Things to see and do Southwest

This cave has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1986. Much more natural and authentic than the one in Postojna. She's on foot. The waters of the Notranjska Reka river disappear near the village, rush into the karst massif, roar as you cross the Hanke Bridge, a 45-metre suspension bridge. With a total length of 5 km, it makes a singular mark on the spirits. On the way back, a small hook at the lookout allows a view of the Velika Dolina, the large dolina, 160 m deep.

The castle is a real eagle's nest. Every lord's dream. Impenetrable. It is attached to a 123 m rock face. It was built inside the rock cavity in the 13th century. Nothing to do with the current 16th century fortress built by Jean de Kobenzl. Such a setting, with a complex system of caves and galleries, could only generate the most daring adventures. In the middle of the 15th century, the castle belonged to Nicolas de Foramine, alias Luogar. This rich lord became governor of Trieste. The fiefdom then passed into the hands of Erasmus Lueger. He is probably Nicolas' son, dismissed by Emperor Frederick III. Erasmus Lueger is linked to Matthias, the king of Hungary who fought against the emperor's armies. It's not to please Frederick III. Taken prisoner, sentenced to death, Erasmus managed to escape. Having become a looter with a big heart, defender of the oppressed, the noble rebel confronts the emperor's army. The castle is under siege, but Erasmus has everything it needs. Food comes to him through secret channels and he can come and go without fear. Such a story implies a traitor. A bribed valet tells the enemy where the rebel is. Latrines and a tight fitting ball and chain cause his loss. The wall has five openings. The galleries of the cave are 6.5 km long.

It is the waters of the Lokva that flow into the precipice. After visiting the rooms of the castle, you reach the area where the cave castle was built.

Since the ^17th century, it has been the cradle of biospeleology, the science of underground life. When you arrive at the time of your reservation, you'll be given an audio guide in your own language, before boarding a small train that takes you deep into the cave. On a 2 km guided walk, you can admire the splendid galleries in a golden silence, with the lights dimmed to preserve this unique heritage. The return journey is again by small train, the first in the world to operate in an underground gallery.

The passage is steep in places with ladder and handrail. You need hiking boots. The flora is rich, marked here by the presence of the highly protected Primula carniolica. The place is very pleasant. We follow the stream that leads us into narrow paths where we sink into beautiful gorges. Please note that the Pekel hostel is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The sight of ice climbers in the middle of winter is captivating - but don't dare to copy them, it's very dangerous!

The city walls of Piran are mentioned as early as the 7th century. To this day, Piran has retained its medieval character as a clustered urban fabric surrounded by a city wall. Its preserved remains are of exceptional historical value, giving the city a view that is well known to Slovenians. You can access the towers to have a magnificent view of the peninsula and the bay of Trieste. Definitely the place for the best photo views, a must-see.

A visit to discover this little-known musician in France. The superb house in which the exhibition is housed is quite simply the birthplace of the famous violinist. Today, it is the headquarters of Piran's Italian community. On the second floor are numerous posthumous objects belonging to the artist, including musical compositions, his self-portrait, and his famous violin, which accompanied him at every performance. Superb frescoes on display.

It was certainly established at the end of the 6th century in the heart of the old walled city, but its current architectural version, designed by the Venetian architect Massari, dates from the mid-18th century. You will enjoy visiting the chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Carmel, a medieval vestige of the old church, beautifully preserved. You can also admire the pictorial talent of Carpaccio, Venetian artists known for their altarpieces. Beautiful view from the campanile.

In Koper, you quickly feel cramped when it comes to beaches. For some, the lack of space and fine sand could even be prohibitive. If you enjoy a calm and serene swim, choose the Zusterna beach, which will not guarantee you a moment of solitude but which will have the merit of offering you a place to put your towel down. The downtown beach, concrete and grassy, is well equipped (changing rooms, showers). To the north, the beach of the port enjoys a beautiful panorama, but no guarantee on water quality.

The centre is located in the old Praetorian Palace, which stands on the most beautiful square in the city. You will find a wealth of practical information about the region and you will be able to buy the Koper Card, to benefit from several discounts in town. The tourist agents are good advisers and will provide you with ideas for itineraries according to your wishes. They will also inform you about local festive events and the availability of accommodation and food on site.

The main beach belongs to the municipality, so it is free, but the big hotels take the opportunity to display their deckchairs that they rent at a high price. Don't expect long sandy beaches: here, almost directly on the beach, you have your feet in the water and it's hard to find a place to put your towel down. Don't worry, you are in the Adriatic, the water temperature will be mild. For swimming in summer, it is best to head towards Ankaran, which offers a slightly less crowded beach.

