Koper?

Don't read much about this port. I'm wondering how it compares in interest to other Slovenian ports or other ports in the area. It doesn't seem to be on as many itineraries as some of the other ports. The Lake Bled or the caves excursions sound good, but we can't do 7-8 hour excursions, and don't so much enjoy 2 hours land transportation to get places. (We're on our 80's.) Is there handsome/interesting scenery near the town itself? Thank you.

Koper itself is very small, so an hour or so is likely to be enough time. Ships dock opposite a lift which takes you up to town level or there are stairs if you prefer.

We visited there twice. First time we did a great shorex to Lake Bled and Ljubljana. Beautiful, but yes, quite a long day.

Second time we took the public from Koper to Piran which is a really pretty town a little along the coast and the drive there and back has some scenery too. Regular buses and inexpensive. This might suit you better than a long shorex.

I had found the suggestion to visit there on cc as several members recommended it. If you search this forum for Piran or search cc in general for Piran you will bring up info on it, buses, where the bus stop is etc. For pics simply look online or try Tripadvisor. You could explore Koper after returning from Piran. Enjoy.

I am on a different cruise that also stops in Koper. I also don't want a very long tour so I am not planning to go to Lake Bled. I want to do a tour that just goes to Ljubljana. What did you think of it?

Although there is little in Koper (Slovenia) itself it is an ideal location for visiting some of the top sights in the area, including national parks, caves, Ljubljiana, Lake Bled etc. It is also only a few minutes drive from Trieste (Italy) which we have also visited in the past and many shorex offered from there are the same ones.

Your options will depend on your cruise line. We had a choice of a shorex to the city only or one to both the city and Lake Bled which we did as Lake Bled is not far from the city.

At Lake Bled we had a short drive alongside the lake and return, before driving up to the Castle where we had approx an hour free time. Views were stunning. It is a very pretty lake. Should be photos online.

Ljubljiana has to be one of the prettiest and smallest European capital cities. We had perfect weather on an autumn day and the centre looking really pretty. It would likely be the same in spring and summer as much of it is located alongside the river which is planted with trees, shrubs etc. Lovely riverside strolls, cafes, restaurants etc. We left our guided group on arrival and met back at the coach as we could then please ourselves what we wanted to do and see. It is really compact, no worries about getting lost. Should be lots of photos and info on the internet, especially on Tripadvisor. Do have a look and a read to help you decide.

I forgot to mention that there was a HOHO bus going to Piran and that was at the dock. I had read very mixed online reviews on this service and several were quite critical especially with regard to timings. Having read these we decided to take the local bus instead. When I contacted Koper Tourist Info for a bus timetable, they also sent a map of Koper with the route from the dock to the bus stop marked, although it is easily found. Going to it, it is best to take the slightly longer route around the old town because it is one road to follow. Coming back you could wander the old town instead. You would then finish at the lift/stairs down to the dock. It really is tiny.

Hope some of the above helpful.

Many thanks for these responses.

We have been to all those places during a land tour:

Postojna Cave: It has wonderful cave formations, but the visit requires some walking. Therefore, it may not be suitable for people who have walking problems.

Lake Bled: This is a very scenic place. I highly recommend it. When you are there, take a boat ride, and also try the famous cream cake.

Ljubljana: This is another beautiful European city for you to stroll around, but it won't take long for you to see the major sites.

I agree with Kestrel. We spent a week in Lake Bled in September 2015. We hired a cAr for our stay and saw a lot of the country. The scenery is beautiful and is one of the nicest places we have visited.

We haven't been to Koper, but we did a long day trip to Llubljana and Lake Bled from Trieste, using a combination of Go Opti private shuttle (from Trieste to Llubljana) and Slovenian Explorer tours (for a day-long tour of Lake Bled). Lake Bled is absolutely stunning in the autumn, and Llubljana is a great city to explore with a riverside walk and a nice castle that you can take a funicular to. Just terrific, and beautiful.

we did a private tour in Koper last year-link to review in my signature of the NCL Spirit Grand Med

we didn't want too much walking and Lake Bled too far so set up tour which took in seaside town and a general tour of countryside

found it to be a very beautiful country