Click picture for a short video

Click picture for a short video

Hotel Tartini is perfectly situated with a choice of a view over Tartini Square or a balcony view towards the harbour and the sea beyond. On arrival at the hotel we found we had a room with a birds eye view of the square, a perfect room with a perfect view. During our stay we had time to enjoy the day and night time view of the square.

On one occasion when the warmth of the early morning sunshine made it possible for us to eat breakfast outside on the hotel terrace. We lingered a while enjoying the atmosphere even after it had started to rain. After a while the wind changed direction and drove the rain underneath the covered area, in our direction. We beat a hasty retreat inside and as we did so the light rain turned into a torrential downpour. There was no point in going out in such weather so we returned to our room where we could enjoy watching the rain and the comings and goings in Tartini Square whilst keeping dry.

Hotel Tartini was named after a famous violinist virtuoso and composer Giuseppe Tartini who was born in a bourgeois house on the present day Tartini Square in the immediate vicinity of the hotel. In our hotel one will find everything either for a romantic weekend, a pleasant vacation in a relaxed atmosphere, or a business event, seminars or a celebration in a friends’ circle.

Hotel Tartini is part of the old town centre on the main Tartini square located just a few steps from the sea and the port.*

Hotel reassures well-being and comfort to the individual guests who appreciate intimacy and personal touch of small hotels and enjoy staying in the central location at the same time. *

*From Hotel Tartini leaflet

Tartini Square is named after Giuseppe Tartini, a violin virtuoso and  composer of music. He was born in Piran on 8th April 1692.

Tartini’s achievements in the sphere of violin virtuosity became a basis and stimulation for the later Paganini’s virtuosity and his unique violin technique.

Tartini created mostly instrumental music. He adored violin, and this is the reason why the majority of his concertos and sonatas were written for this particular instrument.*

For the 200th anniversary of the birth of their great artist (in 1892), the people of Piran wished to erect a monument. However the works took a lengthy time; and in 1896 they set up a larger than life-size bronze statue of the “master” on a high pedestal. The monument is the work of the Venetian sculptor Antonio dal Zotto. With its well considered positioning as it dominates the square and forms a unified whole with the Church of St. George, which dominates the town.**

*From Tartini House leaflet
** From The Tourist Guide to Piran

Tartini Square became the central square of Piran at the end of the 13th century, but it acquired its present appearance only in the 19th century. When the harbour (mandrač) was filled, the inhabitants of Piran made a large square around which they built all the major municipal  institutions (Town Hall, Court House, etc.) and apartment houses. One of the is the Gothic house called “Benecanka” (Venetian House), the only one which has kept its original style.

The square was named after the well-known Piran local violinist and composer Giuseppe Tartini (1692-1770), who made the name of his birthplace known throughout Europe.

The place where Tartini Square is located today was once a harbour for the fishing boats of Piran. the harbour used to be outside the town walls, because the oldest, partly preserved walls stretched behind the present Town Hall.

The warmth of the early morning sunshine made it possible for us to eat breakfast outside on the hotel terrace. We lingered a while enjoying the atmosphere even after it had started to rain. After a while the wind changed direction and drove the rain underneath the covered area, in our direction. We beat a hasty retreat inside and as we did so the light rain turned into a torrential downpour. There was no point in going out in such weather so we returned to our room where we could enjoy watching the rain and the comings and goings in Tartini Square whilst keeping dry.

When the rain had subsided we made our way down to the square for a drink before visiting the Giuseppe Tartini Memorial Room. Tartini who was born in Piran and christened in St George’s cathedral in 1692 became a violin virtuoso and composer. The Town Square and the hotel we were staying in were named after him. The custodian of the museum gave an interesting talk on the man and the collection.

Next we intended to visit the Museum of Underwater Activities but unfortunately it was closed so I took a leisurely stroll along the harbour whilst Mr C risked his ears again by climbing the bell tower next to St George’s Cathedral. After this it was time for lunch which we enjoyed sitting on the seafront with a glass of wine, watching boats coming in and out of the harbour.

After lunch we visited the Sergej Masera Maritime Museum which is dedicated to Slovenia’s naval history and heritage. After the museum made our way to the art gallery which was exhibiting paintings that were all painted in the same week. The artist was required to present a blank canvas to the gallery and complete his/her work within one week. It was an interesting exhibition with many painting styles. There were some excellent works of art on the walls along with some that didn’t quite work for me.

