Izola

Izola: ribiško mesto med Koprom in Piranom

Izola lies on a peninsula between Koper and Piran and is the coastal town that has best preserved its fishing character. The name comes from the Italian word isola, meaning island, which tells you how the old core was once separated from the mainland.

For a visitor this is a quieter part of the coast, as it has neither the crowds of Piran nor the hotel rows of Portorož, while you can visit both within half an hour. If you are looking for the sea without the bustle and a dinner not aimed only at tourists, you will feel at home here.

Staro mestno jedro

The old core is densely built, with narrow streets running down towards the mandrač and painted facades lined up without order. Because of its position on the peninsula you soon get lost in it, which is actually the best way to see it, as you can return to the sea along any street.

Osrednja točka je pristanišče z ribiškimi barkami, ob katerem se vrstijo lokali z razgledom na privezane ladje. Nad mestom stoji cerkev svetega Mavra, do katere se povzpnete v nekaj minutah in od koder se vidi celoten zaliv.

Morje, plaže in Simonov zaliv

Bathing areas are laid out on both sides of the peninsula, with entries mostly by platforms and steps. The best known is Simonov zaliv on the western side, where the only truly sandy part of Izola's coast is and where you can enter the sea without steps.

In this very bay the remains of a Roman villa with its own harbour were discovered, now partly under water and marked with signs along the path. This means that on the same beach you can swim and walk past an archaeological site.

Ribištvo in pristanišče

Izola lived off the sea for centuries, which has left traces in the town and in the cuisine. In the twentieth century the fish cannery employed a large part of the town, and its building remains part of the townscape and a good example of industrial architecture by the sea.

Today fishing is smaller, but the fish offer remains one of the reasons to visit; by the mandrač there are eateries with an emphasis on the daily catch, and it is precisely for this that many people keep returning to Izola.

Parenzana in zaledje

Above the town runs the Parenzana, a cycling route on the line of the former narrow-gauge railway that links Trieste with Poreč. The section above Izola leads through a tunnel and offers a view of the bay from above, and the climbs are gentle, because the line was built for a train.

If you drop down from the route into the hinterland, you soon find yourself among olive groves and vineyards, where there are farms with their own oil. You will find an overview of the routes among kolesarskimi potmi v Izoli.

Kaj početi v Izoli?

In summer the day usually runs between swimming, a walk through the old core and dinner by the mandrač. For the active part you can choose the bike along the Parenzana, rowing along the coast or a boat trip to the neighbouring towns.

Out of season what remains are walks, fish dishes and a visit to the hinterland, which is at its finest then, and the town is at its most homely. You will find an overview of the offer among doživetji v Izoli.

Izola z otroki

For families the easiest choice is Simonov zaliv, as it is the only one with more sand and a gentle entry into the sea. Next to it there are shops and a dining offer, so for the basics you will not need a car.

In the afternoon a walk to the harbour, where you can look at the boats, works well, or a boat trip to Piran. In the rain the nearest solution is the aquarium in the neighbouring town.

Izola v dvoje

V dvoje se obnese počasnejši ritem: jutro na kopališču, popoldne v zaledju med oljčniki in večerja z ribo ob mandraču. Prav zadnje je tisto, po čemer si obiskovalci Izolo najbolj zapomnijo.

For sunset you can climb up to the church above the town or walk along the coastal path towards Strunjan, from where a view of the cliff opens up.

Kaj in kje jesti v Izoli?

Kuhinja je izrazito morska: sveže ribe, školjke, sipe, testenine z morskimi sadeži in oljčno olje iz zaledja. K temu spadata refošk in malvazija, ki ju pridelujejo v okoliških vinogradih.

The offer is concentrated by the harbour and in the old core, where there are also smaller inns with a daily menu. You will find an overview among gostilnami in restavracijami.

Kje prespati v Izoli?

The offer is smaller than in Portorož, so arrange your accommodation in advance, especially for summer weekends. There is most of it apartments, ki so razpršeni po mestu in nad zalivom.

Za bivanje bližje plaži izberite okolico Simonovega zaliva, za mir pa zaledje nad mestom. Pregled celotne ponudbe najdete med namestitvami.

Kam na izlet iz Izole?

Najbližja sta Koper z največjim starim jedrom na obali in Piran na drugi strani zaliva, oba znotraj pol ure. Med njima je še Portorož s peščeno plažo in hotelsko ponudbo.

Za cel dan se pomaknite v zaledje na Kras ali v Brda, kjer se morje zamenja za vino in gričevje. Širši pregled destinacije najdete pod Obalo in Krasom.