Trieste, Italy

Yesterday we took a bus from Lake Bohinj to Ljubljana and then another from Ljubljana to Trieste. There used to be a scenic rail journey from Bohinjska Bistrica to Trieste but now stops short of the Slovenian / Italian border, so then involves a bus and another train to get to Trieste. I spent time trying to coordinate all the moving pieces for that and then, wisely I think, decided we were better off taking the two buses.

This is a new destination for me and for The French, and a city that comes highly recommended, so it was an easy decision to have a brief stop here en route to Venice for our flight back to Paris. Some descriptions:

‘Trieste is an historic, elegant seaport city in northeastern Italy that blends Italian, Austrian, and Slavic cultures.
* Central European feel: Unlike most medieval Italian cities, Trieste feels more like Vienna or Budapest by the sea due to its long history under the Habsburg and Austro-Hungarian empires.
* Grand architecture: It features grand neoclassical and Art Nouveau palaces, wide boulevards, and Piazza Unità d'Italia, Europe's largest seafront square.’

We arrived in Trieste around 5pm, met our host Miranda at our studio in the Cavana quarter of the Old Town. After a quick refresh, we were out and about wandering the streets, busy and vibrant with locals and visitors enjoyed early evening ‘aperitivi’ and dinner in the many outdoor restaurants.

The next morning we set out early to make the most of our day. It was a short visit but as we explored La Città Vecchia, the historic medieval centre of Trieste that runs from the San Giusto hill down to the sea, we managed to see many of the main sights, enjoy the grand open spaces, admire the architecture and the many literary cafes … and find time to take the ferry to Muggia. See separate post.

Trieste is well worth visiting … and for more than a day 🩷Read more