Koper, Slovenia

Koper is a Slovenian city that is right on the border with Italy. Koper was originally built on an island very near the shore. Now the island is a peninsula as a straight that has been filled in. The Golden Age of Koper was during the 15th and 16th centuries and was controlled by the Venetian Republic. Currently Koper is Slovenia’s only port city and it is a business and industrial center.

Koper is the largest city on the Slovenia coast and there are several attractions, many restaurants, a small beach, and a recreational center. There is also a lot of shopping near the marina. Koper is a great day trip and if you are traveling from Italy onto Croatia, which is a country I highly recommend visiting, it is right on the way and a great place to stop and check out.

There are many monuments, old palaces, and quite a few churches in Koper. There are a few tourist offices in Koper, mainly around the marina, and you can pick up some info on all that Koper has to offer. The main place to start may be Titov trg and most of the roads in the city lead to this main square. It is nice on all sides having a town hall, a cathedral, the Praetorian Palace and the Logia kavarna, which has a great coffeehouse in an old Venetian building.

The palace is located on the south end of Titov trg and it has a Venetian Gothic and Renaissance style. The palace was constructed in the 15th century built from 2 older houses dating from the 13th century. The Praetorian Palace was the palace of the mayor and the façade of the palace features many shields and coat of arms. There is a great archway leading to the small cobbler street of Cevljarska ulica. Inside the palace you can find the Tourist Information Office.

The Loggia is at the northern end of Titov trg and was constructed in 1463 and was renovated in the 17th century with 5 arches facing the square and then there were more arches added that face Verdi Street. In 1555 a terra cotta statue of the Virgin Mary was erected. Now the ground floor of the building is a posh coffee shop, which is a great place to have a drink and look over the square.

A great thing to do in Koper is to wander around the old city center, which is made up of narrow alleys with many small restaurants, cafes, and shops.

Just up from Koper you can find the Socerb Castle, which sits on the Karst Ridge. At the castle you can get great views of the bay of Trieste and the Slovenian countryside. Other attractions in Koper include the Rotunda of St John the Baptist and Muda Gate.

In the marina there are many restaurants, cafes, and a few bars. This is where most of the shopping is as well, as there are many clothing, jewelry, and souvenir shops in the area. During the summer you can relax on the small coastal area and lay down a towel on the many small piers. Across from the marina there are a couple of huge casinos if you are feeling lucky.

While Koper is not really a main destination it is a great place to check out for a day or so, especially if you are traveling from Italy and Croatia and vice versa. Trieste has an airport and RyanAir has flights that land there originating in Stansted.