Tartini Square

Tartini Square began life as Piran's inner harbour, filled in during the 1890s and paved in white marble. It is named after the violinist and composer Giuseppe Tartini, born here in 1692, whose statue stands in the middle. Around the square stand the town hall, the court house and the red Venetian House, a Gothic palace with the inscription "Lassa pur dir" ("let them talk") on its façade. The square is the natural starting point for a Piran visit. From here, lanes climb to St George's Church on the ridge, and the waterfront leads out to the lighthouse at Punta, the tip of the peninsula. Cars are banned from the old town, so buses and taxis stop at the bus station or the car park south of the centre, a 10-minute walk along the harbour. Allow at least two hours in Piran itself, plus 45 minutes each way by bus.