the most unusual clams, sea urchins, crabs, sea stars, and much more, varying in sizes and shapes. |
Overall Rating: Piran’s maritime history is exhibited at the superb Sergej Masera Maritime Museum. Named after a famous Slovenian sailor from Gorica, the museum offers information on Slovene naval history, the Adriatic Sea, sailing, fishing, salt-making and much more. The bulk of the museum collections is housed in the wonderful 19th-century Gabrielli Palace, right at the waterfront near Tartini Square in the historic centre of Piran, but quite a few of its collections are also presented elsewhere. |
Overall Rating: If you are in Piran, try to take the time to visit this small, pleasant museum and make sure you attend the 3D movie to learn about the history of Piran. It will give you much more of an appreciation for this charming coastal town. |
Overall Rating: The Museum of Underwater Activities Piran is a small but very interesting museum that gives an excellent overview of the history of diving in the Adriatic Sea, exhibiting old deep-sea diving suits and helmets. Besides the collection of antique diving equipment, the museum also has several models of submarines and the uniforms of their crews on display. |
Overall Rating: The Piran Aquarium was founded in 1964 and is now the biggest aquarium in Slovenia with its collection of more than 120 species and 25 aquarium tanks. It showcases a good selection of fish and invertebrates living in the northern Adriatic Sea. |
Overall Rating: The First of May Square, previously known as the Old Square, was the centre of Piran until the 13th century. It is surrounded by mainly baroque-inspired architecture as well as a few restaurants. art galleries and a great little wine bar. In the centre of the square, on a raised platform, there are a few eye-catching statues and a stone rainwater cistern which was built in the second half of the 18th century after the region suffered a severe drought. |
Overall Rating: The Church of St Francis Assisi dates back to the beginning of the 14th century, but has been enlarged and renovated over the centuries. The present interior dates back to the 17th century and the exterior is from the 19th century. Attached to the church is a Franciscan monastery with a splendid atrium, the cloister, which is considered by many as the most beautiful in Slovenia. In the monastery's basement there is a superb collection of paintings by various Venetian artists. |
| The accommodation options in Piran can be divided into five main categories: hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, apartments and hostels. |
The charming coastal town of Piran is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Slovenia, but being such a small town, there are not many hotels in Piran. Actually, there are only four of them. We've reviewed all of them so take a look and find out which one would best suit your needs, style and budget. |
Piran guesthouses are definitely a good choice for a place to stay as they are comfortable and wallet-friendly with owners who take an interest in their guests. Some guesthouses also offer a breakfast buffet in the morning that has quite a few choices and is usually very good value for money. Find out which guesthouses in Piran we recommend and why. |
Bed and breakfasts are a budget-friendly way of staying in Piran. In essence you get a room and usually also a private bathroom in someone's house, with breakfast included in the price. Take a look and find out which bed and breakfasts in Piran we recommend and why. |
Apartments are a great option in Piran as they are cheaper than a hotel room but more spacious, well-equipped, and with a kitchen to save money on eating out. But be careful, the rates and quality vary seriously, so always do a good research before you book an apartment for your stay! Here you will find the apartments that we think are the best ones in Piran right now. |
Hostels are the cheapest places to stay in Piran. Most spaces and amenities are shared, but even if you’re not up for the cheapest option - a bed in a dorm room - you can often get a basic private room for significantly less than the cost of a low-end hotel or privately rented room. Competition between Piran hostels has grown over the past five years and there are now some really good hostels in Piran. Find out which are the ones that we recommend and why! |