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- More Reasons To Visit Trieste
Summary
- Trieste is a unique city with a rich history and culture, influenced by its varied past as part of different empires and countries.
- The city offers a range of attractions, including Roman ruins, beautiful nature parks, traditional cafes, and unique food.
- Visitors can also explore landmarks like Miramare Castle, follow in the footsteps of writer James Joyce, and visit museums and old churches.
Italy has no shortage of fantastic destinations, but Trieste is an overlooked city in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region worth going to. The capital is very different from its neighbor Venice, just two hours away by train. While in Venice, visitors get the gondolas and the small streets, in Trieste, it's the beaches, German-influenced food, and some incredible monuments.
During its history, Trieste has been part of the Austrian Empire, Italy, and for a short bit, an independent state. With a history so unique, its architecture, people, and culture are one of a kind. The fact that they’re closer to Slovenia and Croatia than to Venice and the rest of Italy is another reason why Trieste is their own thing. One worth visiting, and here’s why.
UPDATE: 2023/08/22 14:57 EST BY NICHOLAS MAYAMBA
More Reasons To Visit Trieste
Despite being overlooked by tourists for more famous Italian cities, Trieste is a unique destination that guarantees travelers an unforgettable experience. This updated article lists extra city attractions showcasing its rich history, unique culture, and delightful experiences.
12 Roman Ruins
The so-called Arco di Riccardo, an ancient Roman arch, Trieste Italy
Italy has many archeological sites, including the ones in Trieste. The city's biggest sight to understand the Roman influences is the Roman Amphitheater, which largely remains standing and can help visitors understand how people would sit and where the stage was. Walking through some small streets, they'll encounter the Arco di Riccardo, an arc built in 33 B.C. that is still standing. The arc is near a small square full of bars, so pop in for a drink or two after exploring the ruins.
For those visiting the Roman Amphitheater ruins in the summer, watch out for occasional theatrical performances and concerts held at the venue.
11 Nature
MIRA MARE CASTLE, TRIEST, FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA, ITALY: view of the park in Mira mare Castle in Trieste
A small town with both the sea and forests with trails where one can lose themselves doesn’t happen that often, but that’s all available in Trieste. The town sits under a long karstic mountain ridge along the Italian and Slovenian border, so many parks exist. These include the Bosco Farneto near the botanical garden, Parco di Villa Giulia, and Parco di San Giovanni near the college campus, making Trieste a viable destination for nature lovers and tree huggers.
10 Traditional Cafés
Trieste, Italy. Attractive cafe tables on the sidewalk of a picturesque street in the historic city.
Trieste is very proud of its coffee heritage and has some cafes to show for it. These places were built and opened more than a hundred years ago. They still have the same old-school feeling with their unique Art Nouveau architecture and incredible coffee and dishes for those with a sweet tooth.
The best is Caffe San Marco, which opened in 1914, where tourists can enjoy breakfast or lunch. It also has a small library inside the cafe. While living in Trieste, this was one of James Joyce's favorite places to socialize with other writers and artists.
- Address: Via Cesare Battisti, 18, 34125 Trieste TS, Italia
Coffee lovers might be intrigued to know that some of these historical cafés have their own coffee brands and blends with a unique taste, which calls for an exciting coffee-tasting spree from one to another.
9 Muggia
Canal grande in Trieste city center, Italy, Europe
There are many things to know about traveling through Italy, and to get to Muggia from Trieste, travelers will encounter the world of boats. To get there, they must get in the Delfino Verde (green dolphin) boat that departs from Molo dei Barsaglieri every hour. The 30-minute ride is worth it, as traveling through the Adriatic Sea, entices passengers with scenic coastal views.
Once in Muggia, marvel at their old town, still influenced by the Venetian architecture and its castle, and the whole area has a homey vibe, making the town the perfect day trip.
The trip to Muggia costs around $8.71 and passengers purchase the tickets upon boarding the boat.
8 Italian Beaches
The emerald-colored Adriatic Sea near Duino, Gulf of Trieste, Italy. Light wind
There are few beaches in this part of Italy, and Trieste has all of them. Guests looking for the typical sandy experience can go to Barcola. There’s also a stone beach on the other side of town named Pedocin, where there’s still a divide between the beach for men and women, as it was fifty years ago. The Triestinos maintained the divide because they felt it was part of their history.
