Experiences
Loved by writers like Rilke and Joyce, riveting with beauty and
culture, Trieste is the most cosmopolitan city in Italy. You can easily
sense its Habsburg past that made it the “Vienna on the sea”, while its Mediterranean and Middle-European soul comes across in a crossroad of languages, populations and religions, still beating strong to this day.
A vibrant city with a unique charm, it is rich in history, astonishing
attractions and architecture, and the starting point of numerous exciting outings.
Lovers of the outdoors will enjoy the many cycle paths, climbing crags and water sports, mainly sailing, with regattas, historical trophies and social sailings creating a rich yearly calendar from March through to October.
A CROSSROAD OF ARTS AND CULTURES
Explore the city and its vast array of churches, Roman ruins and
surprising architectural monuments, such as the exceptional
Piazza Unità d’Italia, an extraordinarily large square sitting on a prime
location overlooking the sea.
- Borgo Teresiano. This elegant borough along the Canal Grande was commissioned by the Austrian Emperor Charles VI and completed under her daughter, the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, following her idea of a modern city.
- The historical cafes in Trieste have barely changed over time and deliver a fascinating experience.
- Visit the exceptional mosaics of the Cathedral of Saint Justus and the Castle of Saint Justus on the highest hill above the city, where you will find the Castle Civic Museum. The path along the outside walls offers one of the most delightful panoramic views onto the city and the Gulf of Trieste.
- The importance of the Jewish Community in the history of the city is seen in the Synagogue.
- Built between 1856 and 1860, the Castle of Miramare was the residence of Duke Maximilian of Habsburg and his wife Carlotta of Belgium.
- The Castle of Duino lies on the outskirts of Trieste and is immersed within nature in a blend of history, culture and nobility. Belonging to the Princes of Thurn and Taxis, it was built in 1300 on the ruins of a Roman outpost and it stands on a rock overlooking the sea.
- The Revoltella Civic Museum is one of the most important modern art museums in Italy, boasting a collection of more than one thousand paintings and eight hundred sculptures.
BLUE LIKE THE ADRIATIC SEA
- Barcolana is a historic international sailing regatta that takes place in the Gulf of Trieste on the second Sunday in October every year. It is famous as the number of participants for this regatta is the highest in the world.
- The Miramare Marine Protected Area was established in 1973 and
- it is the first protected marine area in Italy, as well as the first WWF
- marine oasis. Covering 120 hectares of a protected sea area below
- the Castle of Miramare, this is an oasis of marine-coastal biodiversity, a stone’s throw from Trieste. Sea watching of sea-beds counts as one of the most picturesque activities to explore the bio-marine richness of this reserve; this experience will suit everyone as the only proviso is the ability to swim and to use the simple, necessary gear made up by goggles, fins and a snorkel.
BREATHTAKING PATHS AND VIEWS
- The Giant Cave was discovered in 1890. It lies at a depth of about 80 metres, it is 98,50-metre-high, 167,60-metre-long and 76,30-metre-wide.
- The Val Rosandra Nature Reserve, an area where the alpine lands meet the sea, hosts the unique Cottur Garden cycle path. Ten minutes is all it takes to reach it from Trieste.
- Featuring an exceptional naturalistic value, the Rilke Path stretches along the Duino Crags Nature Reserve. It boasts white limestone embankments overlooking the sea, with numerous climbing routes that offer unparalleled views onto the Gulf of Trieste.
FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA
A region rich in hidden treasures, the renowned Mosaic School in Spilimbergo is one of a kind and welcomes students from all over the world. The city-fortress of Palmanova was designed in 1593 following
a utopic dream and was declared a national monument in 1960.
Continue your journey of exploration by visiting Grado, known as the Golden Island, and its picturesque historic centre with pretty alleys and courtyards, along with the Basilica, containing exceptional 6th c. mosaics.
Explore Aquileia, the ancient Roman city, where you will find impressive mosaics in the evocative church of Saint Mary of the Assumption and revel in their captivating beauty.
AMONG HILLS AND VINEYARDS
Come and discover this area with a wine tasting in the Collio region, where
some of the best wines in the world are produced, in a landscape rich in lush, green hills and small historic hamlets. We also recommend a visit to Cividale del Friuli, an ancient town that was capital of the Lombards.
Vodopivec, in the heart of the Carso. The wine estate conveys the spirit of its land with a single native grape variety, Vitovska, produced with great passion, dedication and pride by employing the terracotta clay pot technique, used for thousands of years.
Kante is a farm where the art of experimentation and innovation comes across with the production of fresh, elegant products that see their purity and authenticity as stemming directly from nature.
The Keber farm on the Zegla hill that gently descends to the border with Slovenia, is famous for its soil that particularly suits Tocai grapes:
this is where the award-winning “Tocai Friulano” wine by Renato Keber is produced.
A LAND WHERE TASTE TRIUMPHS
Sitting on a hill, the city of San Daniele is world-renowned for its high-quality ham; together with the Sauris smoked ham, it is one of the many Italian culinary products of excellence.
The Marasca honey, awarded the Slow Food label, is produced with the nectar of mahaleb cherry and stems from the Middle East:
the Carso microclimate suits this tree well and its limited propagation means the restricted production is a rare delicacy.
Jamar – a cheese produced in a karst cave – is a symbol of creativity and dedication of the Zidarich farm. The complexity of this cheese is the product of its aging, mostly taking place in a 70-metre-deep cave.
