Koper
From Wikitravel
Koper (Italian: Capodistria) [1] is Slovenia's only commercial port.
[edit] Understand
Koper can trace its name back to the Roman town of Caprea. In 1278, the town voluntarily joined Venice and was later renamed Capo d'Istria — hence the Italian name. However, much of Koper's Italian inhabitants fled after WW2 when the town was assigned to the Free Territory of Trieste, administered by and later incorporated into Yugoslavia. The Communists built an unattractive sprawl of factories and warehouses to the south, but mercifully left the old town almost entirely untouched, and it's this that draws the (comparatively few) tourists who venture this way.
[edit] Get in
Koper is easily reachable with bus and train. The train and bus stations are adjacent and located about 1 km south of the Muda Gate to the old city. The nearest airport is in Trieste (64 km), although Ljubljana's (124 km) is also an option.
From Ljubljana, there are hourly buses and 5-6 trains daily, both taking around two hours. There are also direct services to Trieste in Italy.
[edit] Get around
Koper's Old City can easily be covered on foot.
[edit][add listing] See
Koper's main sight of interest is the Venetian-era old city, which is in much worse shape than that of Piran, but hence also feels more real. Repairs and restoration are slowly under way.
The center of the old city is Tito Square (Titov trg), an austere piazza surrounded by slowly crumbling palazzi. From here, the cobbled Čevljarska ulica leads south and Kidričeva ulica leads west to the marina.
- Praetorian Palace, Titov trg 3. Dating back to the 15th century and the only fully restored building in the plaza, this is Koper's symbol and it now houses the tourist office.
- Cathedral of the Assumption, Titov trg. Undergoing some much-needed renovation.
[edit][add listing] Do
There are no beaches to speak of, although you can pay a few euros to bathe in the sea just north of the marina.
[edit][add listing] Buy
There are two big shopping centers. One is Mercator [2] and the other is Supernova [3] [4]. There is also a big department store called Blagovnica Soča.
[edit][add listing] Eat
- La Storia, Pristaniška ulica 3. Cozy trattoria within Hotel Koper, with a pleasant terrace in the summer. Serves a wide ranges of pizza and pasta dishes, but try the "trio" sets that get you three small portions for the price of one — the gnocchi are excellent. €5-7.
- Pizzeria Atrij
- Pizzeria Štoria
- Pizzeria La Storia
- Restavracija Manta
- Pizzeria Park
[edit][add listing] Drink
- Lord Byron Pub, Repičeva ulica 2
[edit][add listing] Sleep
[edit] Budget
- Dijaški dom Koper, Cankarjeva ulica [5]
- Hostel Museum, Muzajeski trg [6]
- Youth Hostel Port, Anakaranska 7
[edit] Mid-range
- Hotel Koper, Pristaniška ulica 3. The only hotel in the old city.
- Garni hotel Pristan, Ferrarska ulica 30 [7]
- hotel Žusterna, Istrska cesta 76 [8]
- hotel Vodišek, Kolodvorska cesta 2 [9]
- Bio motel Vodišek, Vanganelska cesta 2 [10]
[edit] Get out
The rest of Slovenia's short coastline is easily accessible from Koper. Public bus service is available every 20 minutes to:
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