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Koper, Slovenia
We docked in Koper early on the 21st but enjoyed a slow morning as we did not have a tour scheduled. After a leisurely breakfast we got off the ship around noon to wander the local town.
Koper is very small, but has a significant history connected with Italy and the Venetians. You can see the influence in the architecture of the older buildings. We walked through Tito Square first and saw the bell tower which overshadows the square. What was amazing to see is how the entire old town area is very clean. Looking at our photos brings back that clear memory.
We spent a coupke of hours wandering through the narrow streets from square to square until we reached the outer wall of the old town. Immediately outside it is very modern and fast paced.
This evening we were invited to join the Captain at his table for the Welcome dinner. We were the solo americans as the other guests were all from England. Michael and Gillian and their friend Michael were lovely and enjoyable, Peter and Gina were the extraordinary table guests. Peter acted similar to an upper crust elite lord, but he wasn't! Randy started calling him "Sir" and "Lord Peter" as a joke, but Peter never corrected. Peter and Gina's history was very interesting. Married for 30 years the first time, apart for 10 years, then re-married for another 17 years (I think I recall). We teased her as to why she went for a second go! But clearly you could tell they fit and they love each other. Peter, as only an extraordinary person would do, told the Captain he should host another dinner for the 7 of us and provide Zampone, an italian stuffed baked sausage. He told him he had asked every Silversea captain on his previous, numerous cruises for this and no one had provided it for him! Rather audacious, however the Captain said he would see what he could do. And while, I'm getting ahead of myself, you will see that on our last night in Sorrento, Captain Palmieri did just that!
After a lovely dinner we met up with David and Lynn and the rest of the group in the lounge for the remainder of the night.
On to Split!
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Koper Bell Tower from the ship |
Silver Wind docked at Koper |
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Bell Tower |
Bell Tower |
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Tito Square |
Cafe where we had cappuccino in lower level |
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View from the square down the street |
Rotunda of St John the Baptist |
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Preseren Square |
Da Ponte Fountain - 1666 |
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Flower Shop |
Harry Potter --- in Slovene |
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Beams
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Window |
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St Justine's Column in Carpaccio Square |
Looking down the street toward the bay |
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Map of Koper |
Postcard for Slovenia |
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Koper Postcard |
Postcard |
Pre-cruise Posts
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Koper (Italian: Capodistria; Croatian: Kopar) is a city in southwestern Slovenia, with the other Slovenian coastal towns Ankaran, Izola, Piran, and Portorož, situated along the country's 47-kilometre (29-mile) coastline, approximately five kilometres (3.1 miles) from its border with Italy. Having a unique ecology and biodiversity, it is considered an important national natural resource. With only one percent of Slovenia having a coastline, the influence that the city's Port of Koper, which is also the major contributor to the economy of the eponymous city municipality, has on tourism was a factor in deciding Ankaran to leave the municipality. Koper is the main urban center of the Slovenian Istria with a population of about 25,000.
The city of Koper is officially bilingual, with both Slovene and Italian as official languages. Sights in Koper include the 15th-century Praetorian Palace and Loggia in Venetian Gothic style, the 12th century Carmine Rotunda church, and the Cathedral of St Nazarius, with its 14th-century tower.
Koper is also one of the main road entry points into Slovenia from Italy, which lies to the north of the municipality. The main motorway crossing is at Spodnje Škofije to the north of the city of Koper. The motorway continues into Rabuiese and Trieste. Koper also has a rail connection with the capital city, Ljubljana. On the coast, there is a crossing at Lazaret into Lazaretto in Muggia municipality in Trieste province. The Italian border crossing is known as San Bartolomeo. (From Wikipedia)
From Silversea website: Just half the size of Switzerland, Slovenia is often bypassed in favor of more well-known countries such as Croatia and Italy. The country's relative obscurity owes much to its history. From Roman times to nearly the present day, Slovenian territory was incorporated into far-larger empires, relegating Slovenia through the ages to the role of rustic, if charming, hinterland. Backed by hills planted with olive groves and vineyards, Slovenia's small strip of Adriatic coastline is only 47 km (29 miles) long and dominated by the towns of Koper, Izola, Piran, and Portorož. Following centuries of Venetian rule, the coast remains culturally and spiritually connected to Italy, and Italian is still widely spoken. Koper, Slovenia's largest port, and Izola, its biggest fishery, are workaday towns that nevertheless retain a lot of historical charm. The medieval port of Piran is a gem and a must-see. Its Venetian core is nearly perfectly preserved. The most unspoiled stretch of coast is at the Strunjan Nature Reserve-which also has an area reserved for nudists-between Piran and Izola.
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What We Plan to See:
While we may just visit the town and wander there is a tour from the ship that explores the culinary flavors of the region with lunch at Zemono Manor in Vipava valley and the wine cellar. Vipava Valley is known for its quality white wines and fruits. Could be a wine tasting day.. which could be just the right thing to do after a busy two days in Venice!