On our way back to the hotel to freshen up before dinner we noticed that the temperature was 82^o after the rain had cooled the temperature down earlier in the day. After dinner we spent the evening chatting with one of our fellow travelers who was holidaying on his own.

We had a leisurely breakfast before walking up the steep hill to the remains of the town walls. Unfortunately we didn’t have the correct change to be able to access the walls so we viewed them from outside the fence before making our way back down the hill for a refreshing mid-morning drink. On our way we stopped to look at the sea view. I had also planned to take a picture of the front view of Archangel Michael who is situated on top of the bell tower by St George’s Cathedral. When I arrived in Piran, I noticed he had his back to the square and was facing towards the sea. Today however he had his back to the sea and I began to doubt myself…

Whilst pondering the possibility that I might have made a mistake he appeared to move slightly. As I stared at him he moved 40^o to face more towards my direction! We began to suspect that Archangel Michael was more than he seemed. After our morning drink we visited St George’s Cathedral and had our suspicions about the Archangel confirmed. He is in fact a weather vane and we were informed by the cathedral administrator that if he faced towards Tartini Square it would rain in the town and if he faced towards the sea it would rain across the bay towards Italy. By this time the wind was howling around the cathedral so we were inclined to agree with the prognosis. We visited the cathedral treasury and the crypt before entering the church. The artwork within is spectacular with paintings, carvings and an intricate crucifix entitled The Man of Piran. The latter is kept in a glass case to help preserve it.

We then made our way to the sea front and indulged in an ice cream for lunch although the option I chose had too much cream for my liking. Whilst eating the ice cream we watched the sea breaking over the sea defence barrier, occasionally splashing customers who were on the tables nearest the seafront. After lunch we walking through the winding alleyways of Piran and found ourselves sitting in front of the hotel in the square, watching the world go by for a couple of hours before it was time to get ready for dinner. For dinner we were able to sample one of the local dishes, ćevapčići, which is grilled minced meat formed into rough sausage shapes.

When we stepped into the square after dinner it was still windy and Archangel Michael was ominously looking over the square. We wandered down to the harbour and were treated to a display of sheet lightning in the distance. We didn’t want to chance getting rained on so we returned for a drink in the square before retiring for the night.

I woke up feeling refreshed after the long journey and transfer the previous day. I had a quick shower and got ready to go down for breakfast whilst Mr C hopped in the shower. Unfortunately Mr C had a problem with the water which was scalding hot and we could find no way to turn the temperature down.

After breakfast there was a guided walking tour around Piran which we had decided to go on. For some reason I had got it into my head the walk started at 9.30 when in fact it was due to take place at 10.00. I left Mr C at reception to report the problem with the shower and walked out into Tartini square to wait for him and the others that would be joining the walk. Not surprisingly no-one else turned up and there was no sign of Mr C so I went back into the hotel to find him. He was no longer at reception and nowhere to be seen. I asked the receptionist if he had seen him but he said that he had only just come on shift and hadn’t seen anyone.

I mentioned in passing that we were due to go on the walking tour and the receptionist asked if it was the walk with Damjan (our rep). I said it was and, without another word, he charged off and returned with Damjan whom he had dragged away from his morning cup of coffee. At this point Mr C also turned up. It turned out that he had been sent up to meet the housemaid who would help him sort out the shower problem. The person who had sent him up there was none other than the hotel receptionist who claimed not to have seen him!!!

After this confusion, we met up in the square ready for the guided tour. Damjan was an excellent guide and the information he shared with us was interesting. Whilst we were in the square we heard singing. Damjan informed us that it was probably to celebrate the Restoration of Primorska (Slovene Littoral) to the Motherland which is observed by a National Holiday on 15th September each year. After the walking tour we gathered outside the hotel and ordered drinks whilst we decided which of the guided tours we would go on later in the week.  There was a bit of a mix up as to whether the drinks were complimentary or not, but this was easily sorted later in the day.

After we had booked the trips, we retraced the steps of the morning walk in order to take leisurely photographs of the points of interest that we had seen. We took a gentle pace, stopping for lunch and refreshment at various watering holes along the way. In the evening after dinner, we watched an Italian street market being dismantled ready to move on to its next location. We found this quite fascinating because the electrician (from Piran) kept turning off the lighting to the Italian stalls. They were being slow and he was ready to go home…