Walking the Town Walls of Piran vs Dubrovnik: A Slovenian Value Comparison

The Battle of Adriatic Walled Towns

Dubrovnik in Croatia is internationally famous for its intact medieval fortifications. However, massive cruise ship crowds and steep ticket inflation have driven Dubrovnik's city wall admission up to an astonishing €35.00 per person.

The Slovenian Alternative: Piran

Just up the Adriatic coast on the Slovenian Istrian peninsula lies Piran, a town that spent five centuries under Venetian Republic rule:

• The Town Walls: The 15th-century Town Walls of Piran (Mestno obzidje) crown the hill above the peninsula.
• Admission: Exactly €3.00.
• The View: Climb the stone tower steps to look down on the pastel Venetian Gothic bell tower, Tartini Square, and the red rooftops jutting directly into the deep blue Adriatic sea.
• Crowds: A fraction of the cruise-ship tourist density of Dubrovnik, with authentic, cheap seafood dining on the harbor.