Adriatic Exp;orer - Koper

[cruzinsistas]

Hi,

 

My sister and I are booked on this cruise from May 18th - 25th, one of our ports will be Koper, any information on this port would be very helpful.

 

Thanks, Carol

[kruzseeka]

Hi,

 

My sister and I are booked on this cruise from May 18th - 25th, one of our ports will be Koper, any information on this port would be very helpful.

 

Thanks, Carol

 

 

Here is a link to a review I did a couple of years ago but should still be relevant - although I think the order of visits on the itinerary is different now so you may go on a day other than Sunday which would be better from the point of view of places being open in Koper.

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1205933&highlight=adriatic+explorer

 

It's very easy to get the local bus to Piran - or the Thomson half-day trip to Ljubjlana was good. It'a a fantastic itinerary. Enjoy!

[cruzinsistas]

Thanks very much for the helpful review, sounds as though there may not be enough to keep us busy for the day in Koper ? You'd recommend a side trip ? Carol

[kruzseeka]

Thanks very much for the helpful review, sounds as though there may not be enough to keep us busy for the day in Koper ? You'd recommend a side trip ? Carol

 

 

Hi Carol,

Koper is a nice place and there is a harbour area with cafes etc and remember we've been twice and on both occasions it was Sunday so it was very quiet and didn't have much of a buzz really - but that could be very different on a weekday. However having said that from our experiences I would do a trip there. (It's a good stop though pleasant situation and you can wander around easily - nothing wrong with it as a destination should you really not want to do a trip.)

 

Either the Ljubljana trip which we really enjoyed or the DiY excursion to Piran on the local bus (which was an interesting ride and very cheap) would both allow you to see something else and still have a half day to look around Koper itself so you get the best of both worlds especially if you make a reasonably early start to catch the bus to Piran.

 

As the other ports on this itinerary are really good DiY places, Dubrovnik, Split and Venice (haven't been to Brindisi) you can just do everything under your own steam and there is plenty to see in these places so no need to go anywhere else, then Koper is quite a good stop to do an excursion for a bit of a change.

 

Anyway, whatever you decide I think you'll be blown away by the ports of call - they are simply fabulous!!! :)

[wolf7]

Hi,

 

My sister and I are booked on this cruise from May 18th - 25th, one of our ports will be Koper, any information on this port would be very helpful.

 

Thanks, Carol

 

Hi

 

We are also on this cruise same date and I want to book the caves and castle tour, when will I be able book this tour on Thompson website?

 

Thanks

wolf7

[kruzseeka]

Hi

 

We are also on this cruise same date and I want to book the caves and castle tour, when will I be able book this tour on Thompson website?

 

Thanks

wolf7

 

 

Under 'Shore Excursions' it says summer sailing excursions are available to book from February 2012 so that might be in as little as one week or 4 or 5. I suppose you'll have to just keep checking. It is active for current seasons itineraries.

[gunn3rs3]

Hi, Last year when we arrived at Koper, due to building works on the jetty there was a bus laid on to ferry you out of the terminal and drop you off just down the road,whether this is still being done this year I dont know.

[Flopsy]

Hi, Last year when we arrived at Koper, due to building works on the jetty there was a bus laid on to ferry you out of the terminal and drop you off just down the road,whether this is still being done this year I dont know.

 

We just walked ashore in October 2011 so presumably the work is finished.

 

Adriatic Explorer is just the BEST itinerary ever!

 

Flopsy

[infoqueen]

here, here loved it

[Malch_uk]

Hi

 

We are also on this cruise same date and I want to book the caves and castle tour, when will I be able book this tour on Thompson website?

 

Thanks

wolf7

 

The caves tour is excellent. You travel a long distance inside the caves on a train. Then a guided walk through part of the caves which has some steps and steep paths, but plenty to see. Take something warm to put on when you get there or you will have to wear one of the "red riding hood" type capes they provide which look very "naff".

Not much to see at the Castle. You don't go inside. Just a comfort / refreshment / photo stop really.

No need to book in advance as there is plenty of availability to book on the ship.

[mtt]

Hi

 

We are also on this cruise same date and I want to book the caves and castle tour, when will I be able book this tour on Thompson website?

