Portorož Villas - A Glimpse into the Heritage and Tourism of Quiet Luxury from the Early 20th Century

Researchers from the University of Primorska and the Regional Archives Koper have joined forces in the past year to collect and digitize public and private archival material related to the architectural heritage of Portorož. This heritage will no longer be recognizable solely through the old Palace Hotel and the modern hotel complexes designed by architect Ed Mihevc. The exhibition, initially displayed at the Piran archive, reveals the flourishing of villas as objects of the wealthier population, coinciding with the rise of Portorož as a mondane resort at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. During this time, villas along the Portorož riviera began to dominate, adding an aura of exclusivity to the spa resort of the Northern Adriatic. Villas such as Luigia, Elfride, Maria, Daria, and Amalia are just a few of the names among the 45 selected Portorož villas showcased in the exhibition through architectural plans, pictures, and photographs of locations, along with precise information about investors, architects, and construction years.

"In 1913, there were more than a hundred luxurious villas in the area of Portorož. 79 were private holiday villas, and 27 were boarding houses. While the private villas were holiday homes for their owners, partly rented out, the boarding house villas were specifically built for guest accommodation. Portorož villas significantly contributed to the provision and promotion of tourist capacity, and at that time, they were equal in stature with hotel capacities. Visitors stayed in these residences for an average of over 3 weeks. Compared to today's guests, who stay in Portorož for an average of less than 3 days, visitors in the villas were much more connected to the place and its residents, also thanks to the ambiance of the accommodation," said researcher and lecturer mag. Tomi Brezovec.

The aim of the research and exhibition is to raise awareness among the public about the existence and preservation of numerous villas and their stories. Visitors are mostly unaware of them because they are obscured by hotels, and even the memory of them fades among residents. The presented Portorož villas, also documented in the publication by the Regional Archives Koper titled "Villas as architectural heritage of the tourist boom of Portorož and its surroundings at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries" (by authors Matej Muženič and Uroš Zagradnik), thus significantly reinforce the identity of the place.

"From tourism research, we know that there is a growing segment of tourists today interested in the heritage of traditional resorts, including villa products. Many European coastal towns, from neighboring Opatija to Normandy, are already aware of this. By raising awareness and visiting holiday villas, they successfully add depth and weight to their tourist offer," Brezovec added.

The exhibition was opened with welcoming addresses by the Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Piran, Christian Poletti, and the Director of the Regional Archives Koper, mag. Nada Čibej. The exhibition will be on display in the Hall at Turistica (ground floor of the Faculty of Tourism Studies, Obala 11a, Portorož) until May 20, 2024.