Waking up in the morning should be marked by the song "Don't wake me up" by the well-known Jinxs, so let it linger for at least a sweet five minutes, and then rush into the new day with a swimsuit and a towel in one hand and a backpack in the other. To make our step as free as possible, let's just put on flip-flops...
... for adequate protection, don't forget to take sunglasses and sunscreen. Ready for a happy adventure, let's "saddle our little horse" and drive along the coastal road all the way to Piranha. Its first inhabitants settled here already in the middle of the 5th century, in the 13th century they conquered it Venetians and that's when his heyday began. Merchants, small artisans and salt workers built a series of houses that are still divided into narrow streets and with their writing give a special stamp to this interesting historical place, which we decided to explore in more detail, so let's park in the public parking lot just before entering the city core, let's breathe the sea air and walk to the renovated Tartini square with always varied events. Let's sit under one of the cafe's umbrellas and when ordering coffee, remember that we are all different people. The Ljubljana coffee naming is not the same as the coastal one, so let's check with the waiter if we think the same way and take advantage of the chat to get first-hand information about this time's happenings in the city.
We were speechless, you said sun...
The melody coming from the nearby speakers reminds us of the band Planet Groove, but at the same time encourages us to protect ourselves from the sun while enjoying juicy bites of the best burek around. Our bakery is hiding on Vegetable market for the municipal palace and offers on its shelves everything from cheese, meat, potato, spinach, to burek with malancani and feta cheese, of course also a variety of other breads, loaves, loaves, slices of pizza and sweet treats, so there is no reason not to choose something and headed a few blocks down with the warm and crunchy goodness, to the coast, where the warm sun and comfortable rock should serve as a natural ambience for our morning snack. Narrow streets, interesting facades, flower-decorated balconies should be our guideposts when we intentionally get lost and let ourselves discover the core of Piran.
Wherever our path leads, we will hardly miss it Stari trg or May 1st Square, as the main streets of Piran flow into it. The square is a popular meeting place for the children of Piran, as its central platform hosts many music, dance and theater events during the summer months. Both residents and guests of the city like to come here for shopping or for a glass of local wine. Let's also absorb its atmosphere and try sweet wine in the shade of the vines of the Kantina snack bar, while we poke toothpicks into homemade prosciutto and goat cheese with olives. It's really nice for us, but don't let the adventure end yet, so let's look around and look for the bell tower above the city Church of St. Yuri, which should serve as our orientation and also for our next goal. The view of the boxes of colorful houses and the endless horizon in front of us will not leave us indifferent, nor will the visit to the interior of the church, which many choose to confirm their love - a wedding ceremony. With rice in our hair, or not this time, we decide if we would like to refresh ourselves by jumping into the water or if we will wait for the afternoon when the sun is less aggressive. If we are still tempted to soak in the sea, we go down the well-maintained walking path to Fiese on the other side of the hill. But if we want to continue discovering the city, let's go back towards the city center of Piran, turn into one of the many galleries on the way and head to our vehicle. Near the bus station, there is a roadside inn called Pri Mari, which wins the hearts of even the most demanding eaters with its varied selection of Mediterranean dishes. With a daily menu full of originality and gourmet delights, it ensures that visitors to Piran leave with a delicious memory, so let's check for ourselves what they have to offer this time and treat us to a scoop or two of excellent homemade ice cream at the Karamela pastry shop right next to the bus station.
Without borders
But the day is not over yet, because the adventure calls out for the unexpected. Let's keep an open mind and not let any borders limit us, not even national ones. Let's drive to the customs office and continue to the Croatian side, where after less than 10 kilometers we will arrive at Umaga. The city is divided into two parts. The older part with the old city center lies on the peninsula, and the newer part on the mainland. A walk through the city will confirm its reputation for picturesqueness and lead us to Amphora taverns, right next to the sea. With a view of the infinity of the horizon and a plate of seafood specialties in front of us, we end our adventure and don't forget that a new one is coming soon.
Information:
OUR BAKERY, Levstikova 1−3, Piran
OKREPČEVALNICA KANTINA, Trg 1. maja 10, Piran
GOSTILNA PRI MARI, Dantejeva 17, Piran, 05 673 47 35
CARAMELA CONFECTIONERY, Dantejeva 4, Piran, 05 673 20 77
TAVERNA AMFORA, Riječka 45, Umag, 00385 52 752 970
