The beautiful city of Trieste, capital and major center of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, located on the wide, homonymous gulf next to the Istrian peninsula and the Slovenian border on the slopes of a suggestive Karst plateau.
A commercial and tourist port of great importance where you can breathe a unique charm between the Adriatic and Central Europe, a crossroads of cultures, architectural inspirations, uses, customs, gastronomy have created in this place a melting pot of ancient memories since the time of the first Celtic and Roman settlements when the ancient Polis was built in 52 BC, events that with the following ones have left indelible imprints visible in the great artistic and monumental heritage that Trieste boasts and that it shows with pride and also with a veiled coquetry.
1st Day – Castle of San Giusto – Civic Museum – Cathedral of San Giusto – Civic Museum of History and Art – Rotonda Pancera – Arch of Richard – Roman Theater – Antiquarium
The visit can start from the gentle hillside of San Giusto overlooking Trieste, the site where the first Imperial city called Tergeste was born in the era of Octavian Augustus.
In this evocative place you can admire the magnificent Castle of San Giusto built in 1470 by Emperor Frederick III on the foundations of some pre-existing dilapidated buildings including an old manor, home to Imperial officers residing in Trieste.
The original plan, according to a reconstruction was a long and wide rectangle on two orders and an imposing crenellated tower, a layout that underwent considerable changes at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries with the ruling Republic of Venice that erected the Venetian Bastion and later two others called Lalio and Pomis.
In spite of its imposing structure, this stronghold never had a priority importance for the defense of the territory, rising to the east an organized main defensive system and after a series of renovations in the 30s in contemporary times it was used as a venue to host cultural events.
You can visit the Civic Museum inside the fortress which preserves a wonderful collection of weapons manufactured between the 16th and 19th centuries, wooden furnishings from various eras, paintings and local works and one of the main highlights is undoubtedly the beautiful Sala Caprin, a refined hall in Venetian Renaissance style.
Afterwards you can take a pleasant walk through the paths and ramparts of the castle enjoying incomparable panoramic views of the Adriatic where you will have a clear idea of the conformation of the spectacular local gulf.
Continuation with the Cathedral of San Giusto which was erected like the Castle on a series of pre-existing buildings whose remains can be seen near the bell tower.
This religious building was built in the Middle Ages using columns dating back to Roman times that were part of the Capitoline Temple.
On the first building was then developed a further Early Christian Basilica disappeared according to historical documentation in the 9th century due to various lootings by barbarian populations but with traces remaining of the original pavement where a section of a mosaic that presumably occupied the central nave stands out.
In the 11th century there were two buildings that formed a kind of large religious complex namely the Sacellum of San Giusto and the Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin which were united in the 1300s forming a single, large ecclesiastical temple with the development of a monumental central nave and the structure visible today is as a plan the result of that time.
The façade developed in the 14th century boasts a splendid central openwork rose window that shows in its composition quatrefoil arches and rosettes.
Next to the Cathedral stands the bell tower embellished with some classical statues with the fourteenth-century statue of San Giusto placed in a niche above the entrance portal of the bell tower.
The interior developed with five naves, you will have the idea of that famous unification of churches in the medieval period, admiring splendid Byzantine-inspired mosaics of the Ravenna school in the apse sections of the left aisle, while the opposite one is wonderfully decorated with frescoes from the 1300s.
In the apse corresponding to the central nave we will be able to admire a beautiful contemporary mosaic made in 1932 which depicts the Coronation of the Virgin then continuing with the other gems of the Cathedral or the Chapel dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua which houses the Treasure of the Cathedral, the Urn containing the relics of the Patron Saint and a Polyptych which immortalizes the crucifixion of Christ by the great master Paolo Veneziano.
Other relevant highlights are the famous Wrought Iron Halberd of San Sergio, which represents the symbol of Trieste, and a silver crucifix dating back to the 1300s.
Behind the central body is the Civic Museum of History and Art where in the atrium you can admire statues that were discovered near the archaeological excavations of the Roman Theater.
