On nearly any checklist of must-see places in Italy, Trieste isn’t normally within the prime 10. However one go to to this elegant metropolis, with its broad, palace-lined piazzas, spectacular literary chops, and engaging historical past, and also you’ll quickly see what the remainder of the world is lacking out on.

Dealing with the northernmost Adriatic Sea, Trieste is within the Friuli-Venezia Giulia area of Italy, set on a sliver of land only a few kilometers vast and surrounded on two sides by Slovenia. For greater than 500 years, it was one of the strategically necessary cities for the Habsburg Dynasty, and later, a vital seaport for the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Throughout the Chilly Battle, Trieste’s location simply outdoors the Iron Curtain made it a hotbed for espionage, defections, smuggling, and different worldwide intrigues.

The town has lengthy attracted artists, writers, and intellectuals, and a cerebral, film-noir-like vibe nonetheless pervades, particularly within the metropolis middle.

Trendy Trieste is a mixture of its previous—half Italian, half Slavic-Slovenian, and half Austrian-German. And whereas the town’s geopolitical significance could have light, its deepwater port is more and more attracting massive cruise ships which have been banished from Venice, positioned roughly two hours southwest. Which means an increasing number of vacationers are discovering the delicate charms of this seaside metropolis. Journey + Leisure even named it one of many best places to travel in 2025. So be certain to seize your seat at a sidewalk cafe earlier than they’re all taken.

Finest Resorts & Resorts

Grand Lodge Duchi d’Aosta

Trieste’s reigning five-star property, Grand Hotel Duchi d’Aosta, overlooks Piazza Unita d’Italia and options rooms and suites with a spot-on combine of contemporary and early Twentieth-century type. The James Joyce Suite pays tribute to the Irish novelist, who spent a lot of his grownup life and his best years in Trieste—even when he might by no means have afforded such posh digs.

Savoia Excelsior Palace

Rooms at Savoia Excelsior Palace, first opened in 1911, can really feel a bit business-like, says Florence-based editor Mary Grey. “However you actually cannot beat the port views from the suite balconies.” We love that the lodge retains so many unique particulars, together with elaborate molded ceilings and an exuberant white stucco facade.

L’Albero Nascosto

“Triestini are heat and welcoming,” says Grey. “I realized this on my first go to once I stayed at this cozy hole-in-the-wall hotel inside strolling distance of all the primary sights.” Household-run and set in a home from the 1700s, this intimate 10-room lodging has uncovered stone partitions and wood-beam ceilings. There are additionally 5 self-catering flats for lease, a few of which have balconies.

Tivoli Portopiccolo Sistiana Wellness Resort & Spa

Set about half-hour from Trieste, this seafront resort affords quick access to the town, although it’s tempting to simply keep on property and benefit from the ample facilities, together with a European-style Purobeach membership with a number of swimming pools plus a spa, retailers, and several other eating places and bars.

Finest Issues to Do

Tour Miramare Citadel.

Earlier than he sailed off to Mexico, the place his short-lived reign as Emperor Maximilian I led to entrance of a firing squad, Habsburg Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian oversaw the development of Castello di Miramare. Set on a dramatic promontory on the Gulf of Trieste, the placing white stone citadel accommodates its unique furnishings and art work, together with the archduke’s examine, designed to resemble a picket ship’s inside. Our guided tour introduced the citadel and the tales of Ferdinand and his bride, Princess Charlotte of Belgium, to vivid life. The in depth, wooded gardens are pleasant.

Discover historic Trieste within the Città Vecchia.

Trieste is thought for its grand Nineteenth-century structure, however its previous dates again a lot additional—to the second millennium B.C.E. The Città Vecchia, or Previous Metropolis, is a medieval space constructed over older Roman ruins, on slender streets which possible comply with their unique Roman format. Dwelling to a Roman theater, charming litle cafes, retailers, and guesthouses, the Città Vecchia is a tremendous base for exploring Trieste.

Dig into Winckelmann’s legacy.

