Sunrise Swim Portoroz powered by Alpen Adria Swim Cup

In 1202, the Venetian fleet commanded by Doge Enrico Dandolo dropped anchor in the bay of St. Laurence, seeking shelter from the Adriatic winds. Over a century later, in 1380, Admiral Carlo Zeno brought his ships into these same waters, marking the bay as a pivotal strategic refuge. Today, the Sunrise Swim Portoroz, organized by the Alpen Adria Swim Cup, invites participants to traverse this historical maritime crossroads. The event takes place on June 13, 2026, unfolding across the very basin that once served as a silent witness to shifting Mediterranean powers.

The view from the water

As you sight your line, the silhouette of the Beli Križ ridge rises to the north, anchored by the distinct Radio Capodistria antenna. This landmark provides a constant orientation point as you swim over the submerged remnants of a Roman-era port and fish farm near the Monfort salt warehouses. These underwater ruins remind swimmers that the coastline has been shaped by human industry for centuries, much like the Benedictine monks who first harnessed the bay’s concentrated saline waters for therapeutic use in the 13th century. While the bells of the ancient St. Mary of the Roses church no longer ring, the name of the town itself remains an echo of that lost structure.

Racing in the bay

For those who prefer a longer challenge, the 16th Biserov Maraton Portorož follows in September, providing a late-season test in the same coastal waters. The Sunrise Swim is designed to showcase the morning stillness of the bay, well before the summer heat intensifies. The nearby bell tower of the 15th-century monastery at Bernardin, later repurposed by the Austrian military in 1830, stands as a reminder of the area’s defensive history. Whether you are observing the shoreline from the water or focusing on the path ahead, the race connects modern open water swimming to a long lineage of maritime travelers, including Archduke Franz Ferdinand, who departed these shores on his yacht in 1899.