This remarkable museum center houses archaeological finds from the prehistoric and protohistoric eras, from the Roman era, others from Istria and from the historic town of Aquileia in the province of Udine.
Also of great importance are the sections that preserve the collection of Hellenic ceramics and the well-known silver rhyton that was found in Taranto in Puglia.
Another treasure that is part of this museum is the Lapidary Garden inaugurated in 1834 which occupied a site in an area where there was a necropolis housing important finds from the Roman era, a site that also boasts the presence of the Cenotaph a monument placed in a small temple with neoclassical forms that honors the famous archaeologist Winckelmann, a well-known figure of classicism who died in Trieste in 1768.
Time for your lunch I recommend among the traditional, local specialties among the first courses of your choice Jota or Rice with Beans, Lard and Celery, second courses to choose between Cod with Tomato with Grilled Vegetables or Cevapcici with French Fries and Grilled Peppers.
Later continuation with Rotonda Pancera, a palace erected in 1807 as the residence of Domenico Pancera, an illustrious Friulian merchant, a stupendous neoclassical structure with a façade developed in a semicircle embellished with an order of Ionic columns that alternate with valuable bas-reliefs depicting mythological gods or Mars and Minerva.
Near this building is the Arch of Richard erected in 33 BC which consisted of one of the main gateways to Tergeste, the Roman Trieste.
Moving along Via del Teatro you will find yourself in front of the Roman Theater built at the turn of the first and second centuries at the behest of Quinto Petronio Modesto, a magnificent imperial monument found in 1938 erected right on the slopes of the hill of San Giusto in front of the sea.
This building is an extraordinary reproduction in its reconstruction of a large Hellenic theater that had a capacity of over 6000 spectators.
Then you can reach reach the Antiquarium, a Roman residence dating back to the 1st century A.D. later abandoned and reused as a burial site between the 2nd and 6th centuries built in a place where important archaeological finds were found.
At the end of the visit, free time to experience the unique beauty of Trieste, dinner discovering other gastronomic delights of this city of Friuli Venezia Giulia and overnight stay in the chosen hotel.
2nd Day - Piazza Unità d' Italy – Piazza Verdi – Teatro Verdi – Palazzo della Borsa – Borgo Teresiano – Grand Canal – Palazzo Carciotti – Church of Sant'Antonio Taumaturgo – Church of San Spiridione – Church of San Nicolò – Evangelical Church – Israelite Temple – Tergesteo Gallery
I recommend starting the visit on this second day from Piazza Unità d'Italy, the beating heart of Trieste, an extensive urban clearing where you can breathe a splendid, romantic nineteenth-century atmosphere thanks to the presence of beautiful neoclassical buildings and historic cafes that were and are tangible symbols of Trieste's cultural life.
One of them is the Caffè San Marco which opened its doors in 1914 and has since been transformed into a sort of literary salon hosting at its tables personalities of the caliber of Joyce, Saba, Rilke and Svevo.
Totally destroyed in the tragic war event corresponding to the First World War , this legendary meeting point of the international nomenclature was restored to what it was, with elegant marble tables and refined Viennese-style furnishings, reviving the historical aura of nostalgic times, where it was customary for many famous figures to find infinite inspirations in this place, in a simple conversation.
Another of great prestige is the Caffè Tomasseo, an elegant site overlooking the Adriatic Sea, which since 1830 has been a renowned meeting place for politicians, business and local business personalities, with elegant furnishings boasting some very attractive details such as fine mirrors from the late 19th century from Belgium.
Even today this Café is a very popular place for fashionable aperitifs providing a wide range of fine liqueurs in its list.
Equally inviting for its appearance and history is the Caffè degli Specchi opened in 1839, a favorite destination in the past for poets, philosophers, writers, patriots, considered by the locals an emblem and favorite destination to read a newspaper while tasting an aromatic espresso.
You can then linger in front of the Town Hall, a building erected in 1875 by the architect Giuseppe Bruni in an eclectic style that blends elements of Venetian, Habsburg and Mannerist style in its attractive architectural layout.
