Trieste

Between karst lands and sea
This is border country, with the Adriatic on one side and a stark karst promontory on the other. The land is characterised by the scents and colours of the Mediterranean maquis, intensified by the bracing air of the Bora wind.

Mitteleurope tinged with blue
There is a special kind of air right up here in the easternmost corner of the Upper Adriatic, here in this blue-tinged Mitteleuropean city, where great literary figures such as James Joyce, Italo Svevo and Umberto Saba drew inspiration.
Trieste is a place that seems to embrace the sea, or rather, to welcome the sea into the heart of the city. Piazza dell'Unità is one of the loveliest and biggest sea-front city squares in the world.

A question of style
The wealth of architectural styles in the palaces in Trieste is remarkable: Neoclassical, Art Nouveau, Eclectic and Baroque, coexisting in a harmonious blend with Roman remains, eighteenth century buildings and Hapsburg style buildings.

Mixture of religions
The mixture of religions is evident as soon as you arrive in the city, which, for many centuries, has had (amongst others) a Greek Orthodox Church, a Serbian Orthodox Church, a Synagogue, a Lutheran Evangelical Church and, the oldest of all, a Swiss Evangelical Church.

The aroma of coffee
The people of Trieste have got a real passion for coffee and coffee-drinking rituals. This passion dates back a long way, and when you go into some of the beautiful old cafes it's like stepping into another literary age.

Love of the sea
People here love going to the sea, and the beach resorts - or 'bagni', in local slang - are frequented all the year round, for sunbathing, swimming or just strolling.

The flavours of Slavic and Germanic cooking
In the traditional osmizze restaurants you can drink 'Terrano' and 'Vitovska' and eat cakes and sweets of Slavic or Germanic origin, jota soups and seafood dishes: a whole world of cooking to be discovered.

The surrounding area
The coastline is characterised by white cliffs and rocks, with little bays and footpaths through the Mediterranean vegetation.
Miramare and Duino have castles directly on the sea front.
The karst promontory, as well as having unmistakable colours, traditions and flavours, also has a number of unique natural attractions, such as the Grotta Gigante, the biggest cave visitable by tourists in the world.
Nature reserves include the Miramare sea reserve, the cliff area of Duino, Val Rosandra, and the Lanaro and Orsario mountains.
The picturesque Istrian-Venetian town Muggia is known for its artistic treasures and excellent cooking.