Reasons You Should Visit Trieste on Your Trip to Italy

There are so many amazing places to visit when you go on a trip to Italy. Many tourists go for the big cities, and with good reason. Rome and Florence are filled with stunning art and architecture the likes of which you won’t see anywhere else in the world. Venice, on the other hand, stuns visitors with its vast canals.

But, what about Trieste.

We’re betting that a few of you reading this article have never even heard of Trieste. That’s okay. It rarely tops any lists when it comes to the most visited placed in Italy. But, we think it should.

Trieste is a gorgeous wine region that has all of the joys of Italian life to offer. That’s why we’re going to shine a spotlight on it today by giving you a list of reasons why you should add Trieste to your Italian tour itinerary.

The Wine

As a wine retailer, we’d be remiss if we didn’t point out that Trieste offers a range of stunning wines that you can wet your palate with. The wine tourist will love getting lost in the many vineyards the regions play host to, plus you can never underestimate the subtle joys of combining a great wine with the local cuisine that it works best with.

Trieste is most famous for its Friuli-Venezia Giulia. However, there are some other wines that we think you should try out while you’re there. Trieste borders the Carso wine region, meaning you can easily visit that region if you want. We also think you should enjoy a glass of Refosco on your visit. The point is that Trieste, like many other places in Italy, has a fine wine selection and you should enjoy it to the full when you visit.

The Passeggiata Rilke

Hikers will love the Passeggiata Rilke. A stunning cliff side trail, it offers some of the most stunning coastal views in Italy and is a highlight of any visit to Trieste. You’ll get to look over the Sistiana Bay and enjoy everything that this natural trail has to offer. The trail saves the best for last, too.

It ends in the Duino castle, which is a true marvel that we think everybody should take the time to explore. You’ll enjoy the legend that surrounds it as well. According to the myth, an evil husband once threw his wife from the castle and over the cliff. She was transformed to stone before her body ever hit the water and she now takes her place among the cliffs of the trail.

The James Joyce Museum

One of the foremost literary talents of his era, James Joyce spent over 15 years of his life living in Trieste and exploring everything the city had to offer. Many argue that his greatest pieces came to be during this period, meaning a visit to Trieste has plenty to offer a James Joyce fan.

The jewel in the crown is the museum dedicated to his memory. Trieste has accepted James Joyce as something of an adopted son and there is great pride in what he accomplished during his time in the city. You can visit the museum to see artefacts from his life and then spend some time following in his footsteps. Who knows? You might get struck with the same inspiration that he enjoyed while he lived in the city.

The Castle of Miramare

Trieste hosts more than one castle. While the Duino castle has its legend, the Miramare castle stands out for an entirely different reason. Built over 150 years ago for the Austrian Hamburgs, the castle harkens back to a recent era of Italian history and a time when the country was not as united as it is in the modern day.

The highlight of Miramare castle has to be its stunning gardens. Gorgeous, even by Italian standards, the gardens offer a little bit of English culture in a city steeped in Italian tradition. You’ll enjoy a host of exotic plants, all in the shadow of a marvellous castle. It’s easy to spend the entire day exploring.

The City of Coffee

Trieste has been a port for centuries, and that means it has played host to many imports from all over the world. Caffeine lovers will be delighted to hear that coffee was, and still is, one such import. Some go so far as to call Trieste the city of coffee and you will see why the moment you set foot in one of its many cafés.

The streets of Trieste are lined with old style cafés that have a vintage feel to them. You can soak in the charms of an age gone buy while enjoying a cup of some of the finest coffee you will find anywhere in the world. There’s a reason why some of the world’s most famous coffee company’s call Trieste their home.

The Roman Theatre

The relics of the Roman age have always been a big drawing point for those who want to visit Italy. Trieste certainly has its fair share of those, with the highlight being the stunning Roman Theatre.

Located near the water and by a gorgeous pier, the Roman Theatre is huge. You can easily lose half a day exploring it and the many places that have sprouted up around it. Trieste’s Chinatown is a big attraction, as are the shops of Borgo Teresiano.

Experience the Bora

Don’t fret if you feel a strong gust during your visit to Trieste. That is just the Bora and it has been a part of the city’s cultural heritage for centuries. Many say that the Bora has played a large part in shaping the strange history of Trieste, helping the city develop the character that makes it stand out from so many others in Italy.

Others say that the Bora drives the residents of Trieste mad, though we wouldn’t offer much credence to that legend. Even so, Trieste would certainly not be the same without the Bora and you will feel its presence for your entire visit.