Travel Trieste Guide Italy

Trieste was one of the first populated cities in all of Italy. Trieste lies on Italy's Northern coast, near Slovenia on the Adriatic Sea. A border town, Trieste has its own language called Triestine and this, along with Italian, Slovenian and German are all spoken there. During the Ice Ages, people were said to have carved homes out of Trieste caves. Later, Jason and the Argonauts were said to have landed there while on their quest for the Golden Fleece and and Antenore and Diomedes were said to have landed in Trieste during the battle of Troy. As you can see, Trieste is rich with legends and history.

The city of Trieste may be most famous for its central Piazza, the largest in all of Europe. The Piazza is rectangular and surrounded by palaces: the Municipio with its clock tower; the Stratti, housing General Insurance and also the Caffè degli Specchi and the Palazzo del Lloyd Trestino, which once housed the oldest Italian navigation company, the government palace and the liberty building that houses the fine Duca d'Aosta hotel. At the piazza's center stands the 18th century Quattro Continenti fountain, the former terminal of the Maria Teresa d'Austria acqueduct.

The Piazza also offers a view of the sea, and every tourist to Trieste must enjoy an Italian cappuccino and a Slovenian pastry while taking in the dramatic Adriatic Sea. Trieste is also home to several neo-classical castles and numerous ancient ruins including a Roman amphitheater.

In a country so rich in History, Trieste is perhaps the most fascinating and under appreciated of all Italy's cities. The combination of cultures here is unique and the landscape is stunning. On your next visit to Italy, be sure to stop in Trieste for a truly unforgettable experience.