There’s loads to unpack at Museo d’Antichità J.J. Winckelmann, Trieste’s most important archaeological museum, which accommodates artifacts from the fast space and all through the Mediterranean. However based on British author William Prepare dinner, “The primary draw is the eerie memorial to the person after whom it is named, Johann Joachim Winckelmann, a German artwork historian and archaeologist who’s extensively thought to be the founding father of contemporary archaeology. Winckelmann was passing by Trieste when he befriended a younger man, Francesco Arcangeli, who murdered him right here, for causes which stay unclear.” Winckelmann is buried at Trieste Cathedral.

Get pleasure from people-watching on Europe’s grandest piazza.

Ringed by neoclassical and Liberty-style buildings, Piazza Unita d’Italia is extensively thought to be one of the stunning in Europe for its grand dimensions and dramatic seaside setting. By day, you’ll be able to ogle yachts within the Gulf of Trieste and espy the distant Dolomites. Come night, sip a spritz or a prosecco in one of many elegant cafes fronting the piazza. Within the summertime, the piazza is the setting for concert events and different occasions.

Finest Eating places & Cafes

Buffet da Pepi

Vegetarians, or anybody who’s not within the temper for a heaping plate of boiled meat, may discover this historic eatery considerably difficult. However it’s a Trieste custom and typical of the Austro-Hungarian buffets that serve meat, meat, and extra meat, accompanied by pickles, sauerkraut, potatoes, and spicy mustard.

Antica Trattoria Suban

“For dinner, it’s properly well worth the cab fare to enterprise outdoors the middle for comforting goulash and different delicacies in a sublime, old-world lodge setting,” says Grey of Antica Trattoria Suban. It’s been in the identical household since its 1865 debut, when the unique Suban used his lottery winnings to open a restaurant. Regardless of a meat-heavy menu, vegetarians will discover loads of selections right here.

Caffè degli Specchi

Trieste is called the coffee capital of Italy, and that’s saying loads contemplating how a lot Italians love their java. Caffè degli Specchi, positioned proper on Piazza Unita d’Italia, affords the quintessential coffee-drinking expertise in Trieste, with tufted chairs and vintage fixtures, plus espresso and different espresso drinks, pastries, and brunch fare served with a lot pomp and circumstance.

Antico Caffè San Marco

This Trieste institution lacks the piazza views of the extra well-known Caffè degli Specchi, however based on Grey, “the people-watching is equally glorious, and there’s a complete bookshop inside.” James Joyce was an everyday, and he and his contemporaries would nonetheless really feel at dwelling within the well-preserved Artwork Nouveau inside.

Finest Time to Go to

Grey calls winters in Trieste “gloomy in the absolute best approach,” however guests not within the temper for chilly, windy days will do greatest to go to from late spring to early fall. The Barcolana, the world’s largest crusing race, takes place in the beginning of October and includes 1000’s of sailboats of all sizes. Be sure you ebook your lodge properly prematurely when you plan to go to throughout this era. In the summertime months, the usually chilly waters of the northern Adriatic Sea are heat sufficient for swimming, and seashores close to Trieste, particularly Barcola and Grignano, replenish with sunseekers.

Tips on how to Get There

Trieste might be reached by train, airplane or automotive. Trenitalia regional and high-speed trains from Venice journey at the least as soon as an hour to Trieste, and the journey takes between two and three hours. Personal high-speed provider Italo additionally runs trains between Venice and Trieste.

Reachable by practice from Trieste, Trieste Airport is about half-hour from the town, and welcomes flights from inside Italy and different factors in Europe. The closest airport with flights arriving from the U.S. is Venice Marco Polo Airport, a few two-hour drive from Trieste.

Tips on how to Get Round

A lot of Trieste’s historic middle, in addition to the Città Vecchia, is walkable. The town is served by an intensive bus community operated by Trieste Trasporti, which additionally affords ferry service to factors alongside the shoreline, together with Miramare Citadel. Delfino Verde additionally affords seasonal ferry service. Taxis are available in Trieste, and you may name them through Radio Taxi Trieste or the Uber app.

It’s not essential to have a automotive to discover Trieste, although a rental could come in useful for reaching suburban areas or venturing into neighboring Slovenia or Croatia. In any other case, when you drive to Trieste, you’ll possible be capable to park your rental automotive and persist with exploring on foot or through public transportation.