Beautiful but Underrated Cities to Visit Before They Become Tourist Hotspots

City Thirty-Seven: The Wind-Washed Shores of Piran, Slovenia

Slovenia’s best-kept coastal secret, Piran is a wedge of Venetian elegance jutting into the Adriatic. Its car-free old town is a labyrinth of coral rooftops, sun-bleached stone, and narrow alleys that spill into wide sea views. Here, time is marked by the toll of the St. George bell tower, the laughter of children on the promenade, and the clatter of fresh seafood plates on terrace tables. Unlike neighboring Croatia’s packed coastlines, Piran still whispers. It’s a place where the air tastes of salt and history, and where golden hour turns the whole town into a watercolor painting.