If you just read those flimsy and often superficial guides about Green Slovenia you will probably rock up here absolutely convinced that the only place on the coast to see is Piran and this should take up one of your daytrips packed into your probably too limited time in the most beautiful small country in Europe! 

And in some ways, we wouldn't argue with that at all.. it's just you might like to know there's more to the Slovenian Mediterranean Coast.. a lot more!

Not as picture perfect as Piran, but serious Venetian Eye Candy here..

If your mind is made up already about the coast, then no need to read this little tip further!

But our fave place on the coast by a million miles is the quiet Venetian peninsular town of Izola, that used to be an island in Roman times and has a little bit of everything that is so good and unique about the Slovenian Adriatic coast..

the main promenade is lined with cafes, restaurants and a rather good ice cream shop..

But you could easily "NOT GET THE MAGIC OF IZOLA", especially if you do not give it enough time or respect..

Just 40 mins down the motorway from the Lodge, Izola is our GO TO seaside spot for a coffee, ice cream, stroll, meal by the sea or a paddle in it and now we are gonna explain exactly why Izola is so understatedley fantastic..

exploring the streets in the Old town..

Green Slovenia is such an undiscovered holiday destination for so many and the advice that even we give to most of our first time guests is to go experience Piran first!

Piran is without doubt another of those Slovenian world class locations, which we also completely adore, so we totally understand people's desire to go see it!

Enormous potted pineapples line the way to the main beaches on the island peninsula..

But the truth is, if you have been lucky enough to visit Piran and Izola a few times each, then you will almost certainly prefer the company of Izola..

How lucky indeed is Green Slovenia to have them both and if you have allocated enough time for your Slovenian hollibubbles, how lucky you will be to go see them both!

Yes, Piran is picture perfect, a Venetian paradise where you can swim, eat and shop, whilst pinching yourself and thinking wow, I never knew the Slovenian coast could be so beautiful.

Coffee in the old town..

Yes, Piran is the best known gem of the Adriatic and we are absolutely delighted and lucky to be only 50 minutes away from one of our very favourite places in Slovenia.

It's just that Izola is better!     

Central roundabout marks the start of the island peninsula..

Izola is actually bigger than Piran as a town, but the island bit, (Izola means island in Slovene, as like we said, it actually was an island in Roman times) is smaller than the Piran's peninsular.. (the bit surrounded by the sea)..

Izola has everything that Piran can offer.. Venetian church towers overlooking an old harbour, with restaurants, cafes, ice cream, swimming and a colourful little old town tucked away with narrow streets.. where every front door is different, just like Piran..

A little street market marks the start of the old town..

But it isn't as picture perfect for your first impression when compared with Piran.. not many places are, even in neighbouring Croatia... Piran is uberstunning.

If your prime goal is just to take photos, then Piran is unbeatable, but the key thing to know about the two towns is this.. 

Izola is everything else you want from Piran.. but cannot have!

Izola is another of the Slovenian coastal towns with a Venetian church tower..

Izola is so much quieter than Piran, there is a feeling you can have Izola all to yourself.

It is so much easier to walk around and so much easier to park. 

In fact pretty much EVERYTHING about Izola is easier and more relaxed than Piran and this is exactly why it is better!

Izola's multiple beaches are stone pebbled and not as picture perfect as the big rocks surrounding Piran, but offer much better places & options to swim, particularly for kids. 

Walk this way from the island towards the marina and the extra beaches..

We will never forget a lovely family from Spain who drove down to Izola just for the evening, as many of our guests do.. They were swimming in the warm salty water, watching the sun set and then had a marvellous meal in the old town.. Well, they truely found the "Magic of Izola" and told us how much they loved the place and these are people who know something about enjoying a coast!

Of course there are fewer restaurants in Izola, but also much fewer people too and you still get a fantastic, huge choice of different styles of meals here. You also get 2 unique choices of specifically local wine made only here in the vine covered hills of the Izola hinterland.      

Like we said, this pretty, relaxed and sleepy town is just 40 mins from the Lodge. The middle of the island is packed with Old Town narrow streets, a wonderful hidden museum, a hidden park side restaurant, specializing in Slovenian cevapcicci (sausages) and an art deco cinema near the bandstand in one of the 4 other island green parks.

May on the Slovenian coast..

The main Izola beaches are easy to find on the tip of the island peninsular, with showers, cafes, bars and the largest green park, with huge trees for shade and such a relaxed feeling of open space, right next to the water..

BUT if you face the sea and go left, along the little harbour, walking for 10 mins past the much bigger marina stuffed with little boats and yachts bobbing around then you will pop out to another much longer, unexpected stretch of Mediterranean coast with crystal clear water, a water slide, pebble beaches and a long concrete promenade that goes off as far as you can see to the Adriatic cliffs..

This 2km stretch of Slovenian coast to Izola is like a huge secret..

It takes a good 20 mins to walk all the way to the end of this promenade from the main island OR you could drive from Izola out along the motorway, direction Strunjan and Piran, turning near Belvedere to try to reach a little car park just above the cafe that sits above the very end of the walkway..

This is where those steep cliffs take over and it is the end of the road for walking next to the sea, but if you are lucky you will get a little wooden pier all to yourself with a terrific view back along the coast to the marina & island of Izola..

This long, paved, secret expanse of extra coastline gives you lots more choice about where to enjoy the sea for your time in Izola.

This is the end of the road for Izola, Strunjan, Moon Bay and Piran are on the other side of these cliffs..

So if it's your first visit to Green Slovenia, we will still probably recommend you go see Piran first for an unforgettable day, but don't be surprised if you do have enough quality time, that you end up stopping off on the way home and are watching the sun set by the seaside at a fab restaurant and better still, if you end spending another half day of your week here discovering the "Magic of Izola"!

We would live in Izola in an instant, but are so lucky we do not need to, as it is so close for day trips and we found the perfect spot for the Lodge between the mountains & the sea, so you can have day after day after day of completely different Green adventures..

In Izola you have to look and you will see, you have to search and you will find.. We absolutely love it to bits and we hope you will give it enough time to find out why!