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Intro
Trieste, an Italian port city, sits on the Adriatic Sea at the foot of a karst plateau that extends well into neighboring Slovenia. It stands apart from other Italian cities, with grand neoclassical architecture and a strong Austrian influence. This influence dates to the time when Trieste was Habsburg Austria’s main sea port, which generated immense wealth.
Trieste is just 100km from Ljubljana and 160km from Venice. You could visit as a day trip from either. I visited as a stopover between the two. While I didn’t have as much time as I’d have liked, I still loved how underrated it felt.
Great Location
Trieste has a unique vibe that sets it apart from other Italian cities due to its Austrian heritage and proximity to the Slovenian border. The city is perfectly situated between Venice and Ljubljana and makes an easy day trip from either. Slovenia’s tiny coast is just over the border, not even half an hour away.
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Trieste makes for a great stopover between the two countries, but it has plenty to see and do, so you can spend a few days here without getting bored.
Get In
There are frequent train services to/from Venice (2 hours or so) and Udine, and further afield to Milan, Bologna, Florence, and Rome. In the other direction, there are a few train connections to Ljubljana every day (around 2:45 hours). Trieste’s train station is around a 15-minute walk from the city center/Canal Grande. As of November 2022, the station was under construction, so some services were unavailable, though there are still a few shops, restaurants, ticket machines, and information desks. The entrance is grand and beautiful, however, so take a moment to enjoy the lofty ceiling in the atrium.
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Like most trains in Italy, you can save money on tickets by booking ahead online. Buying tickets even a week or two in advance can provide serious savings, and it means you can avoid long lines at ticket windows or machines. Just show the conductor your phone onboard or print it out and bring it with you.
Trieste also has many convenient bus connections. Buses from Ljubljana leave hourly or so and take just 1:30 hours. Koper on the Slovenian coast is less than a 30-minute journey and is just on the other side of the border. From Trieste, you can also go on to Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula or deeper into Italy.
The bus station is right next to the train station. While not as fancy as its neighbor, it is both clean and efficient. The bus station has left luggage, so use the facilities here while the train station undergoes construction.
Get Around
Central Trieste is very walkable. In fact, a walk around the city is a pleasure, not just a means of getting around. You can walk from the bus/train station to the Canal Grande in 10 or 15 minutes. Sidewalks are wide and a lot of the Austrian Quarter is pedestrianized. In addition, there are plenty of street signs, so navigation is a breeze.
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Some attractions are too far to easily reach on foot. Fortunately, Trieste operates an extensive bus network, which runs routes within the city and around the metropolitan area. Buy local bus tickets from kiosks or from machines at larger stops and validate in the machine onboard. Tickets are valid for one hour. Read more about the transport system here. You might have to translate the page from Italian.
Finally, ferries depart from the harbor to nearby small towns, including the beautiful Muggia, which some call a ‘mini-Venice’. Ferries leave from Bersaglieri pier, and the journey takes around half an hour.
Lower Crowds
Italy is among the most-visited countries in the world. However, Trieste doesn’t have nearly as many visitors as, say, Rome, Florence, Venice, or the Amalfi Coast. Part of this is its location, tucked away east of Venice and adjacent to the Slovenian Coast. While quite accessible from Venice, Udine, and from these the rest of Italy, Trieste is a destination best visited in transit between Italy and Slovenia.
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In addition to its out-of-the-way (for most tourists) location, Trieste also lacks a major sightseeing draw like Rome’s Colosseum or Florence’s Uffizi and Accademia Galleries. That’s not to say it lacks things to see and do, however. Trieste has excellent museums, beautiful historic churches, a charming center, and Roman ruins. Best of all, Trieste’s attractions are blissfully uncrowded, and there are few if any tourist traps.
Trieste has fewer crowds than other Italian cities, so it can be a nice break from the hordes of tourist crowds that haunt more popular destinations. There aren’t any walls of tourists to fight through to take pictures. No long lines to get into museums or other sights. And despite a noticeable lack of American and British tourists, English speakers will have very few problems here. Locals are also friendly, honest, and happy to welcome visitors to their city.
