Sea

Nature

Culture

Locals

Izola promises a wide range of unforgettable experiences throughout the year. The beautiful villages of the Istrian countryside invite you to take a stroll, offering inviting views, numerous hiking and biking trails, and excellent cuisine. Not only does the sea offer fun in the summer, but it is also a paradise for water sports enthusiasts in the autumn and spring. Interesting boat experiences are available as well.

In addition to its natural and marine beauty, Izola also hides cultural treasures. Visit the famous palaces, climb the bell tower, and learn about the town's maritime history in the museum Izolana - House of the Sea.

Adventures at sea

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Recreation on the Coastal road

Regardless of the season, we want to encourage you to spend your free time actively. There are many options, but we will focus on the coastal road, which was finally closed for traffic in the spring of 2017. That's how the »Riva Lunga«, first constructed in 1837, became a connection between Izola and Koper for all those who desire physical activity. Since its construction, the road has been subject to many transformations. The most welcome is the last one, making the area a sort of a green oasis between the two coastal towns. In addition to recreation with an open view of the sea, the fact ...

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Let's discover the sea secrets

Rijeka – Symbol of Seafaring The Croatian Kvarner region is not far from the Slovenian Istria. We're going on a trip to Rijeka which will delight everyone who loves maritime heritage. Here you can hear the story of the Stefan sailing boat from Rijeka that was wrecked in Australia in 1876. Details of this event are still preserved today in a logbook kept in the Maritime and History Museum of the Croatian Littoral in Rijeka. While walking around the city, do not forget to visit the Port of Rijeka, the shipyard, the Nautical School in Bakar, and the Faculty of Maritime Studies. Those who enjoy...

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Diverse Izola beaches

Izola has 8 beaches spread over 5 km. If you don't know about all of them, get to know them in this post! Just like many parks in Isola, beaches are a place to relax, and not just in summer! Lounging and soaking up the sun, strolling by the sea with the wind in your hair, or taking a moment to yourself with the sound of the waves. Every season is special at the beach, don't you agree?

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Boat trips

Summer isn't only for going to the beach but also a perfect opportunity for boat trips. Take a panoramic ride with the wind in your hair or choose another type of sea journey. Do you feel like going on a sailing trip? Continue reading and find what best suits you!

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Easy walk on the circular trail

Here is a suggestion for an active afternoon by the sea. With the wind in your hair and while inhaling healthy, salty air, you will be ready for new challenges and enriched with wonderful impressions on one of Izola's most picturesque trails. Starting a new day relaxed and calm is the best. How about starting your Saturday or any other free morning with the intoxicating aroma of coffee and croissant in a café located by the seashore, only to continue with a leisurely walk along the Parenzana trail towards the Strunjan valley? Along the way, there are a number of places worth seeing during t...

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Uphill to Izola's hinterland

Prepare to take a half-day hike from Izola to its hinterland for breathtaking views. Your gaze will fall upon places in the heart of Istria on one side, while continuing all the way to the sea and taking you to the Alps and the Dolomites on the other side. Even those who would like to take a more demanding route in addition to the seaside walks or easy trails will be delighted, since Izola with its surroundings offers magnificent circular routes with ascents into the hinterland. You will be enchanted by the tranquillity of the natural landscapes and the panoramic views from the green hilly hin...

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Discover 10 Izola viewpoints

Izola views are viewpoints that will take your breath away, allow you to create unforgettable photographs (with your loved ones or by yourself), and leave a magical lasting impression of Izola. In good weather, most of these spots offer a view of Izola in the embrace of beautiful alpine mountains, with our highest peak of Mount Triglav among them. Not to mention the magical sunsets …

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Along the green paths of the countryside of Izola

In addition to the Istrian hills and romantic villages, the hinterland of Izola offers the opportunity for an active free time. Cyclists, hikers or horse-back riders can embark on the path of discovering natural heritage, water sources, or history of the former Parenzana railway and enjoy the autumn colours of the woods surrounding the old Istrian villages.

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A trip in the cuntryside of Izola

Fresh sunny days are perfect for exploring the picturesque hinterland. We have prepared itineraries for you that allow you to explore Slovenian Istria. Save time with planning and follow our suggestions on how to spend a day in the countryside of Slovenian Istria.

