Things to see and do Koper

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.

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.

The only square on the Slovenian coast to rival Piran's famous Tartinijev square! And yet, the Venetian style here seems quite austere. The cathedral was "baroqueized" in the ^18th century, as was the Praetorian Palace to the south of the square, formerly the town hall in the days of the Serenissima Republic. To the north, the Loggia houses a historic café, built in 1462. In the 17th and ^18th centuries, the establishment hosted authors and great thinkers. In 1831, Stendhal, then French consul in Trieste, was seized with admiration.