About Us
“Once upon a time, Maona connected the shores of the Adriatic. Today, under its name, we bring together people, places, art, and stories.”
Maona – More Than Just a Travel Agency
The name Maona was not chosen at random.
A maona was a traditional wooden boat once used to transport salt from the Sečovlje and Strunjan salt pans to the salt warehouses in Piran. Without their own propulsion, the maonas sailed in convoys and were an indispensable part of the town’s life.
For centuries, salt was the “white gold” of the northern Adriatic. It was the salt trade that enabled the development of Piran, the construction of its town palaces, marketplaces, and churches, and shaped the cultural and economic character of the town that we still admire today.
While searching for a name for our agency, we discovered the story of the maona at the Piran Maritime Museum. Although these boats no longer exist today, their symbolic meaning remains: bringing people, places, and stories together.
MAONA shares this very mission.
Since 1990, we have been creating trips that are not just a journey from one destination to another, but an opportunity to discover cultural heritage, art, architecture, and stories that enrich our view of the world.
Just as Maona once connected the salt pans and the town, today MAONA connects people, places, art, and experiences.
The MAONA Piran travel agency opened its doors in 1990 with the desire to create trips that are not merely visits to places, but experiences of their history, art, architecture, and stories. From the very beginning, we have believed that tourism also has an educational and cultural mission and that it can contribute to a better understanding of the world and respect for heritage.
Based in the heart of Piran, we have been connecting people, places, and cultures for more than three decades. We organize cultural and educational trips, art excursions, and tours of exhibitions, opera performances, gardens, and architectural landmarks throughout Slovenia and Europe. We pay special attention to experiences that allow visitors to gain a deeper understanding of these places and their stories.
In addition to our tourism activities, we are closely connected to the cultural life of Piran. We have helped organize numerous exhibitions, concerts, festivals, literary events, and international projects, and have contributed to the city’s cultural scene. Throughout the various phases of our work, we have established Club Maona, Caffe Teater Piran, gallery projects, book publications, art exhibitions, and numerous events that have left their mark on both the local and wider communities.
Over the course of thirty-five years in business, we have organized countless trips throughout Europe, visited the most important art biennials, exhibitions, and cultural events, and created unforgettable experiences together with our travelers. To this day, we remain true to the values with which we began our journey: curiosity, professionalism, a personal approach, and a love of culture.
MAONA is not just a travel agency.
It is a place for gatherings, creativity, exploration, and stories.
We’ve been sailing alongside you for more than 35 years.
Important Milestones
Key Events in Our History
1990
The MAONA Agency organized its first cultural tour to Berlin. From the very beginning, we have specialized in trips dedicated to art, architecture, gardens, and cultural heritage. Over the decades, we have visited numerous European opera houses, art biennials, exhibitions, and festivals.
We regularly organize tours of the Venice Biennale, Art Basel, Documenta in Kassel, the ceramics biennials in Faenza and Vallauris, Arte Fiere in Bologna, ARCO in Madrid, and numerous major exhibitions in Italy, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, and elsewhere in Europe.
Mali Brion holds a special place among our programs; for more than two decades, we have been following the Ulysses Theater and its exceptional performances.
1993–2005
Club Maona has become one of the most important cultural hubs on the Slovenian coast. It has hosted numerous musicians, visual artists, writers, and theater artists from Slovenia and abroad.
2000
We recorded a CD of Tartini’s sonatas and developed our own brand of Giuseppe Tartini products, which combined local heritage, wine, sparkling wine, and select souvenirs.
2003
The first editions of the Piran guidebook were published in five languages: Slovenian, Italian, German, English, and Russian. Due to high demand, the guidebook was later reprinted.
During the same period, we also published several books, catalogs, and publications aimed at promoting cultural heritage, the arts, and the city of Piran.
2003
We opened the MAONA Portorož agency in Portorož, which specializes in incoming tourism and guest accommodations. During peak seasons, we have hosted up to 500 domestic and international visitors in private apartments and rooms.
2011
In Piran, we organized the highly acclaimed international project SIJAJNI POP, which was repeatedly hailed in the media as one of the most important cultural events of the year.
The exhibition featured works by artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Tom Wesselmann, and Robert Rauschenberg. The exhibition also gave rise to Factory Piran—a creative space for young artists, lectures, workshops, films, theater, and fashion events.
2015
In Piran and Graz, we organized a major exhibition of sculptures by the academic sculptor Jakov Brdar, which attracted the attention of both domestic and international audiences.
2016
We have opened Caffe Teater Piran—a place where art, culture, and Mediterranean hospitality come together. On one of Piran’s most beautiful terraces, we organized concerts, literary evenings, a jazz festival, and numerous other cultural events through 2026.
2021
We helped organize Safeta Zec’s exhibitions “Exodus” and “Embraces,” two of the largest art exhibitions in the municipality of Piran. The exhibition took place at seven locations and left a strong artistic and emotional impression.
2022
The Maona Gallery has opened its doors at the MAONA premises, dedicated to showcasing the works of local and international artists. The gallery serves as a meeting place for contemporary art, the local community, and visitors.
2025
MAONA is celebrating its 35th anniversary. Thirty-five years of travel, culture, art, creativity, and countless stories that have brought together people from different places and generations.
We remain committed to our mission: to discover, connect, and inspire.
2026
We’ve been sailing on the Maona with you for more than 35 years.
