Portoroz – from salt trade to boutique tourism
Portoroz is a renowned tourist
resort on the Slovenian coast. It is a favourite destination for vacations,
entertainment and congress tourism. This charming tourist town, halfway
between Piran and Lucija, lies in a bay, surrounded by beautiful flysch hills
in the background, serving as a protective barrier against the cold winds.
Administratively, Portorož belongs to the municipality of Piran and has around
17,000 inhabitants.
The
town of Portoroz was known for its spas as early as the 13th century.
Portoroz was named after the church of St. Mary of the Rosary, Madonna of the roses, and
the name of the town is first mentioned in the 12th century in connection with
the Benedictine monastery that stood on the hill, in the vicinity of the
current Metropol hotel. Historical sources have it that Saint Lawrence’s bay
(today’s Portoroz) attracted galleys and ships that searched for shelter and
protection against storms. Friars used to cure illnesses with seawater and
brine. By 1830, the first spa hotel had been built. Successful healing and
treatment methods began to lure more and more guests. Portorož started to
attract not only guests looking for health-related services, but also visitors
looking for relaxation. Even before the First World War, Portorož acquired
international fame by becoming a well-appreciated tourist resort.
Modern
Portorož is dotted with hotels, restaurants and bars, casinos, beaches,
seaside walking tracks, old villas and gardens.
Dear guests,
Due to the government ordinance issued in order to improve the epidemiological situation in Slovenia, our accommodation facilities are temporarily closed. We are certain, however, that we will be able to meet again soon. You can contact us via our website and our call centre. We will be happy to answer your questions, receive enquiries and take bookings.
Book with no strings attached: we offer free cancellations! Take a look at our terms and conditions of payment or contact us:
Please contact us at booking@h-bernardin.si or on +386 4 579 16 00.
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We can’t wait to see you again: Take a look at the Currently open page and check when we are reopening.
Together again, safely: Find out more about Hygiene Standard Plus, our above-standard set of measures for hygiene and protection.
We will be together again soon. Sava Hotels & Resorts
You
can enjoy n ight life and
entertainment in the many bars at the beach, or you can give your taste buds a
treat in one of the renowned restaurants offering authentic culinary
delicacies and inspiring recipes to create utmost culinary experiences.
The cuisine in the coastal towns, such as Portoroz, leans toward recipes with
genuine local spices and ingredients as well as seafood. Dishes including fish,
shells, crabs and other seafood delicacies. Local people are famous for adding
a genuine local touch to seafood dishes, food thus acquiring a characteristic
taste and bringing forward a genuine Istrian aroma.
Between the sun and the sea
Bernardin is a touristic destination amongst oleanders, palm trees, rosemary and laurel bushes where you can find a holiday resort and meeting point on 25 acres of land, comprising hotels of different categories and price ranges but with one thing in common: services of the highest standards enriched with Slovenian hospitality. All this is
Bernardin.
Climate
Boasting a
submediterranean climate, Portorož is considered one of the warmest locations
in Slovenia. It has a low rainfall rate and characteristically mild winters
with high, but still moderate summer temperatures. The number of sunny days is
high. The average annual sunshine duration is 2346 hours. Rainfall rate is low,
between 1000 and 1100 mm yearly. Portorož, aka the port of roses, is visited by
all generations, 365 days per year. It never falls asleep. If you opt for a
visit, check
the weather forecast and switch to live
stream –
webcam
Beach
Bernardin Resort, Grand Hotel
Bernardin
Portorož Beach boasts a
number of piers, a walking track, a water sports centre, playground and many
other facilities. The beach consists of a sand-covered area and a grass area,
chaise lounges are available on both. Along the beach there are restaurants
with a rich offer of culinary specialities and pubs where you can enjoy and
relax in comfortable armchairs.
The central beach Portoroz
Bernardin Resort Vile Park and Histrion Beach
Medusa exclusive Beach
Campsite Lucija beach
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Things to do
There is a wide range of
choices, just pick a suitable one for you.You can choose from activity options
for families, couples, seniors, groups of friends or athletes.
