Piran is a city closely linked to the Mediterranean Sea ecosystem. Its history, culture, and trade revolve around this significant ecosystem. It's no coincidence that the city of Piran has made it the focus of significant studies and museums that attract many tourists each year. It's an opportunity to learn while having fun, just a short distance from Italy, in the beautiful Pula, easily reachable by a ferry from Venice to Piran.
The Marine Biology Station of Pula
The Marine Biology Station was established in 1969. Initially considered only a small marine research center associated with the SLO, the Institute of Biology at the University of Ljubljana, it is now an important reference point for many scholars. Thanks to its growing success over the years, it was renovated and further expanded from 2004 to 2008.
Today, the Marine Biology Station is considered one of the most important centers in the Mediterranean. That's why it has been included in the network of European institutions studying marine biology. It also plays a leading role in the UN's regional program for the Mediterranean and is Slovenia's reference point in the International Oceanographic Commission.
Marine Biology: Learn While Having Fun
Marine biology is the sector of biology that deals with marine ecosystems, their biocenoses (associations of different species, animals and plants, that characterize specific habitats on earth), and all those organisms that spend their life at sea. Marine biology is therefore about classifying and studying all the organisms that populate the sea; the main categories include plankton, benthos, necton, and neuston. This crucial study helps deepen our knowledge and allows us to preserve this essential ecosystem. Ecology and respect for the environment are fundamental for everyone's growth, which is why a visit to the Marine Biology Station can be as interesting as it is educational. The sea, once considered an inexhaustible source of food and a window to the world, is now studied, revalued, and protected as a fundamental ecosystem for humanity.
Piran Aquarium
If you're thinking of organizing an informative yet fun weekend, the Piran Aquarium is definitely for you. It will allow you to see the numerous inhabitants of the Slovenian sea up close. A visit that will leave the whole family in awe! Among the stars of the Piran Aquarium, you'll find spider crab, colorful wrasses, large groupers, and many other underwater creatures.
The Underwater Activities Museum
The Underwater Activities Museum in Piran will allow you to relive the legendary feats of past divers and submariners. It's an opportunity to observe the observers of the sea and discover marine depths. This unique museum focuses on all Slovenian underwater activities and the global history of diving. The era of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy is very well explored, as is that of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, the Kingdom of Italy, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and the Republic of Slovenia. You can admire equipment, divers, deep-sea divers, water pumps... A museum to visit with the whole family!
The Fantastic World of Shells
The fantastic world of shells has its protagonist in Piran, where you can admire the shell of the world's largest gastropod up close! What exactly are they? They are the "houses" used by snails for protection. Did you know that, because of their rarity, they could only be carried by the tribal leaders of distant islands?