On the Adriatic

Trieste for dreaming

The postcard motif par excellence: Miramare Castle in the bay of Grignano.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/rh2010 - stock.adobe.com)

Trieste is not an unknown and yet underestimated destination: 48 hours in the city of pleasure on the Adriatic, where you can go high up and deep down into the underworld.

No matter who you ask, all Triesters will give a similar answer: This one is a city of epicures. You can say that about many cities in Italy. Need proof? "On average, people in Trieste consume twice as much coffee as in the rest of Italy - ten kilograms per person per year," explains city guide Emanuela. A third of all the brown beans that are turned into espressos and cappuccinos in the coffee nation arrive in the local port.

But to be honest, anyone wandering through the streets of Trieste on a spring evening doesn't need any proof of its status as a city of pleasure. The buildings look like the first district, you can smell the sea, hear the seagulls screeching, couples sip Aperol Spritz in the pavement cafés before going to the theater and snuggle up in their woolen coats. Aperitivo is a religion here.

Since Venice banned cruise ships from the harbor and charges five euros admission at weekends, the former port of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy has been attracting more and more new visitors. Half a million alone come on the big ships. Nevertheless, you can still sit in the main square, Piazza Unità d'Italia, and enjoy a coffee without having to rub your eyes at the bill.

On a walk through the city, you come across a bronze James Joyce and an oversized thaler with Maria Theresa's profile. "She had the old salt pans filled in, creating the new Borgo Teresiano district with the Canal Grande," explains Emanuela.

The Grand Canal is located in Borgo Teresiano - named after Maria Theresa, who had the salt pans filled in.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/Freesurf - stock.adobe.com)

One of the highlights awaits on the San Giusto hill: the cathedral of the same name. It bears witness to the city's eventful history: two early medieval sacred buildings, polished into a church in the 13th century, with a chandelier from the time of the emperor and a mosaic from the Mussolini era. In complete contrast is the pilgrimage church of Monte Grisa, which looks like a concrete block from the city and turns out to be just that from close up - a wonderful example of brutalism with a magnificent view of the Gulf of Trieste.

The secrets of the Karst region
You can spend an entire weekend in this town just "people watching", eating and drinking - and you will be deliciously entertained. Nevertheless, a trip into the hinterland is worthwhile, especially if you want to escape the rain or extreme heat. It is always eleven degrees in the Grotta Gigante. The grotto is the largest tourist cave in the world, albeit only for fit tourists: 500 steps lead down into the stalactite cave, 500 back out again.

When explorer Anton Lindner abseiled down here in 1840 in search of water and discovered the grotto, he must have felt like he was in the middle of Dante's "Inferno", in an unreal underworld.

INFO

GENERAL INFORMATION:
www.italia.it; Friuli Venezia Giulia Tourist Board
Veneto: www.turismofvg.it

GETTING THERE: from Vienna via Graz directly with Flixbus, with ÖBB direct or via Udine.

HOTEL TIPS: The Urban Design Hotel is located directly behind Piazza Unità, is modern and offers a great breakfast, from around 200 euros/night. The first address directly on Piazza Unità d'Italia is the historic and magnificent Savoia Excelsior Palace, from approx. 320 euros/night in a double room.

The grotto is a paradise for amateur speleologists. The stalagmites grow one millimeter every ten to 15 years. "The tallest one measures 12 meters," says guide Justin. "He has the nickname Rüdiger." Conclusion, back on the surface: a good leg workout in a magical place. Advance booking recommended.

Exploring makes you hungry. Fortunately, there are many country inns in the Karst region, known as Locande. On Sundays, the rustic dining room of the Locanda Mario Draga Sant'Elia is buzzing with the voices of large Italian families, with frogs - that's right - breaded and baked on the plates. They look like little chicken wings. They must (!) be accompanied by patate in tecia - a type of fried potato with high addictive potential. The limoncello is homemade, that's part of the good taste.

The turquoise blue sea always in view
What would a short break be without a postcard-perfect snapshot? The best place for this is certainly Miramare Castle. Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Habsburg had a castello built for himself and Charlotte of Belgium - a cousin of Queen Victoria - that feels like you're on a ship. The turquoise water in the window is even more beautiful than all the paintings of aristocrats.

In the evening, there are concerts and a top-class musical program at Il Rosetti, and in the morning there are more museums, such as the avant-garde Museum of Art in Fashion at the Fondazione ITS, or the art collection at the Museum Revoltella. Those who prefer a more sporty approach can hop on an (e-)bike and continue exploring the Karst on the Giordano Cottur cycle path.

But one thing is certain: the Pasticceria La Bomboniera is just as sweet as it sounds. Children press their noses against the display cases full of cakes that the trained Austrian will recognize - Sacher, Strudel, Esterházy. In the mornings, they drink a caffè latte for three euros, with a tamper of thick hot chocolate next to each cup. The people of Trieste love it sugary. So do the pigeons. That's the way it is in this city of connoisseurs.