Trieste in Italy was named one of the best places to travel in 2025

You can find a list of must-see places in ItalyTrieste does not usually make it to the top 10. You’ll see that the world has been missing out by not visiting this beautiful city with its wide, palace-lined streets, impressive literary skills, and fascinating past.

The northernmost Adriatic Sea. Trieste This small town is situated in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, Italy. It occupies a sliver-sized piece of land only a few kilometres wide. On two sides it shares a border with Slovenia. It was a strategic city for more than 500-years for the Habsburg Dynasty and a vital seaport for Austro-Hungarian empire. Trieste was a hotbed of espionage during the Cold War due to its location outside the Iron Curtain.

It has attracted writers, artists and intellectuals for many years. A cerebral, film noir-like atmosphere still prevails in the city centre.

Modern Trieste is a mix of its past—part Italian, part Slavic-Slovenian, and part Austrian-German. Although the city’s geopolitical significance may have faded in recent years, its deepwater harbour is increasingly attracting larger cruise ships which have been banned from Venice, two hours south. More and more people are now discovering the sophistication of this seaside destination. Travel + Leisure It was even named one of the best places to travel in 2025. Grab your seat in a sidewalk café before it’s all gone.

Best Hotels & Resorts

Grand Hotel Duchi d’Aosta

Trieste’s most prestigious five-star hotel Grand Hotel Duchi d’AostaThe James Joyce Suite pays tribute to the Irish novelist who spent much of his adult life and most productive years in Trieste, even if he could not have afforded such posh digs. The James Joyce Suite pays tribute to the Irish novelist, who spent much of his adult life and his most productive years in Trieste—even if he could never have afforded such posh digs.

Savoia Excelsior Palace

Accommodations at Savoia Excelsior PalaceMary Gray, a Florence-based editor, says that the hotel, which was first opened in 1911 can have a business-like feel. The views of the port from the balconies are simply unbeatable. The hotel has retained many original features, such as the molded ceilings with intricate designs and a white stucco façade.

L’Albero Nascosto

Gray says that Triestini people are friendly and warm. “I found out this when I first visited and stayed here cozy hole-in-the-wall hotel Within walking distance of the main attractions.” The 10-room family-run lodging, located in a house built in the 1700s with exposed stone walls and beam ceilings, is set up within a house that dates back to 1700. The hotel also offers five self-catering flats, some with balconies.

Tivoli Portopiccolo Sistiana Wellness Resort & Spa

This hotel is located about 30 minutes away from Trieste. seafront resort It is easy to get to the city. But it’s also tempting to just enjoy the amenities on the property, which include a European-style Purobeach with multiple swimming pools, plus a shop, restaurants, bars, and a spa.

The Best Things to do

Tour Miramare Castle

Ferdinand Maximilian, the Habsburg Archduke, oversaw construction of the Habsburg Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian before he left for Mexico to end his short reign as Emperor Maximilian, in front of a firing-squad. Castello di Miramare. The white stone castle is located on a promontory overlooking the Gulf of Trieste. It contains original artwork and furnishings, such as the archduke’s study which was designed to look like the interior of a wooden boat. Our tour guide brought the castle to life, as well as the story of Ferdinand and Charlotte, Princess of Belgium. The large, wooded garden is beautiful.

Find ancient Trieste in the Città Vecchia.

Trieste is known for its grand 19th-century architecture, but its past dates back much further—to the second millennium B.C.E. The Città Vecchia, or Old City, is a medieval area built over older Roman ruins, on narrow streets which likely follow their original Roman layout. Home to a Roman theater, charming litle cafes, shops, and guesthouses, the Città Vecchia is a fine base for exploring Trieste.

Explore Winckelmann’s legacy.

You’ll find a lot of information to decode at Museo d’Antichità J.J. WinckelmannTrieste’s main archaeological museum houses artifacts originating from all over the Mediterranean. William Cook, a British writer, says that the “main attraction” is the eerie monument to Johann Joachim Winckelmann. A German art historian, archaeologist, and widely considered the father of modern archaeological research, Winckelmann was a German. Winckelmann, while passing through Trieste, befriended Francesco Arcangeli. He was murdered here for unknown reasons. Winckelmann was buried in the Trieste Cathedral.

Enjoy the people watching on Europe’s most grand piazza.

Piazza Unita d’Italia’s dramatic seaside setting and neoclassical architecture surround it. This is one of Europe’s largest and most impressive squares. You can admire yachts sailing in the Gulf of Trieste, and the distant Dolomites by day. Sip on a spritz, or prosecco, in one of elegant cafes located right next to the piazza. The piazza hosts concerts and other summer events.

Best Restaurants & Cafes

Buffet da Pepi

This recipe is perfect for vegetarians or those who don’t want to eat a lot of meat. historic eatery Somewhat challenging. This is a Trieste-tradition and typical for the Austro Hungarian buffets which include meat, meat and even more meat, with potatoes, pickles and sauerkraut.

Antica Trattoria Suban

Gray, of ” Antica Trattoria Suban. The restaurant has been owned by the same family ever since it opened in 1865, when the first Suban used the lottery winnings he received to open the restaurant. Despite the menu’s meat-heavy nature, vegetarians have plenty of options.

Caffè degli Specchi

Trieste, also called Trieste coffee capital of ItalyAnd that’s a great deal, considering how much Italians like their java. Caffè degli SpecchiLocated right on Piazza Unita d’Italia offers the quintessential Trieste experience of coffee drinking, with tufted seats and antique fixtures. Pastries, espresso, and other coffee beverages, are also served.

Antico Caffè San Marco

The following is a list of the most popular ways to contact us Trieste institution lacks the piazza views of the more famous Caffè degli Specchi, but according to Gray, “the people-watching is equally excellent, and there’s a whole bookshop inside.” James Joyce, as well as his contemporaries, would have felt at home in this Art Nouveau interior.

When is the best time to visit?

Gray describes winters in Trieste as “gloomy” in the best way possible, but visitors who don’t want to experience cold and windy weather will be better off visiting from late spring to early autumn. The temperatures are usually milder in the spring and early fall. BarcolanaThe largest sailing event in the world, which involves thousands of sailboats, is held at the start of October. If you are planning to visit during the period, book your hotel as early as possible. The waters of northern Adriatic Sea, which are usually chilly, warm up in summer and the beaches around Trieste, particularly Barcola, Grignano and Grignano fill with sunseekers.

How to Get There

Trieste is a word that can be used to describe a number of things. reached by trainYou can choose between a plane or a car. Trenitalia The journey to Trieste takes two to three hours. Private high-speed carrier Italo Also runs trains between Venice, Trieste and Trieste

Trieste Airport, which is only 30 minutes away by train, welcomes flights within Italy as well as other European countries. Venice Marco Polo Airport is the closest airport to Trieste with flights from the U.S. It’s about a 2-hour drive away.

How to Get Around

Much of Trieste’s historic center, as well as the Città Vecchia, is walkable. An extensive bus network is operated by Trieste TrasportiThe company also provides ferry service along the coast, including to Miramare Castle. Delfino Verde Also offers seasonal ferry service. You can easily find taxis in Trieste. Radio Taxi Trieste Uber is an app that allows you to use the Uber service.

A car is not required to explore Trieste. However, a rental can be useful for exploring the suburbs or traveling to neighboring Slovenia and Croatia. If you choose to drive to Trieste instead, you can park your car and explore the city on foot or by public transport.