Thalasso Strunjan

Salt pans and salt – centuries-old heritage, an indispensable flavor and also a form of care

When we think of salt, most people imagine the tiny crystals that season our food. But salt is much more than an indispensable kitchen ingredient – it is also history, tradition, and a natural source of wellbeing. In Slovenia, we can be proud of a unique salt-making tradition preserved in the Piran salt pans and the beautiful Strunjan salt pans. Here, salt is still produced in the traditional way – through manual work and with great respect for natural processes.

Why salt pans are something special

Salt pans are not just places where salt is produced; they are true natural laboratories where the sun, sea, and wind work together. This creates salt rich in minerals and beneficial for our bodies. Since the Strunjan salt pans are part of a protected landscape park that preserves unique biodiversity and cultural heritage, walking through the salt fields feels like a journey into the past – to a time when salt symbolised power and wealth.

Did you know that …

… salt was once so valuable that it was called “white gold”?

… in the Middle Ages, salt was even used as a form of payment?

SALT – more than just flavor

Salt is indispensable in our diet, but its benefits go much further. It has long been used for healing and skincare purposes. The mineral composition of salt and other salt-pan products has a soothing effect on the skin, joints, and overall wellbeing. This is why salt pans have become an inspiration for modern wellness treatments that combine tradition and science.

The king of salts

Fleur de Sel

Fleur de Sel is the most precious product of the salt pans. Its tiny pyramid-shaped crystals capture the scent of the sea, and its taste is more aromatic than that of regular salt. Fleur de Sel forms on the surface of the salt basins, but only under perfect weather conditions.

Why this “flower” is so highly valued

It has a delicate structure and a rich mineral profile.
Because of its refined flavor, chefs use it as a “finishing salt” that adds a touch of elegance to a dish.
It contains no additives and is unrefined – completely natural.

In Strunjan, salt workers still harvest Fleur de Sel by hand … just as they have for centuries. Each tiny crystal is a gift of the sun, the wind, and patience.

Strunjan Fleur de Sel is also used by the chefs at the Strunjan restaurant Pinija, whose menu features the finest flavours of the Mediterranean: fish and shellfish from the Slovenian sea, tomatoes from the southern slopes of Vesuvius, locally cold-pressed olive oil, basil, oregano and cheese, as well as house-made pasta and Istrian truffles. Yes, on this beautiful stretch of the Strunjan coast, where the terrace of Pinija opens onto a magical view of the deep blue and the Piran skyline, and where the air is rich with healing aerosols, Istria reveals its authentic, full taste. A taste you will remember.

FANGO – the black gold of nature

Among the prized gifts of the salt pans is also the healing mud known as fango. This true treasure of beneficial substances forms during the maturation of salt – it contains seawater, organic matter, and a wealth of minerals such as iodine, sodium, chlorine, calcium, and magnesium.

How the precious mineral combination in fango works

It soothes and relieves pain in muscles and joints, including the lower back and spine.

It has a beneficial effect on rheumatic conditions, sciatica, and joint inflammation.
It enriches the skin with minerals, making it softer, firmer, and more elastic.
Thanks to its thermal effect, it stimulates fat metabolism, promotes the elimination of toxins, revitalises the lymphatic system, and helps reduce cellulite.

And how does a fango treatment take place?

The therapist applies the salt-pan mud to the body and wraps it in a heated blanket that maintains a temperature of around 39 °C. The warmth releases tension, while the minerals work in depth …

Important note: Fango wraps are not suitable for people with cardiovascular diseases.

Winter fango therapy offer

If you want to experience the power of salt-pan mud, the Strunjan wellness centre Vitarium Spa & Thalasso offers you the following options this winter:

Pain-relieving body massage with fango wrap

A combination of classic massage and fango therapy – fango is applied to the back or other affected area; pain relief is provided through warmth.
Antistress & Spinalis

Classic magnesium massage (50 min.), foot reflexology (30 min.), antistress massage for head, neck and shoulders (40 min.), and pain-relieving full-body fango wrap (40 min.).
Full-body fango wrap and as a GIFT – facial massage