Koper
Koper is a port city on Slovenia's coast, where a compact old town of Venetian palaces and squares sits beside a working harbor.
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Koper sits on the Istrian coast in southwest Slovenia and is the main urban center of the Slovene coast. It is the country's fifth-largest city and home to its main commercial port, the only container port in Slovenia. Most visitors come for the old town, where the Praetorian Palace and the Loggia face each other across Titov trg. Both are Venetian Gothic. The cathedral holds a 1516 Sacra Conversazione by Vittore Carpaccio. Venice ruled the city for about five centuries, and most of the old town's main monuments date from that period.
Koper has no airport. Trieste Airport, about 65 km north, is the nearest. The A1 motorway and a rail line link the city with Ljubljana. Slovene and Italian are both official, and public signs often use both. The climate is Mediterranean, with long hot summers and mild winters. Autumn is the wettest season, and the bora, a strong northeast wind, can disrupt travel for residents and visitors.
Koper in five
- Arrive by train: the coast's railway station is hereKoper is the closest railway station to Portorož and Piran, with a bus terminal beside it. Both stations are a 20-minute walk from the old center, with town buses running in.
- Climb the bell tower for 8 EURThe 54 m City Tower holds the oldest working bell in Slovenia, cast in Venice in 1333. Adults pay 8 EUR and students and children 5 EUR; it opens 9:00 to 17:00 daily via the tourist office.
- Book Praetorian Palace tours aheadGuided tours of the palace need advance booking at the tourist office. In September 2026 they ran on selected dates at 11:00 and 15:00.
- Use Koper as the base for TriesteTrieste is 20 km and about 25 minutes by road, and a regular international bus line links the two cities. Trieste's airport is about 40 minutes from Koper by car.
- Walk the old coastal road to IzolaA 4 km walk on the former coastal road leads to Izola, where a bus can bring you back. The Izola guide has the route details, the facilities and the SS Rex marker.Izola
Things to do in Koper
See all attractions in Koper
Need to know
- Airport
- Trieste (Ronchi dei Legionari), about 40 min by car; Ljubljana 100 km
- Getting there
- Train or bus from Ljubljana; about an hour by road
- Getting around
- On foot; town buses from the stations
- Best base
- Old town for evenings; near the station for early trains
- Time needed
- Half a day; one night with the Škocjanski Zatok marsh
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh8°Low2°Mild, quietJanuaryPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 8°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 92 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, quiet
- FebruaryPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh10°Low3°Mild, quietFebruaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 105 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, quiet
- MarchPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh13°Low5°Cool, quietMarchPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 13°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 98 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, quiet
- AprilPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh17°Low9°Spring, quietAprilPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 97 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring, quiet
- MayRain16 rainy daysHigh21°Low13°Warm, greenMayRain
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 145 mm
- Rainy days
- 16
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, green
- JuneClear10 rainy daysHigh27°Low18°Warm, long daysJuneClear
Best
- High
- 27°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 90 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, long days
- JulyClear11 rainy daysHigh29°Low20°Hot, busyJulyClear
Best
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 20°
- Precipitation
- 89 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, busy
- AugustClear9 rainy daysHigh29°Low20°Hot, busyAugustClear
Best
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 20°
- Precipitation
- 107 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, busy
- SeptemberRain12 rainy daysHigh24°Low16°Warm, calmSeptemberRain
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 183 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, calm
- OctoberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh19°Low12°Mild, calmOctoberPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 19°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 138 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, calm
- NovemberRain12 rainy daysHigh13°Low7°Wet, quietNovemberRain
Mixed
- High
- 13°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 160 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wet, quiet
- DecemberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh10°Low4°Mild, lightsDecemberPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 122 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, lights
Average daily high and low in Koper, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Koper
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
10
- Feels like
- 6°
- Humidity
- 69%
- Wind
- 28 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 5%
Slovenian Coast
09:47 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today12°8°5%Monday: Cloudy. High 12°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 5%.
- Tue13°9°10%Tuesday: Rain. High 13°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 10%.
- Wed13°6°15%Wednesday: Rain. High 13°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 15%.
- Thu14°5°0%Thursday: Clear. High 14°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri14°5°15%Friday: Clear. High 14°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 15%.
- Sat11°6°23%Saturday: Cloudy. High 11°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 23%.
- Sun13°6°27%Sunday: Fog. High 13°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 27%.
Updated 06:08 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Every year
- Jun–SepLjubljana Summer FestivalLjubljana, a day trip
Day trips by train
- Piranabout 16 km along the coast, by busThe protected old town and Tartini Square, reached from the terminal beside the station.Read the guide
- Izola4 km on foot along the old coastal roadA walkable fishing town with a harbor and hillside trails.Read the guide
- Ljubljanaabout 100 km, an hour by road or trainThe capital is the usual first or last night of a Slovenia trip.Read the guide
Before you go to Koper
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Rules for Koper, checked
- Koper Bell Tower: adults 8 EUR, students, pensioners and children 5 EUR, under 6 free; open daily 9:00 to 17:00 via the tourist office.Checked Oct 3, 2026 · Source
- Praetorian Palace guided tours need advance booking at the tourist office; September 2026 tours ran at 11:00 and 15:00.Checked Oct 3, 2026 · Source
Plan around Koper
Which of Piran, Izola and Koper to base in
Read the guidePiranThe protected old town 16 km along the coast
Read the guideIzolaA walkable fishing town on the coastal road
Read the guideLjubljanaThe capital, reached by train or A1 motorway
Read the guideDay trips from LjubljanaBled, Postojna and the coast compared
Read the guideGetting around EuropeRail and bus links from the capital
Read the guideAll of SloveniaThe rest of the country in one guide
Read the guideKoper FAQ
Is Koper worth visiting?
Yes for a half day: Tito Square, the Praetorian Palace, the bell tower and the Škocjanski Zatok marsh, Slovenia's largest brackish marsh with 259 bird species. It is a transport base more than a beach stay.
Koper or Piran: where should you stay?
Piran for atmosphere and evenings, Koper for trains, buses and the Trieste link. If you arrive by rail from Ljubljana, sleeping in Koper saves a transfer.
How far is Koper from Ljubljana?
About 100 km, an hour's drive on the A1 motorway, which needs an e-vignette. Trains and buses also run, and both stations are a 20-minute walk from the center.
Is Koper good for cruise passengers?
Yes. The passenger terminal is a few steps from the center, and the port welcomes 60 to 80 ships a year, so the old town can be busy on port days.
Can you walk from Koper to Izola?
Yes, it is about 4 km on the old coastal road. Walk it one way and take a bus back from Izola if you prefer.