Two friends of mine invited me to their wedding in Slovenia so I took the opportunity to be open to any adventures that may come. I booked a one-way ticket to Venice and that is how I ended up in Trieste. Trieste is semi-between Venice and Ljubljana and is a cute port city with a complex history (typical Europe).
So I made a few travel mistakes; like almost forgetting to get off the train in Trieste because I was just enjoying being on a train, and then I decided to walk to my accommodation thinking it wasn’t that far (we have all done it, haven’t we?). You know what? I didn’t let any of this get to me. I was more excited about the fact that I was traveling solo in Italy for my first time. Although my Italian is limited, I felt like it was enough to unlock a few travel gems.
Now let me tell you about one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten and a castle that is so magical you wish it was your own.
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Trieste: A Two-Day Itinerary
Due to the very complex history of Trieste what exists today is a beautiful mix of Italian, Austro-Hungarian, and Slovenian influence. Most travelers, like myself, use Trieste as a small stop on a larger tour in Europe. Since this city is small, you only need one or two days. I say two, because it does take time to see Miramare Castle and if you go to Trieste, consider it a must.
Day one:
Piazza Unità d’Italia
Piazza Unità d’Italia is Europe’s largest square located next to the sea. Interestingly, Slovenes locally refer to it as Veliki trg (Great Square).
Piazza della Borsa
During the 19th century this was the economic center of Trieste, and can be found adjacent to Piazza Unità d’Italia. Now this building houses the Chamber of Commerce but previously was the Stock Exchange.
Castello di San Giusto-San Giusto Hill
Of course, if you go to Trieste I would advise that you go to San Giusto Hill. Here you can see the old castle/fortress, Roman ruins, museums, and the Cathedral of San Giusto (which has some very stunning mosaics). I have a severe lack of photos from this area, and now that I think back to being there I ran into a few American travelers and we spent a lot of time chatting and exploring the area together. Good thing I live close now!
Molo Audace
Molo Audace is a massive stone pier, as you can see below, named after the Italian Navy destroyer Audace. There is nothing on the pier, but you can walk around on it which is pretty cool!
Teatro Romano
A Roman amphitheater dating to about 1st century. This little archaeological gem is just between buildings which is an interesting juxtaposition for something thousands of years old. It is located between the Piazza Unità d’Italia and San Giusto Hill so it is an easy stop when walking around Trieste.
Gran Canal de Trieste
While this canal is not even comparable to Venice’s Canal Grande it is still a cute spot to wander. I may have eaten a few cups of gelato here.
Saint Spyridon Church
A Serbian Orthodox church built in the 1700s. I didn’t go in as I wasn’t sure on the religious rules of an Orthodox church, and I was dressed a bit summery so I played it safe.
Of course there is more that I missed such as the Trieste Cathedral, the Revoltella Museum (modern art gallery), and the Museo Sartorio (museum of ceramics, porcelain, etc inside a villa).
Miramare Castle
A rare treat for me, and this blog, a 19th-century castle. This beauty was built in 1860 and was inspired by the artistic interest of archduke, Ferdinand Maximillian. He was never able to enjoy the castle after the interiors were complete because he was executed in Mexico for attempting to establish a monarchy in Mexico.
This castle was built to be a private residence, and this was definitely reflected in the decorated rooms. I particularly enjoyed the archduke’s office, which is a reproduction of part of the ship he commanded in the navy.
During WWI all of the furniture and works of art were moved to Vienna. If you recall from earlier in this articl