The City of Trieste

A view on the world

A unique combination of cultures, religions and architectural styles – a multifaceted city waiting to be discovered. Bask in the atmospheres described by great writers or create new ones of your own. Seek inspiration in the historical cafes and pastry shops...

Lying between the rugged Karst plateau and the Adriatic sea, the fascinating city of Trieste offers tourists a unique and unforgettable experience. A borderland and trading port with a history filled with turmoil, from the distant past to more recent times, Trieste is a crossroads of cultures, religions, architectural styles, languages, ethnicities and products of exceptional interest.

The city, which was first built on San Giusto hill – where the Medieval San Giusto castle stands – offers tourists a limitless variety of sightseeing opportunities.
Trieste is home to numerous religious groups: the main faiths have been a part of the city for centuries. The architectural styles of the buildings are also extremely varied: Neoclassical, Art Nouveau, Eclectic and Baroque structures coexist in harmony, as do the Roman remains and buildings from the eighteenth century.

Lose yourself amidst the antiques shops in the winding, narrow streets of the old town or stroll through the Borgo Teresiano (a quarter dating from the time of Maria Theresa of Austria), where the orderly city planning of the Habsburgs is evident; taste the finest coffee blends in the historic Caffé Tommaseo or sample a delicious presnitz in the pastry shop that James Joyce once frequented, and be sure to enjoy trying the famous boiled meats prepared in the Austrian tradition or the sardoni in savor (a local seafood dish) accompanied by a glass of fine wine in the century-old traditional restaurants.
In Trieste, you can rediscover the streets, the images and the atmosphere that have been described by great authors, or create your own first-person narrative. The limitless magic of this city will inspire you to write an unforgettable page of your own history – the memories of your visit to Friuli Venezia Giulia.

Visiting the city

Take a stroll along the seaside to view the elegant palazzi overlooking the distant horizon, then stop in the spectacular Piazza Unità to discover its historic buildings and cafes. Wander aimlessly through the old town or climb towards the wide avenues bearing the unmistakable mark of the Habsburgs, until finally reaching the “Viale” teeming with life.

From the Central Railway Station in Piazza Libertà, walk along Corso Cavour to Canal Grande, which was excavated in 1756 so that sailing ships could unload their wares into the heart of the city. At one time, the canal continued up to the Church of Sant’Antonio Nuovo; today, the canal has been partially filled in its final section and is only accessible to small boats, as a bridge was constructed that blocks the passage of sailboats.
With the Church of Sant'Antonio as its scenic backdrop, the canal is crossed by a bridge called Ponterosso (after which the neighbourhood is named) and lined with beautiful buildings, including Palazzo Carciotti, currently the headquarters for the Harbour Authority.

While continuing to walk with the sea on your right, to the left there is the former City Hall, followed by the Church of San Nicolò dei Greci, Piazzetta Tommaseo, with its famous historic cafe that was once a centre of patriotic unrest and is still a haunt frequented by artists, and finally, after passing the Molo Audace pier on the right, you will arrive in the vast Piazza Unità, one of the most beautiful places in the city.
Today, the splendid, immense rectangular shape of the piazza is perfectly demarcated by majestic buildings: the City Hall, an edifice whose construction began in 1872, stands at the far end; Palazzo Modello built in 1870, Casa Stratti, which houses Caffé degli Specchi, one of the oldest cafes in Trieste (it opened in 1839 and has recently been completely renovated), and Palazzo del Governo are on the north-east side; Palazzo Pitteri and the building owned by Lloyd Triestino, Italy's oldest shipping company and one of the oldest in the world, stand on the opposite side of the square.
From Piazza Unità, stroll along the picturesque streets near Piazza Cavana, the characteristic historical part of the city; or head for the close-at-hand Piazza della Borsa on the left, with its impressive Palazzo della Borsa featuring a deep pronaos and enormous allegorical sculptures.

Then, turn onto Corso Italia, also known simply as Corso, the city’s main street, which is also lined with interesting buildings. The Corso leads to Piazza Goldoni, a square where several streets converge and the starting point for the Scala dei Giganti (Staircase of the Giants), which ascends to San Giusto, and the Galleria Sandrinelli, a tunnel built in 1904.
Continuing on from the piazza, another important avenue is reached – Via Carducci, which was built on the bed of a stream that was completely covered in 1850. Its austere buildings and majestic breadth framed by trees, as well as the beautiful avenues that intersect with it (Viale XX Settembre in particular, affectionately called Viale or Acquedotto because the aqueduct dating from the era of Maria Theresa passed through this location) evoke the Austrian urban planning that dominated nineteenth-century Trieste.
Our staff is always ready to advise you on how to make the most of your stay in Trieste.

Photos by Alessandro Savella, Gabriele Crozzoli and Maurizio Valdemarin, courtesy of Agenzia Turismo FVG