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From Izola through slovenian Istria by bike

Slovenian Istria offers numerous cycling paths with different levels of difficulty. You can travel on asphalt roads on your own or with your family. If you are more fascinated by the arduous routes that offer a lot of adrenaline, we recommend the wooded streets and macadam streets. The coastal cycling routes will surely remain in your memory as they offer spectacular panoramic views, beautiful nature and cultural attractions of the nearby towns.

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Dive Deep Into Culturally Rich Experiences

Izolana is the city's largest treasure trove of cultural heritage and stories of the past. However, there are plenty of cultural experiences to be had in Izola's alleyways, by the sea, and even in the surrounding countryside. Here are some tips on how to get the most out of Izola's culturally vibrant and sustainable experiences.

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Baroque gem: Besenghi degli Ughi Palace

The historical town of Izola hides a baroque gem known as the Beseghi degli Ughi Palace, which was owned by a noble family Besenghi, otherwise from Tuscany. Looking at the palace, which is not freely accessible as it houses the Izola Music School, you will see an artfully crafted Rococo style façade. The palace’s central hall with its rich paintings is inspiring and you can see it in a 3D video.

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Discover the treasures of Istrian heritage

The small town characterized by fishing and inviting beaches hides many treasures of cultural and natural heritage. They are beautiful in winter and summer alike, inviting you to discover them throughout the whole year. Enjoy the Istrian gems Start your trip in Korte, a charming village in the heart of the Izola countryside. There, you will find the restored Frata water source, one of the water sources in the hinterland, which used to be one of the only sources of water. Walk up to the prehistoric hillfort Kaštelir, where a fortified settlement stood for at least 5000 years from the late Neol...

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Top 5 Autumnal Experiences in Izola

5. Culinary delights: treat yourself to the flavours of the sea and the countryside To experience the beauty of Izola to the fullest, a visit to the local restaurants is a must. Add a little extra spice to your experience and choose your favourite from a wide range of typical Istrian flavours. "From the sea to your plate", as we like to say, is a guarantee of freshness served up by our fishermen, while the countryside will enchant you with its typical Istrian cuisine. Perhaps you're in the mood for something you can eat by the spoonful, or are you more tempted by the exquisite truffle?...

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Museum detective in Izolana – house of the sea

Izola’s museum Izolana – House of the Sea invites children on a very special adventure. The hunt for the treasure will acquaint the children with the history of Izola and its interesting locals. Overcoming challenges, solving puzzles and of course, searching for the treasure is followed by a creative workshop, where children will get to know model making and create their own, special marine souvenir.

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Discover the Archaeological park in San Simon

It was 2nd century BC, and the Romans started to move to Istria. Remnants of this have also been found in Izola, in San Simon. There, some Romans have built a sea-side villa with a port – the largest one in Northern Istria. Even today, you can see the remains of the villa at the archaeological park right by the San Simon beach.

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Feel the heartbeat of Izola

On the coastline and at sea with Sanela Fancy an eventful adventure around the centre of Izola to discover some interesting facts about its romantic narrow streets while also getting to know the locals, who will add a familiar touch to your visit? Come on, let's go! This time, we set off with Sanela, Izola’s local, and Urša from Nova Gorica, the winner of the competition “A day with local people”.

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Experience Izola’s countryside

On a trip with Rozana Are you ready to discover the secrets of Izola’s countryside, mingle with the friendly locals, find out about the customs and traditions and stroll through different historical periods? Join Tomaž from Zagorje ob Savi and Rozana, a local woman from Korte above Izola, on a daily trip around Izola’s hinterland. Watch the video below!

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Revealing the little green secrets of the locals

Mojca and Klemen were exploring Izola at the start of the summer. We – the locals – secretly observed them. We were happy when we ran into them in the alleys, on the beaches and even in the countryside. However, they didn’t know how to handle some situations, so we figured they needed our help. After all, we know best how to enjoy Izola to the fullest and take care of our town to keep it beautiful and authentic for future generations. We had a lot of fun helping them, that’s why we decided to share some stories with you. The stories reveal some green tips for a carefree and relaxing su...

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Stories of the locals

The majority of the year the locals share our little town with visitors. We consider them friends, and we gladly show them around, let them in on our secrets, and make sure they keep coming back to visit us each year.

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Secrets

Everyone carries at least one secret inside of them, which is connected to the place where they live. The secrets are different – some more, some less hidden. Some of them we share with others at certain moments, while others remain just ours forever.

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