During your stay in Portorož, when you get to know the
good humoured and friendly locals, or while you experience culinary delicacies, you can also spend your time
practicing sports. There is a vast range of choices:
| Diving | Horseback riding | Fishing | Waterskiing | Sailing | Volleyball | Cycling | Parachuting | Surfing | Football | Tennis | | Golf | | |
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Portorož offers you a complete range of holiday
services. Visitors can choose among numerous hotels, apartments and hostels.
Culinary specialities can be tasted in the best restaurants offering a wide
choice of local food delicacies. Spend time on the beach or enjoy in your
favourite activity to make your day memorable. You may attend a festival or a
concert in the evening. Portorož is just the perfect choice for all
generations, eager to have fun, relax or take a rest.
Location
Things to experience
1. Avditorij Portoroz
Avditorij
Portoroz is the largest event location in Portoroz, a theatre complex where
events and festivals for all generations, both the elder and the younger, take
place. In summer, the outside venue hosts many theatre, music and film events.
The 5th Golden Age Gym Festival meeting and spectacles took place here in 2016.
2. Sečovlje Salina Nature Park
The Secovlje
saltpans are considered among the largest still operating maritime saltmaking
facilities. The surface area of the Secovlje
Salina Nature Park is around 65 ha. The saltpan area consists of numerous
basins, cristalization and evaporation pools. Although salt ceased to be the
backbone of the economy, it still retains a central importance and continues to
be appreciated both from a dietetics and beauty&care point of view, due to
its mineral ingredients and health benefits. Sečovlje Salina Nature Park is a
protected area, a nature reserve, for the area is a representative monument to
our past, cultural identity and saltmaking legacy. The oldest part, called
Fontanigge, is now a nature park, the aim of which is to preserve the balance
in this fragile and special ecosystem, home to a rich variety of plants and
animals, particularly birds that choose this favourable area for nesting. The
saltpans are open to new tourist-oriented and learning activities, where
visitors are welcome to come and learn about the traditional techniques of salt
production and harvesting. The programmes’ objective is to raise environmental
awareness and respect for natural heritage.
3. Fiesa
Fiesa
is a small bay situated between Piran and Strunjan. In fact, it is a plain
nestled in-between two flysch cliffs. The most interesting features are the
couple of freshwater lakes, the smaller one being of natural origin and the
larger one is artificial. They are located next to the seaside walking track
that leads toward Piran. The lakes were declared natural monuments in 1990.
Their origin is linked to the soil changes subsequent to clay mining,
commissioned by a brick plant manufacturing facility. The smaller lake is
filled with freshwater and measures 6,5 metres in depth. The larger one is
deeper and was connected to the sea in 1963, thus inducing
freshwater-saltwater mixing. This biotop creates a habitat where freshwater and
saltwater flora and fauna coexist. The banks are covered in broad strips of
reeds and other varieties of plants that give safe shelter to marsh birds, fish
and rare endangered species of dragonflies. Panel signs are located close to
the lakes. Over the last decades, the bay has developed into a holiday resort
with a mobile homes camp, hotels, vacation homes and villas.
4. Parenzana railway
The Parenzana is a 123,1
km long narrow-gauge railway that used to connect 33 Istrian towns between
Trieste and Poreč (Parenzo), namely consisting of 13 km of length in Italy, 32
km in Slovenia and 78 km in Croatia.
The railway was shut down in 1935. On the occasion of the centenary of the
railway opening in 2002, initiatives for the revival of the old railway began
and among the many project proposals arose the one involving the creation of a
cycling and walking track. It was only after some years, in 2006 to be precise,
that the project’s kickstart took place and things began to develop
further. By 2008, 80 km of railway
tracks were renovated and new Croation-Slovenian tourism-related initiatives
were integrated.
5. St. Bernard’s church
The
greenery-covered small promontory between medieval Piran and contemporary
Portoroz, boasting favourable climate conditions, is located on a 25-hectare
area of Bernardin hotel resort. The central feature is the bell tower of an
old, 15-century small church dedicated to St. Bernard, a quiet witness to the
rich cultural heritage.
6. Seca – Cactus botanical garden
An
unusual sight awaits you at Seca near Portoroz, where different cactus species
are on display. To access the garden, follow the walking track from Lucija
camping site or take the main roadfrom Portoroz.
Hotels and Campsite in Portorož