Things to do
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Debeli Rtič
At the tip of the Ankaran peninsula, near the Italian border, a short stretch of flysch cliff and shingle shore has been kept out of the ports and marinas that line the rest of this coast. A path drops through woodland to the water, and the sea below the point is protected. Swimming here is off rocks and pebbles, so water shoes help.
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Holy Trinity Church, Hrastovlje
Inside the fortified walls of this Romanesque church, about 20 km inland from Koper, frescoes from 1490 cover every surface, including a Dance of Death in which skeletons lead a king, a bishop and a child. Visits are ticketed and the church keeps limited hours, so check the schedule before driving out. The village sits in a quiet valley below the Karst edge.
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Koper Cathedral
Facing Tito Square, the Cathedral of the Assumption pairs a Gothic lower facade with a Renaissance upper storey, and its freestanding bell tower is open to climb. From the top the view takes in the port cranes, the old town roofs and the Gulf of Trieste. The interior holds paintings by the Venetian painter Vittore Carpaccio.
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Praetorian Palace
Crenellations and a double staircase mark the Venetian Gothic front of this palace on Tito Square, the seat of the town's governors for centuries. The ground floor holds the tourist information centre, and the upper rooms, including the ceremonial hall, are open for visits. The square around it is at its quietest early in the morning.
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Simonov Zaliv
A pebbly bay just west of Izola, reached along the coastal path from the old town, has a grassy shore, shade under pines and a lifeguarded beach in summer. Remains of a Roman villa and harbour lie by the water and partly under it, and a snorkeller can follow the line of the old breakwater. Parking above the bay fills early on hot weekends.
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Škocjan Inlet
Wooden hides and a level circular path ring this brackish lagoon on the eastern edge of Koper, a few minutes' walk from the bus and rail station. Herons, egrets and waders feed in the shallows, and Istrian cattle and Camargue horses graze the wet meadows. Entry is free, and spring and autumn migration bring the most birds.
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Socerb Castle
Perched on the Karst edge about 15 km northeast of Koper, this small castle looks over Trieste, the port and the whole Gulf from a sheer limestone wall. The building houses a restaurant, and the viewpoint by the walls is open to walk to. Clear winter days after the bora wind give the sharpest view of the coast.