The experience

The nature of Trieste immediately jumps out at the curious tourist: a border city, where Mediterranean and Central European traits are mixed for a mixture of architectural genres – Neoclassical, Art Nouveau, and Baroque being the most common – ranging from buildings of Roman origin to those in the Habsburg style.

The coexistence of so many varieties is also represented by the color contrasts that characterize the morphology of the city, lying between the autumnal reds of the Karst vegetation and the blue of the sea that comes to brush the Molo Audace on days when the gusts of the Bora wind reach 180 km/h.

A fascination capable of capturing the interest of many writers who lived in Trieste, above all Umberto Saba, Italo Svevo and James Joyce. The literary echoes of these frequentations can still be felt in the elegant historic cafes downtown, ideal for pausing after tackling one of the many traditional tourist routes. For example, the famous “Tram de Opicina” (historic tramway in operation since 1902) leads from Piazza Oberdan to what the people of Trieste call the “Napoleonica” path, suitable for a walk with panoramic views of the Gulf of Trieste.

Among the best-known historical sites are the centrally located Piazza Unità d’Italia, one of the largest in Europe, and the Victory Lighthouse, an imposing memorial to the war dead. Historical buildings in the surrounding area such as Miramare Castle are also worth visiting.