Hop & Taste Slovenian Riviera Hop-On Hop-Off & Local Bites
Description
Explore the Slovenian Coast through a relaxed blend of scenic driving, guided walking, and local tastings on this Hop & Taste hop-on hop-off tour, ideal for couples and families. The route links the Slovenian Riviera, panoramic viewpoints, vineyard villages, and the historic city of Koper. Enjoy scenic views of Istrian towns, the Adriatic Sea, and the Alps in the background before continuing through the countryside to the hilltop village of Marezige. Surrounded by vineyards, enjoy tastings of local wine and olive oil while taking in sweeping views of the Slovenian Coast in a peaceful Istrian setting. The journey continues in Koper with a guided walking tour through the old town, visiting Tito Square, Carpaccio Square, Cobbler Street, and the Da Ponte Fountain. Along the way, sample burek, a popular local pastry, and other regional delicacies. The order of visits may vary depending on the day and tour timing. Afterward, enjoy free time in Koper, just a short walk back to the ship.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet your guide at the pier, just outside the terminal building next to the ORANGE Hop & Taste Beach Flag, and begin with a guided scenic drive through Izola. Once a small island and later an important fishing town, Izola is known for its maritime heritage, colorful harbor, and relaxed coastal atmosphere. Your guide will share stories about its history and traditional life along the Adriatic as you pass the old town and waterfront. The drive continues to a panoramic viewpoint above Izola, offering one of the most striking views on the Slovenian Coast. From here, admire the northern Adriatic Sea with Izola, Koper, and Piran below, and the Julian Alps rising in the background. On clear days, the contrast between sea, hills, and Alpine peaks creates a truly memorable photo opportunity.
In the charming hilltop village of Marezige, known as the heart of Refosco wine country above Koper, travelers will discover a blend of rich history, authentic culture, and breathtaking scenery. This boutique Istrian village has roots stretching back centuries and is surrounded by rolling vineyards and olive groves that define the region’s agricultural heritage. At a scenic terrace overlooking the countryside and the Bay of Koper, you’ll visit Slovenia’s first wine fountain, a unique local attraction where you can enjoy a glass of locally produced wine and taste premium olive oil while taking in panoramic views of the vineyard-dotted hills and distant coastline. Alongside wine and olive oil tastings, Marezige offers photo-worthy vistas, traditional Istrian hospitality, and a sense of village life rooted in long-standing winemaking traditions.
In Koper’s old town, you’ll step into a living Mediterranean story where Venetian Gothic architecture meets lively local culture. As you stroll with your guide through narrow streets, you will pass beautiful squares and centuries-old landmarks that reveal Koper’s past as a key port in the Venetian Republic and later under diverse influences. You’ll visit Tito Square, the heart of town, dominated by the striking Praetorian Palace, a 15th-century Venetian Gothic landmark once home to city rulers. Nearby, the elegant Cathedral of the Assumption blends Gothic and Renaissance elements and showcases artwork connected to regional history. Winding through Cobbler Street and Carpaccio Square, named after the Venetian painter linked to Koper’s heritage, you’ll enjoy included tasting coupons to sample local flavors, including burek, a savory filled pastry beloved in the region. This guided stroll combines culture, sights, and local tastes, with free time and a short walk back to the pier.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- The tour departs in all weather conditions
- Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Minimum drinking age is 18 years
- At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
- Confirmation is received 3 or 2 days before the tour
- If there is less than 30 participants, tour is guided with free time in towns
- If you miss any departure, call contact number after minimum 15 min
- If you take any other transportation to get back, in case departure is missed, refund is processed after you provide us receipt
- Full refund can only be retrieved if you miss first departure and you don't proceed the tour
- booking is considered confirmed if we receive reply from your side via message sent by us through Viator-Tripadvisor. Otherwise we don't hold responsible if you miss departure.
- Any complaints or requests for refund are accepted only in 24 hours after the tour
Reviews(78)
It was confusing on the meeting location and the decided to combine two tours which confused everyone as they were going in opposite directions. Also advertised differently on get your guide than viator. We spent way too much time on a bus to sample 1-2 small food items and 2 swallows of wine. Best thing was the wine fountain which was the US equivalent of a self serving wine bar but the view was great. The last 45mins of the tour and small tasting in Koper we skipped out on because we were just so over it. Save your cash and navigate yourself (it isn’t that hard) or book a different excursion where you actually get a decent sampling like a small charcuterie board with your wine.
It was a great experience. The walking experience was very interesting and the guide Lili was very knowledgeable and the best. I learned so much with her and the wine tour was great. Excellent wine the atmosphere was very nice.
The tour guide was late and was really not sure if the itinerary. We really enjoyed the wine tour and our guide was knowledgeable about the area.
We were picked up at dock on time in a very nice bus , very comfy seats. our amazing guide Mateja was just fantastic. She was very informative and was great to get such detailed information, then we had stops at some really great places , beautiful views , beautiful food , was not expecting all we got. Highly recommended this tour. You will have a great day sampling foods , enjoying amazing views and learn alot about Slovenia.
Do not take this. We got 5 coupons. We only tasted one wine! The tour guide was great. The one winery had a beautiful view and a yummy wine… but we got one glass!!!!! I was expecting getting to taste many!
Thank you for your feedback. We’re happy to hear you enjoyed the guide and the winery setting. Regarding the tastings – each guest receives 5 coupons, and you’re free to use all of them for wine if you wish. There’s no restriction on what they’re used for. In fact, many guests mention they got to taste even more than expected, so we’re genuinely surprised by your comment. If you wanted more, additional tastings were available from the guide at 2€ per coupon. We understand preferences differ, but it’s difficult to see such a low 1-star review when most of the experience was positive. Reviews like this can seriously affect small local businesses, even when the issue could have been easily resolved on the spot.
Wonderful tour guide gave us lots of insight into the history of Slovinia. The tastings were local things and very delicious.
Well, it was a great way to check out the area and cuisine, and I love every Viator excursion I’ve been on before!
The sights we visited were beautiful and the guide , Natasha, kept us informed with fun facts and history. The walking part of the tour was also full of history and interesting facts. It would have been helpful if the guide has a microphone during the walking part since there were so many people but she did her best.
Natasha was a fantastic tour guide. Very knowledgeable and we got to see a few extras on the tour. Highly recommended this tour and with Natasha. Love love Koper and surrounding cities and all the food and wine tasting.
Thank you for the insight review.
We turned up for the tour along with another couple. The local tour operator Kopertours kiosk was closed and the phone number given was either using Slovenian or when it used English it just said it was the wrong number. Waited until 60 minutes after due time but no-one showed up. Contacted Viator support and they finally made contact with the operator who then called me, apologised and made a full refund that day. Very disappointing and wouldn’t use them again.
We apologize for the inconvenience you experienced with your booking. It seems there was a technical glitch that allowed bookings to be made even when the tour was closed. We understand your frustration with the situation. It's unfair that you were unable to enjoy the tour despite having made a booking. We've taken steps to address this issue and ensure that future bookings are accurately reflected in our system. We appreciate you bringing this to our attention. Your feedback is valuable to us as we strive to improve our services.