Of considerable historical and architectural value are also Casa Stratti, the elegant Palazzo Modello, another work by Bruni, the majestic Palazzo del Governo, the famous Hotel Duchi d'Aosta, the well-known Palazzo del Lloyd linked to the famous international insurance company and Palazzo Pitteri, a baroque jewel with splendid decorations as well as the beautiful monumental fountain executed by Mazzoleni.
Continuation with the nearby Piazza Verdi where stands the majestic theater of the same name named after the famous composer Emiliano.
Erected between 1798 and 1801 by the architects Giannantonio Selva and Matteo Pertsch, the latter creator of the façade that took as its solemn inspiration that of La Scala in Milan and called at the beginning of its history as Teatro Nuovo, being later called Teatro Grande in 1861 and acquiring its current name in 1901.
Its inauguration had as a gala performance the famous opera Ginevra di Scotland by Simon Mayr, a composer who was the inspiration and teacher of Gaetano Donizetti.
This theater was also a great stage for illustrious musicians such as Giuseppe Verdi who performed in 1848 with Il Corsaro and two years later with Stiffelio, Gustav Mahler, Nicolò Paganini, Arturo Toscanini and Claudio Abbado.
Due to the events of the First World War, the Teatro Verdi was closed at that time and then resumed with a rich annual calendar and today home to renowned opera and ballet seasons.
In a pleasant walk you can reach the square Piazza Borsa where a statue dedicated to Emperor Leopold I stands and the famous Palazzo della Borsa is located, which in modern times houses the Trieste Chamber of Commerce
This building erected between 1799 and 1806 in neoclassical style, linked to large import-export operations, made this city a primary pole at an international level and for a long time at the height of the business world, becoming the emblem of Trieste which, at the behest of Charles VI of Habsburg, became a famous free port in 1719.
The façade is absolutely beautiful where a magnificent colonnade stands out surmounted by a very large tympanum inside which a large clock and four statues developed on the ground floor depicting the continents, namely Africa, Asia, America and Europe, were placed.
A fine order of elegant symmetrical windows
was developed in correspondence with the main floor as well as two statues of
classical inspiration representing the mythological gods Mercury and Vulcan.
Inside you can admire the beautiful ceiling with frescoes made by Giuseppe Bernardino Bison commemorating the title of free port otorgato in Trieste at the beginning of the 18th century.
On the same square stands a masterpiece in Art Nouveau style, Casa Bartoli built in 1905 characterized by a beautiful façade with floral decorations, cast iron elements and an elegant glass veranda.
Walking along Via Tre Novembre near the Adriatic coast entering the fascinating Borgo Teresiano, a district developed in the 18th century after the medieval walls were demolished in this area, reclamation operations were carried out at the behest of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.
The district was developed around the Grand Canal of Trieste, a site that was in the past the main port center created in 1700 designed for the docking of small merchant boats and sailing ships, an inlet that extends up to the beautiful Church of Sant'Antonio.
This area of the city had a considerable development and the numerous existing neoclassical palaces were largely residences of successful merchants, active businessmen at the head of established companies and prestigious shipowners, soon becoming an emblematic place of Trieste called Tergesteo in honor of the glorious times of the Roman Imperial era.
You can linger on one of them, Palazzo Carciotti, a building with refined neoclassical forms erected by the architect Matteo Pertsch between 1799 and 1805 as the residence of the architect of Hellenic origin Demetrio Carciotti.
The beautiful seafront façade is characterized by six majestic columns that support a refined balustrade enlivened by the monumental presence of six statues made by the sculptor Antonio Bosa, a faithful follower and successful pupil of the master Venezianor Antonio Canova.
The building has an immense copper dome surmounted by an eagle representing the Napoleonic emblem.
Other important structures are Palazzo Gopcevich highlighted by its red and white plaster cladding that houses the Carlo Schmidt Theater Museum and another of the legendary Caffè Triestini or the Caffè Stella Polare which was a beloved frequent destination for artists and philosophers.
