Wandering around Trieste

Visiting the city with 210.000 people living in it, was an interesting experience. The biggest impression left the main city square, which is wide and gives you a comfortable feeling if openness. There’s a lot of space between the memorable buildings that enclose the square on three sides and the fourth side is open to the world, open to the sea, for there’s only a road separating the main city square from the waters of the Adriatic.

Piazza Unità d'Italia as tbhe Italians call it, is the main square. It got its name after the iunification of Italiy, although in 1861, when Italy united, Trieste was not a part of the kingdom, for it was still the main port of the Habsburgs in the Austrian empire. It iks believed this square is the biggest European square placed directly on the shore. It got it’s current form in 1919, when the ownership of the town Trieste and all the Slovenian, Croatian and other non-Italian natives, became a part of the Italian kingdom. At first it was called Piazza Grande. In a building, with the direct view of the sea is the seat of the municipality, for it is the town hall, which you can recognize by a clock on the tower.

On its left (if facing it) stands the Palazzo Chigi oziroma Palazzo del Governo, a building of the national government and the seat of the foreign ministry, which used to be the seat of the ministry for colonies.

The palace of the city hall was made in the 19th century. It gives the main tone to the square. The clock on top of it is its attraction, for there the “Mikeze” and “ Jakez” statues, two characters of the local folklore, are ringing the bell to announce time.

On the other side, facing the ministry building, stands the palace of Lloyd insurance building. It is a building worthy to go stand alongside the city hall – which it does. It was with the Lloyd insurance coming to Trieste that the Austrian maritime fleet really expanded and got world recognition, which meant the development of the city, which was the only completely Austrian port (other ports of the enmpire were owned by the Hungarian side of the dual monarchy).

During our visit to the main square we saw the celebration of “Panini”, which is the leading Italian collector sticker company and they were celebrating their 50th anniversary. There were many children, yelling, shouting and joy at the square – a regular tingle tangle show.

A bit outside away from the city main square are the many museums of the city. There is the: “il Civico Revoltella”, “Museo Ferroviario di Trieste Campo Marzio”, “il Museo Del Mare”… but we hadn’t the time to visit them and just running through a museum seems too disrespectful, thus we decided to visit them another time.

After seeing the city center we went to the look out point at the administration building of the University. The architecture is typical fascistic, with pompous neo classical monumentalizm making you feel quite small. In fron of the building is also a staircase dedicated to a student who lost his life in the Prague uprising of 1969.

But... there’s a part of the city I do not recommend you to visit. There are several narrow streets, that seem old and charming, but they are steep and lead you nowhere, so unless you have an old magician friend with some tricks up his sleeve, it might even be a problem to meet another vehicle, let alone enjoy the sight.

However, if you decide to walk, you’ll get to feel the real beat of the city, full of people walking, cycling, young and old (especially students) giving a feel of a youthful city :).

Apart from the city I’d also suggest you go and see something different. There are wine routes, for the region is known for its excellent wines. So I suggest you take the shoreline road towards Slovenia, passing Milje that always has a fleet of sailboats passing by in the famous Barcolana – a traditional sailing event with over 2000 sailboats starting at the same time and is had been helt ever since 1969 and goes also through the Slovenian territorial waters. Also visit the vineyards nearby.

So if you wish to visit and feel a temperament of an Italian city, see the sights and explore the history, Trieste is the city for you. It has much to offer. In the past the city had exchanged hands several times. It offers many things to seem nice and are frequented less outside the tourist season. I also recommend you try their local drink, a combination of Aperol and spritzer, and it is delicious. I have to admit, I fell in love with this cocktail.

On the shore itself there are also statues symbolizing the stairs leading to the see and people who went on ships there and off to the new world, to make a better living for themselves.

A bit further from the town is also the manor Mira Mare, a vila of Maximilian of the Habsburg, the last emperor of Mexico. Here, on the rout that has for centuries connected Trieste with Berlin, the high dignitary of the Austrian court had his love nest for princes Charlotte. Next to the house is also a botanic garden, worth a look at day or night.