What is the best souvenir from Piran?

The honest answer, from someone who sells souvenirs here: the best souvenir from Piran is something the town actually makes. Salt from the Sečovlje saltpans, Istrian olive oil, a bottle of Malvazija, or handmade ceramics from Nika Horjak Ceramics, glazed in Piran's own colours. Skip anything you could buy in any coastal town in Europe. Here's how to choose.

What is Piran actually known for?

Three things, honestly. Salt first: the Sečovlje saltpans south of the bay have been harvested for over 700 years, and a small jar of fleur de sel is light, cheap, and genuinely from here. Olive oil and wine second: Istrian oil and Malvazija from the hills behind the coast are the real taste of the region. And handmade craft third, which is where my studio comes in.

A good test for any souvenir: was it made within sight of the town? The magnets and the seashell necklaces were not. The salt, the oil, and the pieces that come out of my kiln were.

How do the souvenirs from Piran compare?

All four pass the made-here test. The difference is what happens after the trip: the salt and the oil get used up, the wine gets drunk, and the ceramic piece is still on the breakfast table years later, holding the colour of the Adriatic.

What makes a souvenir worth carrying home?

Three questions I'd ask before buying anything in Piran:

• Was it made here, by someone you could meet?
• Will it survive the trip home in your luggage?
• Will you actually use it, or will it live in a drawer?

Salt and oil pass the first two easily but disappear within months. A handmade piece passes all three, it's the only souvenir in town that gets used every morning for years.

Why do people choose handmade ceramics?

Because it's the town, made solid. Every piece at Nika Horjak Ceramics is thrown or built by hand and finished in one of ten glazes named for places you can walk to in ten minutes: Adriatic Cobalt, Olive Grove, Bell-Tower Gold. When you juice a lemon with a Citrus Reamer (€52) or put olives on a Sardine Plate (€32) back home, you're holding the exact colour of the sea you swam in.

In the studio, small pieces start at just a few euros; the online catalogue starts at €26 for the Bloom Square. Most pieces fit easily in a carry-on. And unlike almost anything else you'll buy on holiday, you can watch it being made: the wheel runs in the studio most days, and visitors are welcome to stand and watch.

If you want the full gift-matching guide (what to bring the person who cooks, the person you barely know, the home), I wrote one: What to bring back from Piran.

What if it doesn't fit in your luggage?

Small pieces travel fine in a carry-on, wrapped in fine tissue at the counter. Anything bigger, or anything you'd rather not carry, ships from Piran the same week: hand-packed, double-boxed, insured, with free EU shipping over €100. If it breaks in transit, I replace it free. You can also skip the suitcase question entirely and order from the online shop after you're home.

Where do you find the studio?

Nika Horjak Ceramics is at Goriška ulica 2, in old-town Piran, a few steps up from the marina and a couple of minutes' walk from Tartini Square. Head toward the water; if you reach the marina you've nearly passed it. Open most days when the kiln doesn't demand attention. I speak Slovenian, English, German, Croatian and Italian with visitors, so ask anything.

Come by, pick a piece up, feel the weight of it. Or browse the full catalogue and have Piran shipped to your door. Questions before you visit? Write or call, I answer personally.