7 Unique Food
Long exposure of Canal Grande of Trieste, Italy in wonderful sunrise
Eating in Italy is a unique experience, with several scrumptious dishes to tease the taste buds available. Trieste is slightly different, as it has all the delicacies of Italian food (especially seafood pasta) and many influences of Germanic food. In Trieste, guests can find historical restaurants where its most delicious dish is the Jota (a winter broth with beans, fermented cabbage, and potatoes) which might make more sense in Austria than in Italy. Don’t sleep on Trieste’s pastries and, especially, its gelato.
The best gelato in town is at Gelateria Zampolli: Via Carlo Ghega, 10, 34132 Trieste.
6 James Joyce
The Ulysses writer might be Irish but lived in Trieste for over 15 years. With that in mind, it makes sense that he has a museum and a bronze statue in the city. Many places where Joyce went to drink coffee and eat his favorite desserts are still standing, allowing vacationers to follow his steps and get inspired by this unique city. Although it’s not proven, he likely got the inspiration for Ulysses in Trieste.
James Joyce is regarded among the most influential writers of the 20th century and contributed significantly to the avant-garde movement.
5 Miramare Castle
The wonderful white castle over the sea - Miramare. Trieste, northern Italy
A 20-minute bus ride from the city center will take newcomers to Miramare Castle. This beautiful place was built as the retirement home of Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian (the Emperor’s brother) and his wife, Charlotte. As such, money was not a problem, and they created a unique place with the Adriatic Sea's beautiful views, incredible gardens with plants and roses brought from the Americas, and architectural features of Austrian, German, and English castles that make the place a worthy visit.
- Admission: $13.06
- Hours: 9 am - 7 pm
After touring the castle's interior, step outside to explore the exotic tropical trees in the terraced garden and soak in the stunning vistas of the Adriatic.
4 Coffee
As one of the most important ports in Europe, most of the coffee from America entered through Trieste. The Triestinos are very precious about their coffee as it's part of their culture and way of life. Its taste and how it’s ordered differs from the rest of the country. That’s why coffee culture, small and big, old and new coffee places are all over town. Trieste is also where the coffee company Illy was born, and travelers can try its coffee at their store in Canal Grande.
3 Incredible Architecture
Trieste city hall on Piazza Unita d Italia square view, Friuli Venezia Giulia region of Italy
Trieste was the biggest port in the Austrian Empire, and as such, it had a significant investment from the Empire to make the place beautiful, as visitors will realize from exploring the city. The most amazing-looking place it's their main square, Piazza Unità d’Italia. The Piazza is incredible at any hour but even more at night with all its lights and views of the Adriatic Sea. Another surprising place in Trieste is the Canale Grande, a small Venice-like canal full of cafés and restaurants with a James Joyce bronze statue looking at it.
For even better panoramas of the harbor and town when at Piazza Unità d’Italia, cross to the other side of the pier opposite the theater, Molo Audace.
2 Museums
"Risiera di San Sabba", originally used as a rice-husking facility, during World War II was a Nazi concentration camp, in Trieste, northern Italy
A richly historical city, Trieste harbors a treasure trove from the past eras that visitors can scope out to look back at the city's legacy. One such is the Museum Riseria di San Sabba, a rice processing factory turned concentration camp during World War 2. It was the site of unimaginable horrors perpetrated by Nazi Germany against Jews and political prisoners. Another landmark worth checking out is Museo Revoltella. This famous museum of modern art houses thousands of sculptures, paintings, and drawings from renowned artists like Giorgio Morandi and Mario Sironi.
Occasionally, volunteers offer tours to secret underground shelters at the Museum Riseria di San Sabba, which provide deeper insight into what happened at the venue.
1 Old Churches
Exterior view of the Saint Justus Trieste Cathedral and its bell tower (Cattedrale di San Giusto Martire), Italy
Churches are a standard feature in the deeply religious nation of Italy, and the same goes for Trieste. Several medieval churches remain standing in the city, which showcase the impressive architecture from the past eras while remaining a significant historical and religious landmark to the Catholic faithful in Trieste. A good example is The Cathedral of San Giusto from the 14th century, which resulted from a merger of two churches from the 11th and 6th centuries. The church maintains some original features, such as intricate mosaic works from the 7th century, which intrigue visitors.