Trieste, Italy is a place that not many people know much about. It’s tucked away in the far northeast corner near the Slovenia and Austria borders. Trieste has a checkered and interesting history but not many people visit. The area of Friuli Venezia Giulia is relatively unknown as a wine-producing region with a coastal gulf all to itself. I had always wanted to visit Trieste and I finally made the time to make it happen. Here are 5 awesome things to do in Trieste, Italy.

1. Piazza dell’Unita d’Italia

Piazza dell’Unita d’Italia is the largest sea-facing piazza in Italy and one of its most impressive. It is a great example of Austro-Hungarian planning and a source of immense pride for the people of Trieste.

Piazza dell’Unita d’Italia is a great place to stroll day or night. Be sure to visit at both because it looks totally different and possibly even more impressive at night. During the day of course you look toward the Gulf of Trieste and that adds to the allure.

Piazza dell’Unita d’Italia is a great place to chill out, have a drink, coffee or small bite before heading out to a fantastic dinner. The cruise ships dock to the immediate left of Piazza dell’Unita d’Italia so be prepared for crowds if there’s a ship in port. However, it is Italy after all so you should be used to crowds!

2. Walking Around

Walking around is by far the best way to see Trieste. There are far more than 5 things to do in Trieste so walking allows to do them and to make your own sites. I really liked the Grand Canal area. I thought it was cool, not because it was comparable to the great canals of Venice but because it owned it’s own “little” grand canal! It was a great place to meet friends and have a drink as the sun goes down.

Pretty much anything south of the main drag of Corso Italia is epic looking. Aside from Piazza dell’Unita d’Italia you’ll stroll through Piazza della Borso for some shopping, bars and even a political rally when I was there. Gaze off into the side streets and pick the ones to your liking. Most of this area is pedestrians only so it’s really visitor friendly.

But really Trieste isn’t about sites; it’s really about just experiencing the friendly city. It’s rough around the edges like many Italian cities but that gives it charm. So just walk around and find your Trieste. That’s exactly what I did and had a great time.

3. Castello di Miramare

Castello di Miramare is about a 15-minute drive out of the center of Trieste. It is a beautiful castle that is well worth a visit and is probably the single best thing to see in Trieste.

If you don’t have your owns wheels, you can take a taxi or the bus out to Castello di Miramare. The photos of the castle itself are great but the views back to Trieste across the Gulf of Trieste make the setting to me. Make sure to also walk the gardens and walk around outside for different perspectives of the castle walls.

You can also tour the inside of the castle for another 12 euros a person. I actually didn’t go inside because there was a massive tour group who was entering at the same time and was running short on time before driving to the airport. Honestly I didn’t feel like I missed much but feel free to check it out when you visit.

4. Eat

I was only in Trieste for one day but I certainly made the most of my eating time. From little pizza joints to gelatterias, Trieste has what you’d expect in Italy. But Trieste is a little different in that most restaurants do either meat or fish. I asked the concierge at my hotel, The Victoria Hotel, what the best restaurant in town was. He gave me three options. I went with Al Bagatto.

Al Bagatto was fantastic. There is no better descriptive term to use as the mains, starters, desserts, wine, ambience and everything else was perfect. I highly recommend the scallops and the radicchio. But listen to your waiter because the restaurant has seasonal tasting menus. They also know their regional wine and it is superb.

5. Drink

As I just mentioned the wine in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region is unknown and excellent. Udine produces tremendous Cabernets and I definitely indulged in a few. My absolute favorite was Petrucco. It was a bold and somewhat sweet Cabernet and I highly recommend it.

Anywhere you go in Trieste you can stop for a coffee. Trieste is known for their coffee and is the home of Illy. The cappuccino and espressos are perfect and the added ambience of standing in an Italian coffee bar make the taste even better.

Italian beers are always good but never great. I actually didn’t try any to speak of in Trieste but I was told they’re all pretty good. It’s hard to opt for beer when you’ve just come down from Austria and Italy is so well known for wine.

These 5 things to do in Trieste, Italy pretty much sum up exactly what Trieste is. It’s a very relaxed place where there is not one thing that you cannot miss but everything is worth seeing and doing. But like most places in Italy, the food and drink is killer.

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