Time for your lunch, I recommend among the traditional first courses a choice between Gnocchi de Pan with Parsley, Butter and Ham or Minestra de Bobici, second courses to choose between Triestine Goulash with Buckwheat Bread Croutons or Porzina with Capuzi accompanied by Mustard and Sauerkraut.
At the end of the Grand Canal is the Church of Sant'Antonio Taumaturgobuilt in 1823 by the architect Pietro Nobile, a religious structure developed in neoclassical style opened for worship in 1842 also called the Church of Sant'Antonio Nuovo for the reason that it was built on an eighteenth-century pre-existing church in this place.
The structure boasts a majestic pronaos accompanied by splendid Ionic columns and statues of local martyrs erected on the attic while two twin bell towers were raised at the back.
Visiting the interior with a single nave with a large elliptical dome you will appreciate the beautiful high altar embellished with refined corinizio columns that frame an aedicule and the wonderful fresco in the apse depicting the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.
Then you can reach the Ponterosso Canal where the beautiful Serbian-Orthodox Church of San Spiridione stands, which represents, with its presence, the multi-ethnic profile of a Trieste that has always opened its doors to distinct cultures.
This religious building is characterized by its five blue domes and Byzantine-inspired as well as the large mosaic depicting the saint to whom this church was dedicated.
Erected in 1869 on a Greek cross plan, of considerable importance are the nineteenth-century icons of Russian origin and an extraordinary silver candelabrum that was a gift from the Grand Duke Romanov to the Orthodox community of Serbian ethnicity during his visit to the Julian center in 1772.
Later I recommend visiting another Church linked to this religion located in Riva Tre Novembre , namely the Church of San Nicolò which corresponds to the ecclesiastical seat of Greek-Orthodox belief in Trieste.
This neoclassical architectural structure was erected in 1784 and boasts a beautiful façade completed on its sides by two tall bell towers.
The interior with a nave has a beautiful floor developed in black and white marble and a large oil painting depicting Christ in Glory that covers the ceiling and also houses a small museum center containing sacred objects.
Heading towards Largo Panfili there is the Evangelical Church, the oldest religious building in the whole of Trieste which dates back to an oratory erected in the early Christian era in 300.
Its neo-Gothic profile with pre-existing Romanesque elements such as a large rose window and a radial of round arches is due to the renovations carried out in the 30s completed by a bell tower embellished with mullioned windows.
Its history is very interesting, in the 17th century it was occupied by the Society of Jesus founder of the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception and in 1786 it became a recognized place of worship thanks to the permits granted by the Austrian Empire which allowed the resident Swiss Community to profess their belief in this sacred temple.
The rather austere interior was developed on three naves without apse with round arches and where you can see traces of frescoes executed in the 14th century.
Continuation along Via San Francesco where you can stop in front of the Israelite Temple, the Trieste Synagogue which was years ago one of the most important on the European continent due to a large Jewish community residing since the beginning of the 20th century reduced after the events of the Second World War.
Erected between 1908 and 1912 with two facades with rose windows depicting the Star of David, the central body of considerable cubic shape is composed of other geometric elements such as a cylindrical section and two polygonal bodies surmounted by a dome, while in the lower section there is a portico developed on a quadrangular plan overlooking the churchyard.
The interior boasts refined marble decorations, stuccoes, frames, elegant furnishings, capitals, chandeliers and portals covered in handcrafted copper, all distributed with criterion in very balanced spaces.
As the last stage of the day's visit I recommend visiting the beautiful Tergesteo Gallery , a sort of Parisian-inspired living room with shops and cafes covered by a large glass roof.
The structure was built on the site where the residence of the city's Government Administrators and the Customs Office stood in the 19th century.
The neoclassical façade is stunning, with three statues depicting three fundamental activities of Trieste, namely navigation, trade and industry, a favorite meeting place for many Triestini.
At the end of this visit, free time to walk around Trieste appreciating the exquisite gastronomic specialties of Trieste in another dinner and overnight stay in the chosen hotel.
3rd Day – Villa Sartorio – Palazzo Revoltella – Palazzo Morpurgo – Miramare Castle
The wonderful Trieste offers other remarkable attractions and I recommend starting the day's visit with Villa Sartorio , a beautiful neoclassical residence that belonged to the Sartorio nobles from 1838 to 1947.