 

Thanks

wolf7

 

We did this trip in oct, it was very good they even did this trip in the morning and afternoon, you will need a jacket and good shoes for this as it can be a bit chilly in the caves, and wear longer trousers, a bit windy/cold for shorts

[cbmagic]

we are on this cruise in aug and thinking of doing the caves and castle trip as we have been to piran before . we did this cruise in aug 10 and loved it, so doing it again this year with a couple of different ports added .

[cruzinsistas]

Thanks for all the information, the local bus to Piran sounds like it might be fun, it looks as though there would be plenty of time to see Koper and do a self guided trip to Piran, we don't want to screw up like we did in Italy a few years ago with their local trains, a bus would seem more manageable. Would you agree that there is plenty of time for both ? Missing the ship is my nightmare. Thanks, Carol

[kruzseeka]

Thanks for all the information, the local bus to Piran sounds like it might be fun, it looks as though there would be plenty of time to see Koper and do a self guided trip to Piran, we don't want to screw up like we did in Italy a few years ago with their local trains, a bus would seem more manageable. Would you agree that there is plenty of time for both ? Missing the ship is my nightmare. Thanks, Carol

 

 

Yes we found there was plenty of time. We always get off the ship early though if we are planning a DiY excursion so that we give ourselves plenty of time to do what we want to do and get back in good time. If you catch a bus, say, soon after 9am you'd be in Piran by 10o/c (it's a 45 min journey and quite interesting as you see a little of Portoroz too). A couple of hours there, catch the return around midday and you'd be back by about 1 pm. Even time to get back on the ship for some lunch then get off again for a couple of hours to look round Koper itself. Very doable.

 

Here is the bus timetable - there is a tab at the bottom to get the return times. But at the dock they have a tourist information tent where they are very helpful. Ask for a map and ask them too to mark the bus stop on it for you - also check on up-to-date schedules before you go. They may even have the times at the tourist booth.

 

http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=sl&u=http://www.vozni-red.si/bus.php%3Fx%3DKoper%26y%3DPiran&ei=wCkjT7HPMMup8QPWqvjhBw&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCUQ7gEwAA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dkoper%2Bto%2Bpiran%2Bbus%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3DE1a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26prmd%3Dimvns

 

Piran is a promontary - quite small but easy to walk around - quaint and with a lot of character. There is a square in the centre (great chocolate shop). The bus stop is the end of the line here and you catch it where you get off so you can't go wrong. Here are some pictures to give you an idea.

 

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=piran+photos&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=Rya&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=EykjT6rQKoKs8QPRnLGrBw&ved=0CCgQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=610

 

Hope that helps. Enjoy your trip.

[essowner]

Hi cruizinsistas,

 

i am also going on this cruise and looking forward to it.

[cruzinsistas]

Essowner,

Good to hear, have you done it before ? Do you plan on doing any excursions ? Where do you fly out of ? Wolf7 also seems to be going, maybe we'll all meet up in the bar !!

 

Carol

[essowner]

:)Hi,

this will be my first one, will prob do an excursion or two, will see whats on offer. I fly from UK Leeds/Bradford. A meet in bar sounds good, wolf as well :)

[Julessmiles]

Hi,

 

My sister and I are booked on this cruise from May 18th - 25th, one of our ports will be Koper, any information on this port would be very helpful.

 

Thanks, Carol

 

This is what I posted after our return from the Adriatic cruise:-

 

Koper

 

Pretty town within 5 minutes walk from the port. My husband did the Panoramic Bike Ride which was approx 15 km very easy cycle ride along an old railway path to Potoroz. Minimum child age was 12 which was a shame - we have a 10 year old and my husband said that he could easily have managed the trip so we could all have done it! Good morning out with lovely scenery. Upon arrival just outside the port, you are met by market stalls, people with tourist information & a free land train which takes you around Koper. In the afternoon, we wandered around the pretty old town & climbed the Church Tower to see the impressive views of the surrounding countryside.

 

It was a lovely town just to have a wander round - it was our first stop & we had lots of other things planned for the rest of the week which is why we just had an "easy" day here!

 

I know the itinerary has changed slightly now (we went in 2010) but if there are any other ports you are going to & want advice, just shout!