Koper Cathedral

What makes it special

Stand in Tito Square and look at the front first: the lower half is Gothic, the upper half Renaissance, added when the front was redesigned in 1488. The bell tower beside it is the one you can climb, and from the square you can see how it rises above every roof around it.

Inside, the organ is the largest church organ in Slovenia, and it is worth a pause on your way through the nave. Vittore Carpaccio's Holy Conversation is the painting to find. The Virgin sits on a throne with angel-musicians at her feet and six saints set out evenly on either side.

The tower holds one of the oldest bells in Slovenia, dated 1333. Inside it, a permanent exhibition called Upright History tells the town's story on boards set beside the stairs, so the climb is also the best short introduction to Koper you will get.

Visiting

Before you climb, go into the cathedral from the square and walk up the nave. Look for the Carpaccio on the way up, then stop at the organ on the way back.

Collect your tower ticket at the Koper Tourist Information Centre on the same square; the tower keeps the centre's opening hours. The way up passes the exhibition boards, so each stop to read is also a rest.

The climb includes a metal staircase and a tight spiral section, and takes about a quarter of an hour at a steady pace.

Tips

Wear shoes with a good grip, since the climb is more demanding than it looks from the square. If stairs are hard for you, skip the tower and give the time to the paintings in the cathedral instead.

Outside the usual hours, ask the tourist information centre about climbing by prior arrangement.