Surrounded by a green park, the villa contains the Sartorio Civic Museum located in elegant rooms that boasts a valuable collection of ceramics ranging from 1400 to 1900 as well as valuable majolica, elegant furniture, a rich collection of carpets, silverware dating back to distinct periods, prints, miniatures, jewels that form the Rusconi – Opuich collections.
You can also admire the Triptych of Santa Chiara, a 14th century masterpiece, and some drawings made by the illustrious Venetian master Gianbattista Tiepolo.
Continuation with Palazzo Revoltella , another masterpiece of neoclassical architectural imprint with Renaissance influences, embellished with marble sections and Ionic columns.
Built between 1852 and 1859 following the project of the German architect Friedrich Hitzig and developed by the local colleague Giuseppe Sforzi, as the residence of Baron Pasquale Revoltella who was a wealthy merchant of the flourishing Trieste of the nineteenth century.
This stupendous aristocratic mansion houses the Gallery of Contemporary Art containing various works executed between the 19th and 20th centuries, collection including masterpieces by illustrious artists as Hayez, Fattori, De Chirico, Bertolini, Sironi, Morandi, Guttuso, Pomodoro, Fontana, Burri, Canova and Vedova or other to a section housing works of art by local masters including Marussig, Dell' Acqua, Bison, Tominz, Mascherini, Scomparini, Veruna and others.
Continuation with Palazzo Morpurgo , another local neoclassical beauty that was the residence of a prestigious family of Trieste bankers containing a small museum with nineteenth-century furnishings, a collection of precious porcelain, ceramic objects, prints and a library.
Then you can reach one of the great monumental symbols of Trieste, the magnificent Miramare Castle , linked to the past of the Austrian Imperial House who had it built by the hand of Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg, brother of Emperor Josef, who strongly wanted with his wife Charlotte of Saxony a palace in Trieste as a residence in Italian territory, a couple sadly perished in Mexico in 1864 victims of a shooting by rebels.
This site was frequently visited by the famous Empress Sissi who enjoyed various stays on the shores of the beloved Adriatic in this castle that in its own way links the past of Trieste to Vienna for over two centuries.
Its suggestive position on a picturesque promontory in a wonderful corner of the gulf makes this manor one of the most romantic places in the capital of Friuli Venezia Giulia since its construction.
The structure of neo-medieval architectural matrix and in some sections eclectic was then retouched in 1870 following the projects of the architect Carl Junker.
The bright rooms and apartments inside are stupendous, sumptuously decorated with stuccoes and cornices, many of them show off a distinct taste with period furnishings, some architectural details were modified between 1931 and 1938 when it became the residence of Duke Amedeo d'Aosta linked to the House of Savoy and during the Second World War for a period the Castle was the headquarters of allied troops.
Magnificent is the large park of 22 hectares developed by Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg embellished with statues, sculptures, rotundas, flower beds and ponds, built in nineteenth-century style of clear Viennese inspiration with tons of earth brought directly from Carinthia to flatten the cliffs and rocky parts that occupied the current surface.
On an extension of 120 hectares, the Marine Reserve established in 1973 winds its way along the coastal section of the castle.
The complex also boasts two museum poles such as the one devoted to the Muramare Historical Museum and the one connected to the Marine Nature Reserve.
Time for your lunch of the day, I recommend among the first courses to choose between Brodet or Greek Rice, second courses to choose between Baked Sea Bass Fillet with Steamed Potatoes or Lamb Ribs with Horseradish with a side of Seasonal Vegetables.
A visit to Trieste means discovering one of the most fascinating cities in Italy without a doubt, a center that boasts a unique heritage to be enjoyed during a stay, leaving indelible memories for every visitor.
Link : https://www.turismofvg.it/en/trieste?LangSetCMS=en
Where to Stay | Recommended Accommodation
DoubleTree by Hilton Trieste
Savoia Excelsior Palace Trieste – Starhotels Collection
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