Tunnel Valeta
Tunnel
Valeta Tunnel is a 550-meter-long stone tunnel connecting Portorož and Strunjan. Constructed between 1900 and 1902, it was part of the narrow-gauge railway Parenzana, linking Trieste and Poreč. The tunnel curves gently and runs almost directly beneath the Valeta roundabout .
After the railway line was discontinued in 1935, the tunnel was closed for several years. Post-World War II, it served as a storage facility and for mushroom cultivation. In 2000, the tunnel underwent renovation: walls were cleaned, lighting installed, the gravel path was asphalted, and concrete barriers were placed at both ends to restrict access to motor vehicles .
Today, the tunnel is part of the Parenzana – Path of Health and Friendship, a popular route for walkers, runners, and cyclists. The tunnel is illuminated and accessible year-round. Entrances are marked on both the Portorož and Strunjan sides.
