The Five Best Beaches in Slovenia

Portorož is Slovenia’s pride and joy when it comes to a beach coastline. As the most popular beach destination in Slovenia, Portorož beach is surrounded by grand seaside resorts and a wide selection of restaurants, shops and cafés with fresh Mediterranean seafood dishes and a strong Italian influence. The ritzy resort town and its large draw from tourists creates a lively atmosphere, and the sandy beach is packed from one end to another with umbrellas and sandcastles during the hot summer months. As one of the only sandy beaches along the Slovenian coastline, Portorož beach is a top location in Slovenia to take a dip in the Adriatic Sea.

The Piran beach is a getaway for Slovenian locals to relax in the town of Piran, perched on the edge of a narrow peninsula jutting out into the Adriatic Sea. Although this is not a sandy beach, the coast is cleanly paved in concrete all along and has various facilities to ensure the most refreshing of swims. Stairwells descending into the sea allow for easy access into the water, and a romantic view of the Venetian and Austrian architecture in the historic town can be seen in the distance.

Mestna beach is situated in Koper, the largest coastal town in Slovenia. A charming town very close to the Italian border, Mestna beach is a pebbly, classically Mediterranean beach. The Italian influence in Koper will have you wondering if you are soaking up the sunlight on the Slovenian Riviera or the Amalfi Coast; this small beach on the outside of the medieval Old Town is a perfect hideaway. The Koper marina and Koper beach, not far from Mestna beach are just as relaxing and provide incredibly stunning sunsets in the summers.

Izola beach, which means island, is another small and pebbly beach in the old fishing village of Izola, close by to Strunjan Park. Izola stretches out deep into the Adriatic Sea, and so the Izola beach provides incredible views of the Slovenian Riviera. The sunsets at this intimate beach are clear and colorful, as fishermen carry on with their duties just off the shoreline. Nearby, there is a picturesque lighthouse, and several restaurants which serve some of the best fresh seafood and local wines.

Mesečev Zaliv (meaning Moon Bay beach) is truly the hidden gem of the Slovenian Riviera. This pebble beach is located inside the Strunjan Nature Park and so is a preserved area with crisp, clean water surrounded by protected wild animal and plant life. Dubbed locally as the Beli Kriz (the White Cross Beach), because of the white cross which sits atop a large cliff that towers over the beach, Moon Bay is well off the beaten path and can only be accessed by foot. The journey to this private paradise is worth the extra effort; the opportunity to relax in front of a beautiful sunset to the sounds of rare wildlife all around is not one to be missed.