Towards the end of a narrow strip of Italian territory lies Trieste. Once upon a time, the town was the most important port of the Habsburg Monarchy. Trieste is a city that is almost surrounded by Slovenia. It is a place where people have traditionally come together, where they have gathered from all around the world. We visited Trieste for one day and it was a part of our trip to Slovenia.
One Day In Trieste
We took the bus from Koper to Trieste. It was an easy ride, it took less than half an hour. We were greeted by a city glittering by the sea. The buildings were white, the sea was lazily bathing in the sun. We walked a lot on that day. It has been quite some time since our visit, I’m not sure I recall everything perfectly here.
One of the first sights that we saw was the enormous harbor full of ships, piers and shipyards. Near the harbor we found the square Piazza dell’Unità d’Italia as well as the Canale Grande. It was here somewhere that I had my first ever Italian cappuccino. Never had better coffee.
Further away from the glimmering waterfront we faced some hills and eventually ended up at the Castel San Giusto. The castle was constructed in the 14th century by combining two churches from the 6th and 11th centuries.
From the castle, we continued to the Roman theater, built in the first century AD. It was a hot day and the water bottles came well in handy.
On our return from the Roman theater we checked out some of the stores in the city. One of the items I bought – a blue scarf from H&M – turned out to be quite useful during that disastrous bike ride to Croatia. It might have saved the day.
Travel to Trieste from Slovenia
Actually. when in Trieste, it did not feel very special. It had something of a big town buzz to it. And sure, it was old and fancy in a Viennese kind of way. And the Roman times were ever-present. But it felt somewhat impersonal. Maybe it’d be worth another visit? The city is near Slovenia and we recommend it for a day trip. Unlike other Italian cities, such as Venice, the town is not exactly in the neighborhood. And whatever you do, don’t use the bathroom at the bus station. I have never seen anything so filthy in my life.
” They laugh easily. They are easily grateful. They are never mean. They are not inhibited by fashion, public opinion or political correctness. They are exiles in their own communities, because they are always in a minority, but they form a mighty nation, if they only knew it. It is the nation of nowhere, and I have come to believe that its natural capital is Trieste.”
― Jan Morris, Trieste and The Meaning of Nowhere