Unique Mix of Architecture
If Trieste is your first Italian destination from Slovenia, you’ll immediately notice its ‘Italian’ feel. However, if you visit Trieste after other Italian cities, it will stand apart. A large portion of the city was built by the Austrians in the 18th century. This has given the city a strong Viennese feel. Walking through the center, you’ll admire some of the best neoclassical architecture in Europe. Only London has more.
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Trieste offers some unique touches thanks to its position as Habsburg Austria’s foremost seaport. For example, tourist information signs are posted throughout the city center in English, Italian, German, and even Slovenian. This is a testament to its continued location at the borders of three cultural spheres.
Cool Things to Do
Since Trieste makes a good stopover between Ljubljana or the Slovenian coast and Venice, many visitors have just a few hours here. Fortunately, this is plenty of time for a walking tour of the city’s highlights. Drop your bags at the bus or train station and start exploring!
Canal Grande
Venice isn’t the only city with a grand canal. While much smaller and less dramatic, Trieste’s Canal Grande is a picturesque spot at the center of the 18th century ‘Borgo Teresiano’, built by the Austrians during the reign of Maria Theresa.
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The canal extends from the waterfront into the city, and is lined with beautiful baroque palaces and churches. It is a great place for a stroll, or for a stop at one of the many cafes lining the water. Canal Grande simply exudes charm.
Several bridges cross over the canal. One such bridge features a statue of famous Irish writer James Joyce, who lived here on and off during his early 20th century exile. There is a small information plaque next to the statue.
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Waterfront
As a port city, Trieste’s waterfront is an understandably important feature. Today, you can walk along a pleasant path, taking in views of the Adriatic on one side and 19th century warehouses on the other side. Canal Grande dips inward from the waterfront, so you can start or end your walk there.
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Roman Theatre
Trieste’s Roman theatre stands out from its location in the heart of the city. Built in the 1st to 2nd centuries AD, it once held some 3,000 spectators. It is ruined today, but you can visit for free in passing.
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Other Attractions
If you have more than a few hours, Trieste has many more attractions to offer. These include:
- Miramare Castle-€10 entrance, take bus 36 from train station. Maximilian’s castle.
- Synagogue- built in 1912, a testament to once-vibrant Jewish community here.
- Museo Revoltella-modern art in a beautiful old villa.
- Risiera di San Sabba-1943 concentration camp, now a monument and museum.
- Trieste Cathedral-built in 14th century, with remnants from 6th century.
You can easily hit all of these sights if you stay the night.
Great Food
Trieste has some incredible food offerings. Its Austrian and Slovenian heritage blend with Italian present to create a delicious range of cuisine. When dining in restaurants, you’re equally likely to see sausage and sauerkraut as pasta. In pastry shops, strudels stand side by side with tiramisu.
In addition to food, Trieste has an excellent café culture that blends the best of Vienna and Rome. There are hundreds of cafes to choose from, so take a break from sightseeing and do as the locals do: grab a seat at an outdoor terrace and people watch.
How Long To Stay
I visited Trieste as a stopover between Ljubljana, Slovenia and Venice, Italy. With only some three hours to explore, I walked along the waterfront and throughout the 18th century Austrian Quarter. While I felt satisfied with the time I had in Trieste, I would love to return and explore more of the charming, relaxed city.
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If you only have a few hours in Trieste, do what I did: explore the city center and grab some lunch. With one day and one night, you can easily see Miramare Castle and the big museums in addition to exploring the city.
Staying two nights will allow you to see the major sights and take a day trip to the beautiful small village of Muggia. No matter how long you have in Trieste, however, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. You’ll even begin to wonder why more people don’t visit. But you’ll also be very glad they don’t.
Wrapping Up
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Trieste is a beautiful, underrated city at the cultural border of Italy, Austria, and Slovenia. It stands apart from other Italian cities, with its beautiful 18th century neoclassical architecture, distinct blend of cuisine, and multicultural air. And yet, the city still manages to feel distinctly Italian. Whether you visit for three hours or three days, you’re bound to enjoy Trieste.