Small museum dedicated to fishing and the relationship between the town of Izola and the sea. The permanent exhibition has been thoroughly revised recently. We learn a lot of things and the proposed route is very coherent. We first enter a first room that shares with us scenes of daily life after World War II in Izola where the sea is already omnipresent. The box on the necessary use of Slovenian wood in the construction of Yugoslav ships is very well done. Upstairs, one room is devoted to the work and legacy of the Italian geographer Pietro Coppo, who was responsible for the first map of the Istrian peninsula in the early sixteenth century, as well as for a puzzling attempt to map the world as a whole. The other rooms focus on the development of a local Istrian identity: with the role of the fish cannery and the Delamaris company in the regional economy, but also with the introduction of the famous Parenzana railway circuit that opened a major trade route in Central Europe in the 19th century. Well-designed educational workshops line the entire route: making knots, simulating a fishing boat in which you can sit... This museum is worth a visit as it is very well documented and offers a very good starting point for discovering the maritime town of Izola, less famous than its neighbors.

Built in the ^15th century, the Venetian Gothic palace fell into disuse several centuries after the fall of the Serenissima. Since 2001, major renovation work has given it a new lease of life, and it once again stands out on the famous Piazza Tito. A small marvel of architectural elegance, the historic building now houses Koper's town council, returning to its original function. Alongside the Slovenian flag, the Italian flag flies on the façade, in recognition of the Transalpine minority.

The museum is housed in the former Belgramoni-Tacco palace built in 1600, a beautiful building with showrooms. On the first floor you will see two Romanesque windows dating from the 9th and 12th centuries, with interlacing. On the second floor, the hall is dedicated to the church of Hrastovlje with its famous Dance of Death. Paintings of the Italian school are exhibited here. One painting depicts Koper/Capodistria in 1604, at that time still an island. The Empire furniture comes from the Maggiolini workshop. Sedan chairs are also exhibited as well as documents from the French period, one of which is signed by Bonaparte. The visit continues in an annex building with a historical presentation of the events in Istria after the attachment to Italy: Mussolini, fascism, oppression, the Second World War, deportations, the partisan struggle, all punctuated by Italian and Slovenian songs. The tragedy of a bicultural region is immediately revealed to us. However, we regret the relatively fresh reception, the overall lack of technical explanations and contextual elements which may jeopardize the general understanding of the permanent exhibition, as well as the great chronological and thematic mix which somewhat distorts the legibility and distribution of the rooms. The ethnographic collection is, on the other hand, very interesting to discover and reminds the visitor of all the influences - sometimes contradictory, sometimes concordant - of the city of Koper.

Named after a great lieutenant of the Yugoslav navy of Slovenian origin, this museum, on the sea in general and not on Piran in particular, offers several developments on the equipment and technical aspects of the most emblematic Slovenian or Yugoslav ships. The part of the exhibition devoted to the strategic evolution of the pre-Slovenian navy is of high quality, as is the in-depth study of the Battle of Lissa in 1866, the first confrontation in the world to feature armoured ships. Nice popularization of the work of the engineer Gabriel Grüber.

There are a total of five beaches in the town, all free of charge, including one reserved for dogs and their owners. The central beach is the best equipped, with green spaces and a supervised swimming area in high season. Next door is the port beach, a pleasant place to walk along at any time of day. To the south is Simonov Zaliv beach, which is wilder with its small pebbles and crowded in summer. Finally, to the north of the town, you'll find the pretty but tiny Svetlinik beach, which is more rocky... For added comfort, a small mattress under your arm or in your bag won't go amiss.

Capacity of 1 500 seats. The beach is located near the Hedley Sidro restaurant, which accommodates 6 000 people. Admission is free.

The square boasts two interesting houses. The Manzioli house (1470) with its Venetian-style windows, and the birthplace of Lovisato (^16th century), a historical scientist who pioneered research into continental drift. Restored almost twenty years ago, the square is now home to the official Italian minority community. The town's oldest church, St. Mary's, dates back to the ^11th century, but is rivalled by St. Maur's in terms of tourist interest.

Its owner, Vekoslav Kebe, has created a small museum dedicated to the lake, which is simply the largest intermittent lake on the Old Continent. Three years of effort to develop the 1:25,000 scale model in 1994 so that the public could have a better understanding of the hydrographic environment. It will delight all audiences. A room has been set up with a 25-minute slide show in several languages, including French. This man, in love with this country, its landscapes and its people, is also the author of a book on the subject.

The museum is located on the path leading to the 17th century church of the Holy Trinity. It is located on the geographical site of the birthplace of the writer Ivan Cankar. Indeed, the latter was completely destroyed by a fire in 1879. The ethnographic exhibition focuses on the precarious conditions of daily life in the Notranjska Valley at the beginning of the 20th century. We are necessarily a little disappointed because the marks of Cankar's literary and linguistic work are really not numerous.

The walk is possible from the village of Grahovo, 5 km southeast of Cerknica. The trail is not marked at the beginning. The only difficulty is the slope. Continuous ascent for more than 1 hour. As you approach the summit, you will discover Lake Cerknica (until around June). In the distance, Mount Snežnik is still snow-covered in late spring. Ask for the start of the trail at the car wash, avtopralnica. Another solution is to take the road at the Grohovo church. Ask the tourist office for advice.