Sure you’ve heard of Rome, Florence and Venice, but Trieste is just as important and beautiful. Located on the far east of Italy, this city borders Slovenia and was once under the control of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In Trieste you will still see Viennese coffee houses, have the opportunity to try goulash and perhaps Sachertorte. Under the Hapsburg Empire, Trieste became a prominent town and seaside resort for notables like Sigmund Freud, Rainer Maria Rilke and James Joyce. Here are some wonderful things to do and see when you cruise to Trieste:
- Explore the beautiful gardens complete with lotus flowers and a pond with swans at the Miramare Castle. The Castle was built for Ferdinand Maximillian, brother of Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph.
- See the Arch of Riccardo, which was built by the Romans in 33 BC and believed to have been crossed by England’s King Richard on his way home from the Crusades.
- Go underground at the Grotta Gigante, the largest cave in the world that’s open to tourists. The main cavern is 351 feet high and 213 feet wide. It was discovered while the city was looking for water sources to plan an aqueduct.
- Have a drink at the Caffe San Marco. Trieste is influenced by its Austrian heritage and is known as the coffee capital of Italy. This café was frequented by James Joyce.
