Trieste - Green Travel Guide

Trieste: nature, European charm, culture, history, art, castles ... you'll find its true essence only on a cold winter day, with cold temperatures and strong bora...

A wonderful city which has fascinated and inspired writers from all over Europe; some decided to outlandish stories as the setting, others have made their nest ... It is the city of Umberto Saba, that celebrated it in poems mentioning streets made famous by his verses: via Rossetti and via Lazzaretto Vecchio...

1. Best things to do in Trieste

What to do in Trieste? Walking, visiting cafes remembering that on the first Sunday of May they run the Marathon or Bavisela (which in dialect means "breeze"), a party that should not be missed. During the summer the sea water is quite clean and the coast (except in the harbor) is swimming.

What to visit in Trieste? In the center you will find the three statues dedicated to Italo Svevo, Umberto Saba and James Joyce. Two Trieste-born Joyce, lover of Italian literature, traferitosi in Trieste on business.

A must is the historic Caffè San Marco, steeped in history and literature. And the Public Library of the Museum Square Hortis Sveviano, Svevo lived here often, intent to fantasize and play on paper that visionary world that opened before him. Another inevitable stop is the public park of Via Giulia, the scene of several scenes of his novels like Confessions of Zeno ...

Grotta Gigante near Trieste, photo by Chiara Marra via Flickr

2. Trieste and surroundings

Lots of things to see in the surroundings… Surely you will never have visited the Grotta Gigante, a cavity accessible to the public, little treasure in the heart of the Carso. Originated from a phenomenon very special as that of the karst mountains, was "built" by a complex of calcareous rocks which dissolve easily with the passage of water or rain, modeled in a constellation of unique forms. In the province of Trieste of these caves there are more than three thousand. This is the most famous is the Grotta Gigante.

It was born about 6 million years ago and its interior is accessed through a natural entrance discovered in 1890 and which in 1908 became the tourist access to the Grotto.

The Cave is also an important point of detection of seismic activity, do not miss it.

3. Nature, sport and green itineraries

One of the most beautiful walks in the area begins at the pass of Monte Spaccato, the Park Globojner. You can conveniently leave your car at the large parking lot of the Consortium Boschivo Padriciano, and climb for a few meters along the main path. They bipartiranno two paths: one is that of Derin: sunny and sheltered from the wind. After about 30 minutes of walking the walk Derin continues slightly uphill, winding through the woods to reach the Path Capuano Kugy. At this point you have reached the fortified village of Monte Calvo (Globojnar).

The city walls are Castellieri dry, placed at strategic locations, far from the sea, to defend the way of penetration.

The historic bar of Trieste, Caffè San Marco — Caffè San Marco, photo by antonio via Flickr

4. Tastes and local food

Trieste is the true capital of Italian coffee. A permaculture that invaded its history giving birth to numerous coffee shops. Try the centennial coffee San Marco, former haunt of Svevo and Saba and the Mirror Café in Piazza Unità d'Italia.

The traditional cuisine of Trieste instead is a variegated mosaic of flavors and dishes: meet and combine the flavors of the Mediterranean Sea and continental hinterland. Trieste has always been a frontier town, the welcome is really sacred so enjoy the typical dishes in one of dozens of taverns spread around the town.

The Antipastoteca di Mare 'At Voliga' is actually a seaside trattoria with true and exquisite cuisine of Trieste. Try soups!

5. Where to stay in the city and surroundings

Discover all ecofriendly accomodations in Trieste and its province. The charm of the city, the B&B in the small villages inland or overlooking the sea.