Koper

Understand

Koper, the oldest town in Slovenia, developed on a rocky island with the Roman name Capris. Out of the three Slovenian coast cities (Koper, Izola, Piran), Koper has experienced the most numerous layout modifications. The reasons for that also need to be sought in the changes of various reigns and states, all of which marked the city with their specific traits and names. Koper was called Capris in Roman times, in the times of the pope Gregory I (599) Insula Capraria (“goat island”), Iustinopolis under the Byzantine Empire (between mid 6th and 8th centuries) and Caput Histriae (‘head of Istria’) by the Aquileia Patriarchs. The Venetians rendered that name into the Italian form, Capodistria. The Slovenian equivalent of the name is Koper.

The longest reign over the city was that of the Venetian Republic (1279-1797), when Koper experienced economic (trade, salt production) and cultural prosperity (painting, music). The Venetian period is still echoed by the city architecture; despite numerous modern interventions, it has preserved its medieval character, with the city of Koper being a member of the European Association of Medieval Cities. In the Middle Ages, Koper was an island surrounded by walls and connected with the mainland with a wood bridge in the direction of Škocjan. It was protected by a mighty fortress – Lion Castle, and surrounded by vast saltpans. Koper’s importance began to diminish in the 18th century, when Trieste was proclaimed a free port, which ended with the d…

Get in

thumb|400px|Koper panoramic view (former island)

See

Koper old town

Koper's main sight of interest is the Venetian-era old city, of which the main structures and squares have been fully renovated and restored. The main square (Tito square) is one of the nicest Venetian type squares in the Mediterranean. thumb|400px|Tito square, Koper The centre of the old city is Tito Square (Titov trg), an austere piazza surrounded by The Praetorian Palace, Loggia, Cathedral of the Assumption, Campanile, Foresteria and Armeria. From here, the cobbled Čevljarska ulica leads south to the Prešeren square with the De Ponte fountain and the old town entrance Muda gate, Kidričeva ulica leads west to the Marina, the old salt warehouse named Taverna and the Carpaccio square. thumb|400px|The interior of the Cathedral of the Assumpti Koper Hinterland

Church of the Holy Trinity, Hrastovlje The church boasts beautiful frescoes, an extraordinary achievement of Medieval iconography. The most famous is the depiction of the Dance of Death. thumb|400px|The church of The Holy Trinity with the famous Dance of Death Defence tower, Podpeč This 11th century, defence tower is a popular tourist sight and one of the most enchanting beauty spots in Slovenian Istria. Škocjanski zatok Nature Reserve Stretching out over 122 ha, this is the largest brackish wetland in Slovenia. The area is home to countless birds and other animal species, such as Istrian cattle (boškarin) and Camargue horses. Church of St. Roch and St. Sebastian, Boršt According to some sources, the chur…

Do

There is a public beach in the sea just west of the marina.

Football: FC Koper play soccer in PrvaLiga, the top tier. Their home ground is Bonifika (capacity 4000), 500 m south of town centre.

Bonifika sports complex also has basketball, a running track and tennis courts.

Near the industrial area of the of Koper (very close to the city centre), there is a natural park called Škocjanki zatok, which is a perfect place for enjoying the flora and fauna of this natural resort.

The path along the shore to Izola and Piran lends itself very well to skating, cycling or just going for a walk and enjoying the view over the water.

Rent a bike, ride to Piran and back. It can be done in one day.

Buy

There are several shopping centres, for example: Planet Tuš Shopping Centre , Mercator, Supernova and SPAR. There is also a big department store called Zeleni park where you will also find OVS store. In the city centre there are numerous offers.

Eat

thumb|300px|Traditional Istrian meal

Koper has many taverns and restaurants, snack bars and local smaller taverns offering local food and wine, pizzerias, traditional Osmicas (farmers offering home made food and wine), sweetshops and tourist farms with traditional home made Istrian food.

When in Koper, do not leave without trying some typical Istrian goodies and other typical Istrian products. Also, you should definitely try some local olive oil from local oil providers. Istrian olive oil is reputed to have many positive effects on the body.

Drink

In Koper you will find a variety of bars and pubs with a various offer of styles and drinks, bigger and smaller wine cellars with rich local wine offerings.

Go next

The rest of Slovenia's short coastline is easily accessible from Koper. Public bus service is available every 20-30 minutes to:

Izola Piran Portoroz